Hello from Chicago

[Smaug]

I am a former HAM, I let the license expire.

Years later, I'm thinking of buying a shortwave radio. Started researching them on Amazon, then, figured a forum is a better place to look.

I see this is mostly about scanners. I realized I don't really know the difference between a scanner and a shortwave radio. I get the impression shortwave radios have better reception of weak signals, but cannot scan quickly through a bunch of frequencies like a scanner can. Is that the case?

I'm thinking of studying again, taking the HAM test again, but I don't know if I will enjoy it enough for that. So, thinking of dipping my feet with a nice shortwave radio. Maybe pick up some shortwave radio programs from somewhere. I'm mostly interested in broadcast radio programs, talk radio, but not politics, religion, or music. Programs like they have on NPR, you know?

I'm in the north suburbs of Chicago, maybe someone wants to meet up for coffee or tea somewhere, and show me some basic stuff in person...

Thanks in advance.

Jeremy

 

[W8RMH]

Universal Radio shortwave, amateur, scanner and CB radio since 1942

 

[Smaug]

I picked up a Radio Shack branded copy of a Sangean ATS-505 shortwave radio. I think I'm hooked already! I'm listening to an English news broadcast from Havana Cuba right now! (6162 kHz)

Just tuned away from that, and found some really high-speed morse code in SSB between teh 49 and 41m bands.

Oh, now some Chinese stations! From China? Oh, I don't know... This one is at 9690 kHz...

If I had known how fun this was, I would have bought a fancy shortwave radio instead of my 46" LED TV...

 

[Rt169Radio]

That's cool, what kind of antenna are you using? The stock one? Also welcome to RadioReference.

 

[Smaug]

Yes, just using the stock telescopic antenna for now. Even with just that, having received those distant stations? Amazing. The "serious SWLs" [short wave listeners] all use a 20-30' wire antenna, either plugged in, or clipped onto the stock antenna, and their reception goes way up.

Now, I'm listening to NPR on FM, while I wait for the nighttime shortwave conditions to improve.

If you haven't done so yet, I encourage all your scanner-junkies to look into shortwave radio listening.

 

[robertmac]

There is much more HF under the following thread: HF / MW / LW Monitoring

 

[xxdanielt3]

Welcome to RR!

 

[UPMan]

Shortwave radios cover the shortwave bands (up to about 27 MHz). You'll hear international broadcasters, amateur radio operators, and more misc.

Scanners typically cover starting about 25 MHz and going up to a little over 1 GHz. They are primarily used to listen to local tranmissions from public safety, businesses, broadcasters and amateur radio.