What and when did you get hooked on shortwave radios and listening ?

[Blackswan73]

Looking Back: my life as a SWL

Looking back: Part 1: As I sit here listening to Radio Australia, I have been reflecting back over a lifetime as a SWL. *I remember the first shortwave broadcast I heard. *It was in '63 and I was 13. *I was at a friends house, and he asked me if I wanted to hear overseas radio stations on his...

forums.radioreference.com

B.S.

 

[a727469]

I assume the B.S refers to your name, not to what you wrote!😉. I read it all and very nice work and memories!

 

[Blackswan73]

Thank you. B.S. is short for Blackswan. I started signing my posts like that when I got involved with free-to-air satellite forums many years ago. The name comes from my favorite movie. 1942 The Black Swan, Tyrone Power and Maureen O’Hara

B.S.

 

[EAFrizzle]

I got into SW in the early 90s. Had been into cb and scanners in the early 80s (still crystal scanners) and had gotten out of it until a divorce and hanging out on the airwaves again. Got my ham ticket, and a bad case of G.A.S., and wound up with plenty of knobs and buttons to manipulate. Loved the BBC and Christian Science Monitor. Listened to World Wide Conspiracy Radio plenty as well.

What got me hooked on SW and searching much of the spectrum was finding the numbers stations late one night. I still use my old DX-394s for utilities and my Magnavox D2935 saw some emergency use after Beryl.

There's still plenty to enjoy in HF and above.

E

 

[Blueliner]

I'm late to the updated posts here, but EAFrizzle's mention of the DX 394 made me unpack mine from the moving box it's been in for 3 years. Now sits out on top of the overhead bin in my little bunker office. Might just put an antenna to it and see what I can find. Thanks EA!

 

[ditto1958]

I’m kinda frustrated. I bought my first portable SW radio in August, but I can’t for the life of me remember why I started looking at radios online. I’m happy I did but...

 

[merlin]

With me, it goes back to about 1958 and a modified Cadillac car radio.

 

[ditto1958]

With me, it goes back to about 1958 and a modified Cadillac car radio.

My dad‘s 69 Dodge Coronet had a good AM radio and a tall antenna. It was really good at hearing far away stations.

 

[peteblue]

When I was in my early teens, I am 60 now ! used to listen to Radio Moscow and Radio Sweden on MW. I saved up and bought a Russian Vega Selena 215 receiver. Started listening to the same stations that i listened to on MW plus many other European stations and also Radio Beijing. Eventually when I started working I could afford a better receiver and I purchased a Roberts RC828 with a cassette recorder so I could record my findings and then the whole world of short wave opened up. I was picking up far away stations such as Radio Australia, Radio New Zealand, Radio Pyongyang, Radio Japan, Voice of Free China, Voice of Vietnam, Radio Thailand, Radio RSA from South Africa as well as Radio Beijing which became CRI, also Radio Bras from Brazil, RAE from Argentina as well as Radio Havana, VOA, Radio Canada International and of course all the European stations that were near my UK base.

 

[YoShep69]

Mid 70s, 7527 and 18666 USB. Great listening, many late nights.

 

[N1FKO]

I was hooked as soon as I was tall enough to push the buttons on my parents Cosima.
(I still have it)

 

[JeffChells]

Mid 1970s. My grandparents had a large Zenith stand alone AM/FM receiver and turntable, always tuned to the local muzak station. As it turned out a great receiver, with a big loopstick inside, I tuned around one night and found all sorts of stations coming in. It didn't take long to find out about shortwave, which could work during the day and over vast distances.

Nothing sounds quite like that big old Zenith, but my SDRs, PC, and hundred watt audio amp comes close enough. At least now, I can enjoy AM on a DSP sync demod and that is pretty good.

 

[Slippery999]

I recently just picked up the Hobby of Shortwave Radio listening. I live on the small Hawaiian Island of Molokai. I moved here with my wife when we retired five years ago.

We live in a condo so my antenna choices are limited but right now I am having good luck with my MLA-30+ antenna with my three radios, C. Crane Skywave SSB2, Radio Shack DX-394 and a Grundig Satellit 800 Millennium.