# Shortwave Radio **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 1, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896 "2015-03-01T00:49:32Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 16\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/1 "2015-03-01T00:49:32Z")
Anyone here a regular listener? I have one of the better quality multi-band radios that pull in a lot of different frequencies, but I’m not a regular user, though I think it’d be cool to do so. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 2:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/2 "2015-03-01T02:07:26Z")
once you have a good antenna connected to a good radio that you know how to use then you will have fun. ---
**Author:** ![desertmonk](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/898d66/32.png) [@desertmonk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/desertmonk)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/3 "2015-03-01T02:10:37Z")
My experience was a lot of static and Spanish, which I don’t speak. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/4 "2015-03-01T02:14:01Z")
it is lots of time of day, season and year and then choosing the right frequency. quality of antenna(s) also matters greatly. lots of things have to act together to make it happen. ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 2:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/5 "2015-03-01T02:43:16Z")
I’m a ham and used to listen on one of my HF transceivers. I have beam antennas about 80’ up and get a pretty good signal. Now I want to go down and listen. ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 3:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/6 "2015-03-01T03:20:25Z")
I used mine a lot when I was a Peace Corps volunteer. Back then, they published Passport to World Band Radio, which was helpful for finding what was on when. I tuned in to stuff from around the world, from North Korean radio to Japanese pop music to US evangelical stations. I’m not sure what has replaced Passport to World Band these days. ---
**Author:** ![Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cabin_fever_1/32/2908_2.png) [@Cabin\_Fever\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cabin_Fever_1)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 3:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/7 "2015-03-01T03:56:38Z")
> [@BaldDudePeekskill](#): > > Anyone here a regular listener? I have one of the better quality multi-band radios that pull in a lot of different frequencies, but I’m not a regular user, though I think it’d be cool to do so. Yes. Although the Internet has taken away a lot of the focus, SW is still there. May I ask what sort of set-up that you have? 59372 98324 19043 78903 95320 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Lemmytheseal2](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/82dd89/32.png) [@Lemmytheseal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lemmytheseal2)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/8 "2015-03-01T17:10:31Z")
I’m curious to try it out, because I want to hear the numbers stations, and all those other espionage-related broadcasts. No, that’s not a reference to shows discussing espionage; there are quite a few shortwave broadcasts that consist of coded instructions to agents, or are otherwise related to covert activity, military readiness, and so on. I love stuff like that. ---
**Author:** ![jnglmassiv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f07891/32.png) [@jnglmassiv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jnglmassiv)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/9 "2015-03-01T18:30:23Z")
I don’t listen to broadcast shortwave which it what the OP is asking about. However, I do operate on the higher amateur bands. It is interesting that hams call this HF, not shortwave. > [@GaryM](#): > > I have beam antennas about 80’ up and get a pretty good signal. Jealous! What kind of beam and tower? ---
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/10 "2015-03-01T19:50:48Z")
I have a Radio Shack receiver, nothing special. Reception is better at night, but I’d probably do well to get a more powerful antenna. I’d love to do ham radio, but I’m finding out that a pretty expensive hobby ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/11 "2015-03-01T20:11:26Z")
> [@jnglmassiv](#): > > I don’t listen to broadcast shortwave which it what the OP is asking about. However, I do operate on the higher amateur bands. It is interesting that hams call this HF, not shortwave. > > Jealous! What kind of beam and tower? Glenn Martin 70" tower, Force 12 XR5 for 10, 12, 15, 17, 20 meters. M2 6 meter beam, 2m/70cm beam. And a vhf/UHF vertical on top. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/12 "2015-03-01T20:14:13Z")
> [@BaldDude](#): > > I have a Radio Shack receiver, nothing special. Reception is better at night, but I’d probably do well to get a more powerful antenna. I’d love to do ham radio, but I’m finding out that a pretty expensive hobby Not necessarily depending on your interests. Many folks start with a vhf/UHF rig in the car. You can make lots of contacts with a $500 HF rig and some wire. A vhf/UHF portable HT is all you need to participate in many public service events. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 8:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/13 "2015-03-01T20:15:32Z")
ham radio is one of those how much time and how much money hobbies; from little to as much as you can spare. at hamfests (ham radio flea markets), which which might occur once or a few times each year in medium to large cities, you could get used equipment enough from $50 to $100. it all depends on the age of the equipment and features. most important for ham or shortwave listening is an antenna. a long wire can work if it is in the right place. some reading will help you decide the specifics. ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/14 "2015-03-01T20:32:24Z")
Any of you ever play with this? Is an online audio feed from a tunable receiver. [http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/](http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/) ---
**Author:** ![GaryM](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garym/32/241_2.png) [@GaryM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GaryM)\ **Post date:** [March 1, 2015, 11:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/15 "2015-03-01T23:07:53Z")
I have in the past, but not for some time now. SDR (software defined radio) seems to be the “big new thing” these days. Several of my friends have Flex Radios. I’m retired Boeing St. Louis and we have one with an antenna on one of our taller buildings here. If you’re inside the company firewall you can work it from your desk at lunch. ---
**Author:** ![N9IWP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/n9iwp/32/3154_2.png) [@N9IWP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/N9IWP)\ **Post date:** [March 2, 2015, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shortwave-radio/713896/16 "2015-03-02T00:28:50Z")
I was (actually mostly before I was a ham). Most of my SW listening these days is syncing my watch to WWV Brian