# Shortwave Radio



## Ivan (Jan 3, 2010)

I've been thinking about getting a shortwave radio. I had one back in the late '70's-80's. It was a very inexpensive one but worked quite well at night. I enjoyed it very much, especially listening to Radio Moscow (I think that's what it was call), that was a trip! lol

Does anyone here use a shortwave radio? What suggestions might you have in purchasing one? I'm not looking to go real expensive again...maybe about $100.


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## jambo (Jan 3, 2010)

I too used to have a short wave radio back in the 70/80s and like yourself used to listen at night time to all these Russians. I have not seen a short wave radio for sometime and with the advent of digital technology would think SW radio although maybe not extinct is in its death throes. Even the use of Long and Medium wave radio is declining in favour of FM and again digital is taking over from that. I don't know about the US but over here all analogue TV will be switched off by 2012 and analogue radio by 2015.


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## Ivan (Jan 3, 2010)

There seems to be a plethora of enthusiasts for shortwave on Amazon. I suppose most things can be listened to via the Internet, not sure. However, I like the idea of listening on radio...seems safer.


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## Rich Koster (Jan 3, 2010)

I sometimes scan the dial. I use my ham radio, but also have a portable SW from Radio Shack. I often see them in catalogs, but am leery of buying anything before listening to it. For $100 there's plenty out there. I saw a hand crank generator model in the mall for your price range that sounded good, but can't remember the store it was in. The store was a latest trend gadget store that advertises on flights and airports (if that's any help). Grundig is always a good brand, but may not fit your price range. Sangean gets some plugs from SW ministries (both orthodox & heretical  ). Keep an eye out for them at yard sales too (you may have to wait a few months for those to appear again).


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## Ivan (Jan 3, 2010)

Grundig and Sangean (along with Sony) are all brands offered on Amazon.

Rich, what do you think of what you hear on the dial these days? Anything worthy?


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## Rich Koster (Jan 3, 2010)

Let's put it this way, there is a lot more eyebrow lifting preaching than spirit edifying preaching on SW. The high power xmitters have superstars like Harold Camping, the late Gene & Melissa Scott, Catholic stuff and R.G. Stair. There are some legit Bible teachers, but I didn't log the frequency or time. Check out some websites and see if they transmit SW. The internet seems to have attracted the $ of many more ministries than the commercial SW band. There used to be a Reformed Caribbean station, but I forget the frequency and hours of operation. There are a ton of political stations (conservative, liberal and extreme whacko) to pick from. I always love the listen to latest doomsday prophets that promote themselves for 30 minutes and want to sell you their book for " a $50 love offering"


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## Herald (Jan 3, 2010)

Rich Koster said:


> I sometimes scan the dial. I use my ham radio, but also have a portable SW from Radio Shack. I often see them in catalogs, but am leery of buying anything before listening to it. For $100 there's plenty out there. I saw a hand crank generator model in the mall for your price range that sounded good, but can't remember the store it was in. The store was a latest trend gadget store that advertises on flights and airports (if that's any help). Grundig is always a good brand, but may not fit your price range. Sangean gets some plugs from SW ministries (both orthodox & heretical  ). Keep an eye out for them at yard sales too (you may have to wait a few months for those to appear again).



Rich,

You're an amateur operator? So am I.


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## Ivan (Jan 3, 2010)

Rich, I'm more interested in the political. Is there anything from the BBC that one can't get from the internet that is on SW?


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## Rich Koster (Jan 3, 2010)

Yes. I have a 1st generation Icom 706 from 1994.


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## ericfromcowtown (Jan 3, 2010)

During the late 80s, as a teenager, I had a shortwave radio and tuned into Radio Moscow and other exotic stations. I even collected DX QSL cards - if any of you are nerdy enough to know what they are.

I'd suspect that most of the wackos (political and religious) have migrated to the Internet over the past 10 years or so.


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## Rich Koster (Jan 3, 2010)

Ivan said:


> Rich, I'm more interested in the political. Is there anything from the BBC that one can't get from the internet that is on SW?



BBC has talk shows and drive-by cyclical reports.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/worldservice/schedules/frequencies/index.shtml


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## Rich Koster (Jan 3, 2010)

ericfromcowtown said:


> During the late 80s, as a teenager, I had a shortwave radio and tuned into Radio Moscow and other exotic stations. I even collected DX QSL cards - if any of you are nerdy enough to know what they are.
> 
> I'd suspect that most of the wackos (political and religious) have migrated to the Internet over the past 10 years or so.



Not all of them


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## Edward (Jan 3, 2010)

You all are making me want to drag out my old Zenith TransOceanic receiver.


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## Herald (Jan 3, 2010)

Rich Koster said:


> Yes. I have a 1st generation Icom 706 from 1994.



I still have my Kenwood TS-830S.


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## Rich Koster (Jan 3, 2010)

Herald said:


> Rich Koster said:
> 
> 
> > Yes. I have a 1st generation Icom 706 from 1994.
> ...


 
Is that a 160m -10m with tube finals?


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## Berean (Jan 3, 2010)

I have a Sony 2010 and a Sangean ATS-818. Been in storage for about 10 years. I used to use the Sony to listen in on global military aircraft flights (MAC, SAC) on SSB. I'd log them and send them in to radio magazines (utility columns). Talk about nerdy. Also listened to BBC, Deutsche Welle, and other national broadcasters.


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## Ivan (Jan 3, 2010)

Berean said:


> I have a Sony 2010 and a Sangean ATS-818. Been in storage for about 10 years. I used to use the Sony to listen in on global military aircraft flights (MAC, SAC) on SSB. I'd log them and send them in to radio magazines (utility columns). Talk about nerdy. Also listened to BBC, Deutsche Welle, and other national broadcasters.



