Any shortwavers out there?

[EstimatedProphet]

I just got a Tecsun PL-230 shortwave radio, which for the price gets pretty good reception. I used to love listening to Radio for Peace International until it got yanked off the air. There's still BBC...
Anyone have any favorite stations?

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Australian Radio

they have a heck of a Rock N'roll show

[EstimatedProphet]

3. Know the band/time?

Or can you point me to a website?

[Indiana_Dem]

2. I just bought a SW solar/crank radio not too long ago.

The only thing I've listened to is the weather/police bands during storms which is pretty fun.

I haven't actually sat down to figure out the rest. There isn't any one channel I pick up that I really got hooked on all the time.

I would appreciate some recommendations.

[EstimatedProphet]

4. Well, I would recommend BBC, CBC, Radio Netherlands, Radio New Zealand

many others too
Shortwave is a great source for getting news not filtered by rupert Murdoch. Here is a comprehensive page for what's on:

http://www.anarc.org/naswa/swlguide/

And if you're serious, get a copy of the shortwave listeners guide as listed on that page-it's a great resource.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

5. Recommendations

Don't waste your time going to the Usenet group rec.radio.shortwave. It's all politics now.

Instead, go directly to RadioIntel.com. The Tips & Gear page there has lots of advice for beginners - or anyone, actually - complete with links to other sites. It's as good a place to start as any I can think of.

For reviews of shortwave receivers, I like the Radio Netherlands website. Go down to the middle of the page and select Current Receiver Survey.

I guess I have about a dozen shortwave radios. Some of them are Sangean-based Radio Shack digital display portables, but I have a fondness for those solid-state multiband radios that show up at church rummage sales and yard sales all the time. I love being able to tune the dial slowly just looking for some exotic broadcast I've never heard before.

Shortwave is a lot of fun, but it takes on a serious side when you consider how much you are not hearing from the domestic media outlets. I'm quite worried about the threat posed to international broadcasting by BPL, or broadband over power lines. To no surprise, it's being championed by * and the FCC's Michael Powell. Are they worried that I might listen to something that has not met with their approval?

Many of the frequencies used by amateur operators are right next to the frequencies used by the international shortwave broadcasters. For the American Radio Relay League's take on the matter see Broadband Over Power Line (BPL) and Amateur Radio.

I'm no expert, but I'll do whatever I can to help.

Best wishes.

[EstimatedProphet]

6. My first "real" shortwave radio was a Sangean

The Sangean ATS-808-cost about $175 at the time (early 90's). Had a whole lot of bells and wistles, like great speakers, keyboard frequency entry, scan/seek, etc. The one thing it didn't have was a lock mechanism, so when I would take it somewhere it would turn on and the batteries would die.
I really got hooked on SW back in high school, when we had a shabby radio, the kind with the flip-up panel that had a map of the world and a little spinning dial that indicated world time. I remember listening to Radio Moscow on Sunday nights...that was an eye-opener.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

9. Sangean ATS-808

I'm stumped - but only temporarily - trying to recall the ATS-808. Oddly, there's no listing for Sangean in the RigPix Database.

I've got a radio like the one you've described. It's about the size of one of a later Zenith Trans-Oceanic. I bought it at a yard sale two and a half years ago for something like 75 cents. Inevitably, I had to clean the battery compartment of corrosion from zinc-chloride cells. I made a few wiring changes on the inside - nothing important - and it works just fine. Those Japanese multiband radios from the 60s are far more pleasant to listen to than the new digital display portables. The cabinets were big enough to have large speakers, and the volume of the cabinet give the sound a robust characteristic. You sort of have to guess where on the dial a station is, but once you find it and retune occasionally to adjust for drift, listening to it is just plain fun.

Gwen Ifill just came on. Gotta go.

[EstimatedProphet]

10. This one was it:

http://www.rigpix.com/miscrx/sangean_ats803a.htm
ATS-803A, not 808. Sorry.
It was a good radio

[mahatmakanejeeves]

12. Oh, those

Nice radio. I nearly bought one of those back in 1991. Radio Shack sold it as the DX-440, and it made the mistake of putting them on sale just as Gulf War I was starting up. They sold out immediately nationwide. The one thing that I didn't like about it was the size, and I ended up buying a DX-392, which is easily just as bulky, a few years ago anyway. The ATS-803A is still highly regarded. I'm sure they command a good price on eBay. I wouldn't hesitate to buy one at a yard sale or rummage sale, as long as the price was right.

The ATS-808 was reviewed on page 106 of the 1993 Passport to World Band Radio, which of course I have lying around. It got a three star, "Editor's Choice" rating, and the editors called it a "top-class compact." Radio Shack sold it as their model DX-380. The ATS-803A/DX-440 was reviewed on page 125 of the same edition of Passport to World Band Radio. It got three stars, an "Editor's Choice", and a "¢", indicating that it was quite the bargain.

The 2005 edition of Passport to World Band Radio will be out at the end of October. Even in an online era, it's a good reference. Additionally, it used to be the case that several times a year, Monitoring Times magazine would include a schedule of shortwave broadcasters. It may still do so, though I haven't checked lately. While at the Monitoring Times website, get a load of their Hot 1000 Shortwave frequencies.

Since I'm sure a majority of DU listers are in the United States, I should point out that one can hear on shortwave is a function of where one is in the United States. Stations that are easily heard on the east coast may not be heard at all on the west coast.

The Yahoo! group ShortwaveRadios has nearly 1000 members. It sees frequent posting.

[Indiana_Dem]

7. Thank you everyone!

I will bookmark this for the links.

I bought the radio when I became concerned about peak oil and the ups and downs we might have in the future. I was thinking at least my little SW solar/crank will be of some assistance if things go downhill or rollercoaster-like. It cost me about $90 and I think it was a good investment--not just for peak oil but all kinds of possible events.

[thatgemguy]

8. Shortwave ROCKS!!!

I'm an avid shortwave listener.

Besides listening for unlicensed "Pirate" stations, my favorite is WBCQ (7415 kHz) evenings.

So many good shows on BCQ, "Tasha Takes Control", "Lost Discs Radio Show", and "Radio New York International with Johnny Lightning" on Sunday nights.

Check out WBCQ's schedule at: www.wbcq.com

[EstimatedProphet]

13. I'll have to check that one out

The privately owned stations are pretty cool at times, when they aren't fundy wackjob promotions...

[CRK7376]

11. I've had a small short wave that

I've used for years and that includes trips to Afghanistan, S.Korea, Japan, all over Europe....Love shortwave. BBC all the way.

[EstimatedProphet]

14. They're nice to have for travel

And nice to have for unfiltered news too.