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shortwave radios -

Unless you want to listen to religious broadcast from the bible belt of the US, you really shouldn't buy a cheap shortwave radio. Cheap shortwave radios rarely have the sensitivity to tune in anything but the most annoying religious sermons, and Radio Havana Cuba. Radio Havana Cuba is fun to listen to, but not what I would call a source of news. If you want to have a selection of stations to listen to, buy an expensive radio and put a big antenna on it. Here is another source of shortwave radios:

http://www.ccrane.com/radios/shortwave-radios/index.aspx
 
springer said:
Unless you want to listen to religious broadcast from the bible belt of the US, you really shouldn't buy a cheap shortwave radio. Cheap shortwave radios rarely have the sensitivity to tune in anything but the most annoying religious sermons, and Radio Havana Cuba. Radio Havana Cuba is fun to listen to, but not what I would call a source of news. If you want to have a selection of stations to listen to, buy an expensive radio and put a big antenna on it. Here is another source of shortwave radios:

http://www.ccrane.com/radios/shortwave-radios/index.aspx
Click to expand...


I think the big antenna part is the important one. It doesn't much matter if it's an expensive radio or not, shortwave is just AM radio, and the amount of noise in the atmosphere far outstrips anything else. In other words, getting a more sensitive radio isn't going to help much in pulling in a weak station, but putting a big antenna on will help a LOT. A long wire works very well, but a dipole works even better, assuming you know what frequency you're aiming for. Grounding the radio to a water pipe or something can help a whole lot as well.
 
hminsky said:
I think the big antenna part is the important one. It doesn't much matter if it's an expensive radio or not, shortwave is just AM radio, and the amount of noise in the atmosphere far outstrips anything else. In other words, getting a more sensitive radio isn't going to help much in pulling in a weak station, but putting a big antenna on will help a LOT. A long wire works very well, but a dipole works even better, assuming you know what frequency you're aiming for. Grounding the radio to a water pipe or something can help a whole lot as well.
Click to expand...

You're trying to tell me that there's no difference between the Voice of Russia broadcasting with 50KW from Russia and WRKO broadcasting with 50KW from Burlington? Seems to me that the signal from Russia would be much weaker and you would want a more sensitive radio, especially at this point in the sun spot cycle.
 
hikerlt said:
shortwave radios -> this link is from a survivalblog special, from a guy located in the Sturbridge area. I have purchased MURS handheld radios from him, and he is a good vendor.

http://affordableshortwaves.googlepages.com/
Click to expand...

Have you ever heard anyone else on those MURS radios? I am amazed that they never took off. I've been thinking about buying some just because I know that the frequencies are empty.
 
springer said:
You're trying to tell me that there's no difference between the Voice of Russia broadcasting with 50KW from Russia and WRKO broadcasting with 50KW from Burlington? Seems to me that the signal from Russia would be much weaker and you would want a more sensitive radio, especially at this point in the sun spot cycle.
Click to expand...

Depends on what frequency its on. At night due to FCC regs the
AM broadcasters have to power down, etc. I can frequently get
lots of SW, and even HAM stations in on the lowbands way better
than "local" broadcast- and yes, even when the MUF is
low. Even in the worst part of the cycle, there is still a lot of
strong propogation below 15 mhz.

FWIW, the antenna/preselector is way more important than the
radio is, most of the time. Even a mediocre RX can pick up a
lot of signals with a good antenna + tuning device in front of
it.

-Mike
 
springer said:
Have you ever heard anyone else on those MURS radios? I am amazed that they never took off. I've been thinking about buying some just because I know that the frequencies are empty.
Click to expand...

MURS is basically a part 95 rehash of the old VHF business itinerant
frequencies. It's not as popular as something like CB but you
will hear lots of small businesses, etc, on the MURS frequencies. A
lot of guys are using unlocked ham transcievers (which is "illegal"
but type acceptance is impossible to enforce) and cheap business
band handhelds to get on those frequencies. That little radio
that RCI used to sell, the RCI-1000 or whatever it was, was
actually a pretty decent performer for $100... I think it had 1 or 2
channels and was fairly rugged. I think it might have had a
proprietary battery pack but probably can be re-celled by anyone
that knows how to use the internet and a soldering iron.

-Mike
 
drgrant said:
I can frequently get
lots of SW, and even HAM stations in on the lowbands way better
than "local" broadcast- and yes, even when the MUF is
low.
-Mike
Click to expand...

What local stations don't come in as good as SW stations, college radio???? I am still not buying it. I've been listening to SW for 30 years (on many different radios) and only the annoying southern religious stations come in as well as local stations. Can you name some of them for me?
 
drgrant said:
MURS is basically a part 95 rehash of the old VHF business itinerant
frequencies. It's not as popular as something like CB but you
will hear lots of small businesses, etc, on the MURS frequencies. A
lot of guys are using unlocked ham transcievers (which is "illegal"
but type acceptance is impossible to enforce) and cheap business
band handhelds to get on those frequencies. That little radio
that RCI used to sell, the RCI-1000 or whatever it was, was
actually a pretty decent performer for $100... I think it had 1 or 2
channels and was fairly rugged. I think it might have had a
proprietary battery pack but probably can be re-celled by anyone
that knows how to use the internet and a soldering iron.

-Mike
Click to expand...