Might you be interested in parting with one of them?


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## kvanlaan (Jan 3, 2010)

I still have one of these guys (it got a little damaged on the trip over from China, not sure if it still works):






In China, we used to get Russian and Japanese stations on it (I knew a guy there who repaired vacuum tube era radios, he did very good work).


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## Berean (Jan 3, 2010)

Ivan said:


> Might you be interested in parting with one of them?


 
Thanks, Ivan, but I think I'll hang onto them for now. Since I have more time these days I think I'll set them up and see what's out there again. _Monitoring Times_ was one of the main magazines. It's still here: MT Home. _Popular Communications_ was another. It's here Popular Communications Magazine Home Page.

Here's a site with some listening guides ShortWaveRadio.com - The superlist of shortwave radio stations!


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## Ivan (Jan 3, 2010)

Berean said:


> Ivan said:
> 
> 
> > Might you be interested in parting with one of them?
> ...



So there is stuff out there worthy of a listen.


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## Tim (Jan 4, 2010)

You can surely get a lot of interesting international broadcasting on the internet these days, but there is a certain excitement and magic in using a regular radio, and searching for a 'loud and clear' signal! I had a borrowed SW radio for a time here in South Africa, the only English stations I was able to get were:

Voice of America
BBC World Service
a mediocre Christian station

However, I didn't scan during all atmospheric conditions and times of the day. Perhaps I could have found more.


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## Tim (Jan 4, 2010)

Question: what is the best antenna set-up for SW wave receiving?


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## LawrenceU (Jan 4, 2010)

I use a tuneable dipole antenna. 

I have both a SW receiver and I use half of my dinosaur Heathkit rig that I built in High School. (I got it up an running again in anticipation of passing my Extra when I test in a few weeks. I actually found an old appliance repair shop here. The man still has cases of tubes. It is a treasure trove!)


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## Mushroom (Jan 4, 2010)

> The man still has cases of tubes. It is a treasure trove!


Kewl! And worth a veritable mint on eBay.


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## Herald (Jan 4, 2010)

Rich Koster said:


> Herald said:
> 
> 
> > Rich Koster said:
> ...



Rich,

Yes, 160-10M. I love the "touch" of the dial. It just feels like a ham rig. Unfortunately I need to replace the finals, but I don't have the equipment anymore to neutralize the tubes. Therefore, I'm can't transmit with it.


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## Zenas (Jan 4, 2010)

> Does anyone here use a shortwave radio?



No. I'm young (24) and being as such, I've kept abreast of the latest technological developments. Due to increasing technological development by the military as a result of the Cold War and/or discovery of alien technology in Roswell and other alleged alien crash sites, we're been blessed with a pletora of communications devices that make the short-wave radio obsolete; not the least of which is a little invention given to us by the Beloved Al Gore, the Internets. Additionally, if you'd prefer verbal communication, for a fairly stout fee, you can invest in something called a cellular phone. A cellular phone gives you some of the same results as a short-wave radio, like hearing other people, but it also allows you to talk to one person, specifically, rather than a bunch all at once. If you'd like to talk to many all at once, don't be discouraged. They have conference calls. 

Hope that helps.


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## Rich Koster (Jan 4, 2010)

Kevin....nice vintage receiver !!!


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## Rich Koster (Jan 4, 2010)

Herald said:


> Rich Koster said:
> 
> 
> > Herald said:
> ...


 
Ham Radio Outlet or their consignment posts can hook you up with tubes. Try the ARRL sire, they probably have a few vendors posted.


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## Rich Koster (Jan 4, 2010)

Tim said:


> Question: what is the best antenna set-up for SW wave receiving?


 
You can make a long wire on a piece of plywood or door if space is an issue, or hang a wire in some trees with cans & pulleys, attached to ladder line.


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## toddpedlar (Jan 4, 2010)

I can remember summer after summer at my grandparents' cabin, where they had an old 1930's Philco console radio with AM/FM/SW bands and also a portable 1960's or 70's era Grundig that my cousins and I used to listen to for HOURS at night... Radio Moscow of course, but also Radio Free China - used to have a program called "Let's Learn Chinese" that we listened to one summer for weeks and weeks. Those are wonderful memories - and I've also been longing to buy a SW (partly for when I travel to Europe but also to listen to here at home and give the girls a taste of world radio). I think Grundig is probably your best bet - they have a few models in the $100 range, and they're solidly made. Cheaper than Sony, in general, I think, for similar performance, but at least as durable and reliable.


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## kvanlaan (Jan 4, 2010)

> Kevin....nice vintage receiver !!!



Thank you. When I found mine (very close to the one in the photo), it was under about 20 layers of red paint (a victim of the Cultural Revolution) so I picked it up for about $75, since I knew there had to be some nice wood under there if I stripped it. I was pretty distressed to see it bumped around upon opening our container from China, but my hope is that the magic eye will glow green once again (it's super cool when it does!)


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## Ivan (Jan 4, 2010)

Thanks for the great answers. Still consider what I'm going to do.


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## Berean (Jan 4, 2010)

Here's a guide to English SW broadcasts to various areas, including the Americas.

Prime Time Shortwave - Your guide for English shortwave broadcasts

Here are some current times. frequencies to the Americas.

Prime-time English Shortwave 2010

Here's a link to UTC time (GMT): The official U.S. time - clock UTC

Check the schedules for Africa and Europe also. Reception is sometimes good.

This is a reputable outfit to buy from, and they'll answer your questions.  Grove Computer and Radio


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