Car Shortwave Radio

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fjstuden

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Is there any market for this ? I designed and built a small box that hides in the trunk and broadcasts tuned shortwave signals to your car's FM radio. You don't have to modify your car audio or radio to listen to shortwave (but you do need to add a small trunk lip type whip antenna). You tune up to 100 preset channels or any manual tune (and add to preset) any 2-30 shortwave frequency with small key fob controller.

I'll put into production IF there is sufficient demand for this. If moderator permits the link, all details are on my website www.carshortwaveradio.com and you can also vote for this in a design contest. A link to this is provided at top of page.
 

ka3jjz

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Moved to our equipment forum

In the past, both Kenwood and Sony have tried to do this, but with limited - if any - success in the North American market. The reason is that SW is an unknown quantity here, with Satellite / Sirius (and similar) and FM being something the average US consumer knows about and sees. The Europeans have more of a familiarity with this (although with Satellite. DAB and other transmission forms, you can make the argument that this market is shrinking even there...)

Still, good luck with your poll...Mike
 

fjstuden

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Thanks for comment - This product is only for someone who knows about shortwave radio and seeks a clean way to listen in a car without any mods to car radio or car audio system. I think the Sony solution was a new radio requiring someone to pull out stock radio and install their. That just doesn't work with new cars with integrated radio/audio systems and big displays with touch tuning, etc.
 

w9xxx

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I had one about 15 years ago. It was almost useless while moving. When stopped in the middle of nowhere, with nothing running in my truck It worked pretty well. I wouldn't bother if I were you.
 

ka3jjz

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There are a number of other problems - not the least of which is having a reasonably efficient antenna. As you go lower in frequency, the size of the antenna can become unwieldy - there are other solutions for this, but that can become a very expensive exercise. This is something that hams that run HF mobile know all too well.

Noise from various sources in the car itself is yet another issue....Mike
 

fjstuden

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I solved the antenna problems - it is designed with high impedance input to work with short whip. The digital noise blanker kills car ignition noise.
 

krokus

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I have seen in dash radios with SW receive, mostly from European manufacturers. Being a lower cost option, your product might find a small audience.

Sent via Tapatalk
 

majoco

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Braun, Eurovox and others made car radios with SW bands and also SW converters for use with ordinary BC band radios. But (and it's a big but) Europe was swamped with high power SW transmitters in the 50's and 60's when the cold war was on - the 49m band particularly - so you didn't need a particularly sensitive radio. Nowadays things have got pretty quiet and broadcasters are using fewer transmitters (VOA and Moscow frequently had three or four frequencies in nearly every band!) and picking those frequencies for their target audience and in their own language too. It's going to be a tricky business finding a consistent broadcaster to keep you entertained on a long trip using the SW bands alone!
 
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