Shortwave Radio

A cheap and easy way to pick up what is going on in other parts of the world is to listen to Shortwave Radio Broadcast. Shortwave Radio Listing, (SWL), is still going strong although some stations has closed their doors, others have opened up. In October 2014 Global 24 Radio came on the air. 

Global 24 is currently on 9395 MhZ out of Florida and is getting some good reception reports. I have heard it in Hawaii on a few occasions and they are testing other frequencies so it may get better sooner than later.

A good site to find frequencies or to find out what is playing on a certain frequency can be found at Short - Wave Info.  

SWLing is one of the most popular radio activities in the world. Even with the advent of the world wide web, SWLing stands apart because it provides some of the best "unfiltered" news and content to be found. The joy of SWLing is that you don't need expensive equipment, a connection to the internet, an elaborate antenna, or even AC mains power.  To pick up most broadcasts, a few batteries and an inexpensive pocket-sized shortwave radio are all you need.  This is simplicity at its best, and the reason there are so many people SWLing today. Of course, once you've mastered the basics of SWLing, you may also be interested in DXing (searching for more distant stations) which will require an upgrade from your pocket-sized radio; however, even then, you may be amazed at how little it takes to put together a good DX-chasing set-up.

I have a list of frequencies and stations that I have recieved in Hawaii on my webpage. Click HERE.

Nearly every country broadcasts on shortwave ( 2.3 - 26.1 MHz ). Many of these countries transmit powerful signals that are some times beamed toward North America. These broadcasts can often be heard on portable shortwave radios. International broadcasters often cover stories not reported in the American media. If you use or are learning another language there are many non-english broadcasts. These signals travel thousands of miles via the upper atmosphere and they may have static, fading or interference. These signals are also affected by the seasons, time of day and solar activity (sunspots etc). Broadcasters often change frequencies, languages and times. Any schedule would soon become out of date. I have never used a "schedule. In stead, I just tune around the dial and listen to any interesting stations.

The "Radio Regulations" of the International Telecommunications Union define the shortwave broadcast bands. At the 1992 World Administrative Radio Conference, new bands were created and existing bands were expanded. The band limits in the following table reflect the WARC-92 agreements and broadcast band expansions used on a non-interfering basis (e.g., the 41 m band starting at 6890 kHz on a non-interference basis): Although the allocations do not become official until 2007, in practice many stations have already started using the expanded portions under the motto "use it or lose it." Additionally, there are a few stations that broadcast outside the band edges above, e.g., Iran on 9022 and a number of African stations around 9200 kHz. Clearly, receivers with continuous coverage between 1.6 and 30 MHz are preferred.

Some Basic Rules of Thumb

1. Night shortwave reception is usually better than daytime shortwave. This can change from time-to-time, so it's worth checking the bands during the day as well.

2. Shortwave is usually better in the winter than other times of year.

3. Typically, the best daytime shortwave bands are 13, 15, 16, 19, and 22 meters, 16 and 19 usually the best. At night, the best bands are 25, 31, 41 and 49 meters, with 31 and 49 usually best.

4.  Around sunset and sunrise, both the day and night bands may often be exceptionally good,often making listening at these times quite rewarding.

5.  Because the construction materials of some buildings severely block shortwave signals, it may be best to hold the radio in your hands and get very close to a window or use an external antenna mounted next to the window or outside.
 
A shortwave band is like a street with many addresses on it. In this case, the individual addresses are called frequencies, each one a potential home of a broadcaster. For example, in the 19 meter band (it could be called 19 Meter Street), 15110 kilohertz is the home of Radio Spain International, 15190 is the home of BBC World Service and 15275 is the home of Deutsche Welle (Germany). As on any street, the occupants at a specific address are not always at home.

Be Ready, Be Prepared!!