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"LOTS OF HAM RADIO OPERATORS LIKE MYSELF GOT THEIR START
IN HAM RADIO MANY YEARS AGO ROAMING THE SHORTWAVE BANDS WITH
SHORTWAVE RADIOS!" ........
N4UJW WEBMASTER HAMUNIVERSE.COM

What is Shortwave Radio ?
We've all heard AM and FM radio stations on our car radio.
But what about shortwave?

A shortwave radio is specially designed receiver that  receives stations from places far away from where you live and are "hidden" in between the standard AM and FM band on frequencies from about 3 Mhz to 30 Mhz.

This article will introduce you to some good basic information about shortwave radio listening and will recommend some excellent shortwave radio receivers to get you started in the exciting world of shortwave listening! Read on......

If you live in the U.S., you can easily listen to stations broadcasting from foreign countries like the BBC from London, Radio Australia, Radio Cuba, Swiss Radio International, Deutsche Welle (Germany), Radio Netherlands, Voice of Free China, Radio China International, Radio Japan and many other countries if you have a good shortwave receiver!

These stations and many others broadcast in English at certain times, usually in the evenings. These stations broadcast to foreign countries, in the language of the people in the foreign countries. Yes, that's right, you don't need to know Japanese to listen to Radio Japan.  Most people who have not actually listened to shortwave signals don't know this.
Shortwave broadcasts are in real time! You hear them instantly! They are not delayed like they would be on the internet!

These international stations transmit on bands called World Band Radio or "shortwave".
Shortwave radios can  pick up other signals that are not considered World Band Radio, like Amateur (Ham radio) operators, maritime signals from ships, aircraft, coastal weather stations, news broadcasts and much, much more. There are different radio frequency ranges reserved for each type of use.

Shortwave radio signals are capable of traveling long distances, unlike AM and FM stations which usually can only be heard for about 50 - 75 miles from the broadcasting station, depending on your antenna. Some powerful AM broadcast stations can be heard across the U.S. at night.
Shortwave radio signals are designed to skip around the world and bounce in the atmosphere, meaning they can be heard far away. However, this has always meant that the quality of signals reaching the listener has always been variable, depending how strong the signal is at your location, your receiver and your antenna. The sound might also be as good as an FM radio for a while and then be barely heard moments later caused by fading. International broadcast stations usually direct or "beam" their signals to the designated listening areas during the evening hours when most listeners are at home. So, if you live in New York for example, your best shortwave listening times are usually between 8:00 p.m. and midnight. The broadcast is designed to be best heard at the designated audience location. For example, a broadcast clearly heard in New York State probably can not be heard in Seattle. Most Shortwave broadcasters are on the air 24 hours a day and broadcast on various frequencies depending on the time of day so their signals can usually be heard round the clock in most locations simply by changing the dial settings on your shortwave receiver. Much like changing radio stations on your regular radios.

Major shortwave broadcasters, like the BBC and the Voice of America, broadcast on many different frequencies every day to just about everywhere, in many languages. The BBC is listened to by millions of people every day. There is a sound sample below recorded directly from a shortwave radio along with other samples. These major stations also have relay stations all over the world, helping to provide a strong signal. The BBC broadcast from London you are listening to may actually be re-transmitted from Canada, which pickup the broadcast from a satellite. As a result, the big stations are very easy to hear. The BBC has even arranged for its shortwave radio broadcasts to be re-transmitted by National Public Radio stations in the U.S. These stations are usually on the low end of the standard FM broadcast band.

Many large stations use extreme high power for shortwave broadcasting. Your local AM station usually uses up to 50,000 watts of broadcasting power. A shortwave broadcasting station may use 1,000,000 watts for each of their stations! You hear it all in real time!

What can you hear?  You can listen to news from around the world, propaganda, music, religious broadcasts, sporting events, etc. In short just about anything. Radio Cuba, for example, has probably the best jazz program on anywhere, on any type of broadcast medium, including television. Shortwave radio broadcasts have always been a big part in bringing the truth to oppressed people everywhere........and the not so truthful...... propaganda.

There's so much more on shortwave, including Transatlantic commercial and military aircraft, ships at sea, news wire services, coastal and marine weather broadcasts, research vessels and "pirate stations", (stations transmitting illegally), along with Amateur Radio stations from around the world plus lots more! You may even hear transmissions from the South Pole research stations!
All in real time as it happens!

AUDIO SAMPLES:
Sample Ham Radio here! These ham radio operators were giving signal reports to another ham. Most were located in the U.S and some in Canada.

Sample news audio on 6.135mhz from the BBC recorded live at night off the air! (Long download)

Sample....Radio Netherlands from 9845khz Short simple station ID

To be able to hear all of this as it happens LIVE, a shortwave radio has to tune these frequencies and bands.
Your standard AM/FM radio or scanner will not receive these bands!

This author (N4UJW A licensed Ham Radio operator), has spent thousands and thousands of hours just listening around the shortwave bands since early childhood and I still find myself returning to the excitement of SWLing (Shortwave listening). 

