Posted on 10/19/2010 4:13:05 AM PDT by djf
FReepers being the experts they are, I am curious about peoples experiences/recommendations for a decent short-wave radio.
I know nothing about the subject! Can you hear stations/people from around the world? Would a 12V one be better than a 110V?
Antennas? Do you have to live on the top of the Empire State Building?
My curiosity is prompted because it is entirely clear that the solar minimum is over. BIG TIME OVER!!!! Check spaceweather.com to see what I mean.
TIA!
Taiwan is on now at 5950 khz
Lots of stuff in 49 meter for commercial stations right now.
5970 is radio Havana in english.
China Radio is on.
lots of stuff.
I love listening to those rag chews!
Bookmarked
5970 I can just barely tell anything is there. 5950 — nothing. But this may be because I am quite a ways from you (WA State). The other stations earlier were quite strong. Those “programs” don’t seem to last long, just a half hour sometimes. Keep the numbers coming, I’ll give them a try. Not sure about the 4AM SSB someone gave though LOL.
I am probably getting the florida relay or the sackville canada relay
Try 6005 in toronto
20m SSB in the early evening usually gets me HAMS in Italy and the rest of europe as well as folks as far away as Hawaii in the other direction that would be 14150-14350 khz USB
You wont find them there now, but listen just before and after sunset
Scratch 6005. They are beaming BBC from canada at central and south America.
I doubt you will hear them
I think I will order the PAR Electronics EF-SWL Antenna and a 239 to 3.5 adapter for the Degen. They really do rave about the antenna. Not sure I can do a really good ground but will experiment with a few things. Also just dragged out the old handheld CB which I had never really used and made an antenna base plate for my 4WD. Headed up in the mountains tomorrow.
Does anyone remember the woodpeckers that the old Soviet Union used to jam Western sw broadcasts with? It was a fascinating look into the cold war that was raging at the time.
Also playing with a Radio Shack DSP noise reduction system I bought on eBay; as I recall it does help somewhat under certain conditions.
The PAR is a good Antenna.
It really makes the 1103 shine.
Just ground it to an outdoor faucet or the ground on your electric meter
I would not say this Cycle is going to be that robust. The solar flux data I have been looking at show us behind where we were at this point during Cycle 20. Should be OK for the HF bands, but 6M F2 is not looking too good right now. 8-(
I don't have a good antenna up yet here in NM but I still hear the Pacific sometimes as far as Japan and more of Europe than on the West coast.
The much discussed and cussed G5RV is great on 20M but alas, there is no room for it on the 20’ patio at my present temporary quarters. My vertical is full size on the band but the radial arrangement is a compromise.
I am seriously considering dropping some coin on a GAP Titan, but a remote autocoupler for the present vertical just might be a better investment.
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