I miss the old days of shortwave too. I think we are putting all of our eggs in the “internet basket” and one day we will pay for it. I know the internet is supposed to survive an atomic attack and so on, but like anything else if you beat on it enough times, it will break. Between the internet and the NSA and so on, I see it like a modern day “Tower of Babel” where one day it can and will come crashing down. At least with shortwave or even conventional radio all you need at our end is a basic receiver, an antenna and batteries and you’re good to go. Even with AM radio, you can wait until night and get far away stations if you have to.
I think short wave is alive and well. Can even tune in over the internet, :-)
It is very difficult to DF, HF comms.