My wife and I run mobile radios in our cars when we go to Vermont and Maine. I wanted to run on MURS frequencies at 5 watts (yes, I know that's illegal, but it's as low as any real mobile rig will go), but my wife had a fit when she saw the antenna. She said that she didn't want her car looking like something from a "dukes of hazzard" episode. We went with GMRS at 50 watts instead. There's too many chuckleheads on it and I don't like the simplex UHF performance in the woods.
 
springer said:
What local stations don't come in as good as SW stations, college radio???? I am still not buying it. I've been listening to SW for 30 years (on many different radios) and only the annoying southern religious stations come in as well as local stations. Can you name some of them for me?
Click to expand...

I agree that 95% of what's transmitting domestically is some
iteration of "church" 24/7 on 100 different stations. I guess
my point was is sometimes you can hear things like the BBC, or other
foreign stations with a better signal than you can get WRKO,
especially once they switch patterns or go to low power. (You'll
note that around 6-6:30 PM or so, that 'RKO will drop off
precipitously.... I can still pick it up on my wire, but it's far from
easy listening. Course, I live at least an hour away from where their
transmitter probably is.)

I definitely agree with your assertion that there's no reason to
buy a junker. But having a good antenna and a preselector/tuner
is just as important. I tried to set up my Icom R75 with an indoor
antenna on a lark, and I was pissed because it was so terrible.

-Mike
 
A preselector is a must if you're going to put a "bigger" antenna on a cheap radio. Cheap radios have crappy selectivity and you'll only overload the receivers front-end.
 
drgrant said:
Depends on what frequency its on. At night due to FCC regs the
AM broadcasters have to power down, etc. I can frequently get
lots of SW, and even HAM stations in on the lowbands way better
than "local" broadcast- and yes, even when the MUF is
low. -Mike
Click to expand...

Not all AM broadcasters need to drop their ERP at night. It's dependant on their license. Large stations such as 880 WCBS and 1010 WINS both of NYC and KDKA of pittsburg broadcast at 50KW 24/7. 880 and 1010 can be heard from North Carolina to Canada now matter what the propagation conditions are. WRKO until recently (10 or 15 years ago) did also broadcast with 50KW. They had some license problems back then and had to get an new license with obviously lower night time output power.
 
Last edited:
drgrant said:
FWIW, the antenna/preselector is way more important than the
radio is, most of the time. Even a mediocre RX can pick up a
lot of signals with a good antenna + tuning device in front of
it.

-Mike
Click to expand...

I completely agree with you in regards to this. A crappy radio with a good antenna is probably better than a good radio with a bad antenna. I've always believed in the combination of a midrange radio with a good antenna.
 
Marine Band

SRG-1150DNlite.jpg


Frequency range: TX : 1.6 ~ 25.999MHz(10Hz STEP)
RX : 500KHz ~ 29.99MHz(10Hz STEP)


Who runs on Marine Band?

Wiskey Tango Charlie? Why Certainly![smile]
 
Years ago when I was going to school down in Florida I would listen to WABC and WGN AM from South Carol9ina right into NJ at night. Those were the days long before CD's and even tape decks for the most part....
 
I just thought that I would resurrect this thread because I found a good article with some good shortwave radio listening info. For some good shortwave radio info check out the following sources:

http://www.passband.com/
This is a great book which is a must have if you want to listen to shortwave. It has show listings by time and frequency like the old TV guide. It also has many good radio reviews.

http://blog.wired.com/geekdad/2008/02/shortwave-radio.html
Check out the links section of this article for some good info
 
springer said:
Unless you want to listen to religious broadcast from the bible belt of the US, you really shouldn't buy a cheap shortwave radio. Cheap shortwave radios rarely have the sensitivity to tune in anything but the most annoying religious sermons, and Radio Havana Cuba. Radio Havana Cuba is fun to listen to, but not what I would call a source of news. If you want to have a selection of stations to listen to, buy an expensive radio and put a big antenna on it. Here is another source of shortwave radios:

http://www.ccrane.com/radios/shortwave-radios/index.aspx
Click to expand...

What would you recommend for a newb? Price isn't a factor.. I'm one that likes the best "value".. be it the most $$$, the one in the middle or the cheapest..
 
Cherokee_Outlaw said:
What would you recommend for a newb? Price isn't a factor.. I'm one that likes the best "value".. be it the most $$$, the one in the middle or the cheapest..
Click to expand...

As I stated before, Buy this book: http://www.passband.com/

You'll want the book when you own a radio anyway. It's has reviews of many radios in many different price ranges.
 
rscalzo said:
Probably anyone under 35 years old is wondering what you are talking about.....How about the WMCA Good Guys ?????
Click to expand...

I have a few years before 35.. but has a little kid.. I remember my dad and uncle talking about Wolfman Jack.. Never heard him DJ.. thought he died awhile back... ?
 
Radios

I am a ham operator and a member of the WECT (Worcester Emergency Communication team). A great resource for antenna building ect. is www.qrz.com . Also, Doing a Mars/Cap Conversion on radios are easy as well, and may be important during an emergency.

---Mike F
Call sign KB1MJU 73's
 
Doing a Mars/Cap Conversion on radios are easy as well,
Click to expand...

It is if you have the eyes of a twenty year old. I went crazy modding my vhf/uhf mobile. It was a lot easier many years ago when the components weren't so small and surface mounted.

Years ago my Alinco only needed a reset after clipping a wire. Not many are that simple. What I did find was that out of band reception and especially transmissions were lacking. I had much better luck when my Kenwood 390 commercial grade was used on both our police frequencies and the local ham band repeaters. But there was a vast difference in pricing and much less of a user friendly programming.

One day I'll replace my hf gear and get the nerve to climb up and hang a dipole.

N1RDS
 

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