This is what happens when you dont have a good radio!

[Shortwavewave]

Well in waiting for my radio that I ordered and after my Sansui radio died I needed something to keep me busy So yesterday I figured I would go to the thrift stores and see what I could find. Nothing real special. But I did find and old GE Clock Radio with an Air Variable Capacitor (solid metal one) and figured I could use it for parts for a different project I am working on…(this will be another post for another day Its almost finished just need one or two more parts for it, also this thing will be the cream of the crop!.)

Anyhow, I bought the GE for $2.50 and what the heck, took it home and before I started ripping the Cap out of it, I figured I don’t have anything to do tonight (and waiting from my other parts to come in the mail) so ill using for a little DX’ing. Luckily the AM Radio Part was basically separate from the clock, just a switch from ON to OFF to Wake on Radio. All I had to do was solder a jumper wire from the AC to “on”.

I also took the Ferrite bar antenna out and used my tuning loop I made a while back….these two combinations are a match made in heaven! Mounted the radio to a small piece of wood and well there you have it.

Didn’t do a lot of “DX’ing because by the time I got out of the shed and got it all set up I was tired! “also had a long day because Friday was my b-day”

But I did manage to log …
850 KOA – Denver, CO (which is kinda normal)
1040 WHO - Des Moines, IA
1240 KBLL - Helena, MT (wow!)

Here’s some pics of the radio and me playing around. And I will have some videos up soon.

Oh yeah almost forgot, on one of the videos I am uploading I reversed the antenna terminals and I was actually picking up shortwave stations I think, unless I was getting incredibly good DX WHICH I DOUBT! or bleed over.

 

[ka3jjz]

Well you might have actually been hearing HF stations - but for a different reason. Some MW stations will switch to a satellite feed during late eve hours, and depending on the feed, you could have been hearing one from the VoA, DW or any number of stations that use them.

best regards..Mike

 

[n5ims]

That old GE was probably made back when the AM radios had to have good sensitivity to pick up weak signals. The newer ones are made to be more selective (tune signals that are close together) vs being more sensitive (pick up weaker signals).