I have used several different brands and models of shortwave receivers in my time and still have a couple of old "Boat Anchors" that still give me that same excitement and a since of wonder that I had many years ago.
In my travels around the world of ham radio and the internet, I have seen many new brands of shortwave receivers come and go and have reviewed the reviews.......

Guess what? Two brands consistently stand out over the others over time in the portable type shortwave receivers.
The two brands that consistently come out on top in portables are........
Sangean and Sony!
----------------
SANGEAN
THIS FROM SANGEAN'S WEB SITE
"Sangean Electronics is one of the world's oldest and largest manufacturers of multi-band, portable and pocket sized entertainment centers.

  Established in 1974, the name Sangean is recognized throughout the world for its innovative design, unparalleled performance and matchless quality.

  Sangean is proud to be the manufacturer of choice for Radio Shack, Siemens, Panasonic, Braun, AIWA, Emerson, Philips, Roberts and a host of others.

Additionally, Sangean products are offered by most electronic retailers, distributors and major catalog suppliers such a Sharper Image, Hammacher Schlemmer, Haverhills, Universal Radio, C.Crane, Frys Electronics, J&R Music and many others.

All Sangean products are high quality, portable and cosmetically appealing with the kind of feel and performance that has made Sangean the fastest growing radio line in the market today.

Outstanding products, combined with excellent customer service support and an unprecedented warranty policy in the audio industry have made Sangean the most appreciated company by customers owning a Sangean radio."
© Sangean 1998.  All Rights Reserved.


A REVIEW BY RADIO NETHERLANDS SHORTWAVE RECEIVER TEST TEAM

Sangean ATS-505


Click the picture to see more!

"In our opinion, the ATS-505 definitively ends our search. In summary, we like the radio. Though it has no choice of bandwidth filters, no ECSS and no lineout jack, the performance across the MW, SW and FM bands is, simply stated, significantly better than we expected for the money. To be sure, there are portable radios with more features and better performance, but these radios cost significantly more money.

We also believe that the ATS-505 would be a good choice for a first-time purchaser of a shortwave radio.".......(From The Radio Netherlands Test Team)


"Sangean radio's without a doubt, are some of the best buys for your money if you are looking for a good shortwave (all band) receiver in a portable type radio. Sure, there are all band radios for sale that have lots more "bells and whistles" for lots more (hundreds) of $$$, but for your hard earned bucks, a Sangean radio is hard to beat!


SONY
The ICF SW 7600GR      ICF 7600GR
"EDITED FROM THE RADIO NETHERLANDS TEST TEAM REPORT"
The Bottom Line

"The bottom line is that we like the SONY ICF SW 7600GR. We like the sensitivity, the filter choice for prowling through the SW bands, the synchronous detection, and the line out jack in a reasonably priced radio. We believe the ICF SW 7600GR is the lowest price portable radio with the sync and line out features.

The "GR" is slightly smaller than the Sangean ATS-505, a good entry-level radio. For a few dollars more the user gets a significantly better filter on AM and SW and synchronous detection for better reception, a line output to record, and more memories. We think the $ difference is worth it.

While the dollar increments of US $30-40 and the varying feature sets between manufacturers and models can make the final choice of a radio difficult, that choice is eventually yours.

For those with inexpensive radios and looking for something with better performance, you should take a hard look at the ICF SW 7600GR.
Those also buying a SW radio for the first time will not be disappointed.

Accordingly, we give this receiver a 5 stars rating. As always, please remember the rating is based upon price versus performance and features.".......from the Radio Netherlands test team.
GET IT HERE!
Click Picture below:

The Sony ICF SW 7600GR
===========

High End Shortwave Receivers!

If you had rather go all the way and invest in a high end shortwave top of the line receiver that is so much more than just a portable then check out the line of receivers at ScannerMaster made by AOR.
 
One model that comes to mind is one of the best high end consumer models available anywhere!
It's a bit expensive but it is designed to give you extremely increased receive capabilities not just on shortwave but on just about any band you would want!  It comes down to the old saying, "You get what you pay for"!
It is the AOR AR8600MKIIB shown in the picture below:

The AR8600 Mark II reflects AOR's ongoing commitment to improving its products and maintaining its leadership in designing and building high-end receivers. The AR8600 Mark II sets several new standards that make the receiver desirable to professional users and monitoring enthusiasts INCLUDING SHORTWAVE RADIO.
Get more information direct from ScannerMaster here OR CLICK THE PICTURE! 
This receiver is highly rated by professionals in the field!

A good shortwave receiver for home or portable use is a matter of personal choice and recommendations from folks like myself and there are many brands and models to choice from from many suppliers and outlets. Selecting a well known and respected brand such as Sangean, Sony or the higher end models like those from AOR will give you years of shortwave radio listening pleasure and excitement!
I have attempted to give you my recommendations based on my experience in over 50 years of listening! Have fun!

Want to be a Ham Radio Operator and be heard on the shortwave bands? 
It's easy...
YOU CAN DO IT! CLICK HERE FOR MORE INFORMATION. YOU WILL BE SURPRISED AT HOW EASY IT IS TO GET YOUR ENTRY LEVEL HAM RADIO LICENSE!

Get the Sony ICF SW7600GR


Click the picture!

Check out the AOR receivers from ScannerMaster!

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