signal fading

[volstag]

I recently bought a grundig 300 mini shortwave reciever. I notice that many of the shortwave stations i can hear have a significant amount of fade in-out. is this normal for Shortwave stations? or is this something that is caused by a cheap radio? I am using an external antenna. (80+ foot longwire).

I am looking into a kaito 1003 as a replacement for the cheapie, but before i do i want to know what to expect.

thanks

[rfradioconsult]

Shortwave stations can and do suffer from changes in propagation variables. These changes can cause fading of signals; a better receiver may be of questionable benefit and not be cost effecient. In commeercial HF applications very large directional arrays such as Rhombic's and LPDA's with multiple receivers operated in diversity configurations can minimize signal fading problems.

Sometimes the Propagation Gods don't smile down on us.

[prcguy]

If you listen in USB or LSB the fading is less noticeable.
prcguy

[ridgescan]

Originally Posted by prcguy

If you listen in USB or LSB the fading is less noticeable.
prcguy

Good point-but the Grundig 300 mini has no SSB capability. I have good reliable signals but fading is ALWAYS there-just the nature of long-distance radio waves. If you choose to upgrade, be sure to get a receiver with SSB ability. When you encounter a broadcast that has an annoying amount of fading, you put the station dead on its frequency, switch on the upper sideband or lower sideband, and the radio focuses more so on the voice and not the carrier then if you get crazy like I did and buy a radio like the R75 with its filters, passband tuners,RF gain, etc. from there you can hone the broadcast even more! It's a lot of fun-and SW is very much alive these days.

[volstag]

Originally Posted by ridgescan

I have good reliable signals but fading is ALWAYS there-just the nature of long-distance radio waves.

it sounds like a better radio CAN help at least a little bit. Thanks for the info, thats what I wanted to know.

[Star56]

Fading is a normal part of shortwave life. You can significantly reduce it by either using a radio with a good sync detector (e.g. Eton E1 or Sony 2010) or use a radio that allows for good ECSS reception (e.g. Icom R75).

Grundig is due to release a new portable with sync in the near future.

Listen to shortwave in AM without sync is hard to tolerate.

[k9rzz]

Originally Posted by Star56

Fading is a normal part of shortwave life. You can significantly reduce it by either using a radio with a good sync detector (e.g. Eton E1 or Sony 2010) or use a radio that allows for good ECSS reception (e.g. Icom R75).

Grundig is due to release a new portable with sync in the near future.

Listen to shortwave in AM without sync is hard to tolerate.

+1

If a signal is going to fade, it's going to fade ... it doesn't know how much money you spent on your radio. Better radios and antennas do help, sometimes making the difference between hearing what's being broadcast and not, but you're always at the mercy of propagation. That's half the fun!

[kb2vxa]

Yeppers, while there are "tricks" you can use with "better" receivers to improve reception the bottom line is it's in the air and not the receiver. About the best you can do is sacrifice your firstborn son to the radio gods, dance around the receiver chanting "ohms, voltage current ohms" and pray, they won't accept credit cards. This is best done indoors with the shades drawn, the neighbors just don't understand and if you don't perform the ritual just right you could get hit by lightning.

[a29zuk]

That's why my house got hit with lightning! I never could dance very good....A receiver with the AGC set to "slow" will help with fading.

[poltergeisty]

Originally Posted by rfradioconsult

In commeercial HF applications very large directional arrays such as Rhombic's and LPDA's with multiple receivers operated in diversity configurations can minimize signal fading problems.

Would like to see this shack/setup!

Where is this used? Only thing that comes to mind is echelon.

[k9rzz]

Hmmmm .... like a Wullenweber? I'll take one!

[poltergeisty]

Nice read. Wullenweber - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

So they do know where all those numbers stations are located!

That's good because I'm sure there are several lotto tickets to be had...

[ridgescan]

Neat stuff you guys! That stuff is fascinating to me. Find more

[kb2vxa]

No, YOU find more and tell US about it. (;->)

[ridgescan]

Google Image Result for http://www.drmradio.co.uk/assets/images/VORant1.jpg
Not as exiting as you guys

[rfradioconsult]

Originally Posted by poltergeisty

Would like to see this shack/setup!

Where is this used? Only thing that comes to mind is echelon.

AT&T used to operate 3 High Seas radiotelephone shore stations in Fl, NJ and CA. The Florida station call sign was WOM and did indeed operate such "antenna farm". On youe initial call up you would tell the technical operator you general lat & lon so they could select the correct antennas, after selecting the correct antennas they would then transfer you to the traffic operator to complete you call. I personally used WOM for passing traffic from the west coast of Africa, the radio was a Motorola Micom operating in the 8, 12 and 16 MHz marine bands. "Whiskey Oscar Mike this is KLxx, 4 north 6 east over"

[kb2vxa]

WOO in Ocean Gate NJ is still standing, sort of, and while in a horrible state of disrepair the antenna farm is quite impressive. RCA operated CW station WSC in West Creek and the site since taken over by the Tuckerton Wireless Amateur Radio Club operating with the callsign W2WSC. The original Tuckerton Wireless station was located on Tucker's Island (Mystic Island) in Tuckerton and was demolished in the late 1950s, it's a housing development now with the 400 ton concrete tower base smack in the middle of it. A Google search will turn up some impressive photographs of things found "in the swamps of Jersey" that Bruce Springsteen doesn't know about and Frankie Valli won't tell him. (;->)