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Short wave radio recommendations?

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!


TOPICS: Hobbies; Science
KEYWORDS: radio; shortwave
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To: exPBRrat

Arnie Coro


41 posted on 10/24/2010 8:51:55 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: djf

In the daytime the higher frequency bands work well.
In the evening the lower frequency bands come alive.


42 posted on 10/24/2010 8:55:17 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: djf

If the internet is shut down, would short wave radio be good way to communicate necessary information?

Just curious.


43 posted on 10/24/2010 9:00:49 AM PDT by Jonah Vark (Any 5th grader knows that the Constitution declares the separation of powers.)
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To: djf

Here is a MUF MAP http://dx.qsl.net/propagation/greyline.html

Signals really propagate well along the greyline.

When thew sun is rising in Iran the sun is setting here in Texas.
That is when I can pull their signal in loud and clear.


44 posted on 10/24/2010 9:03:17 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: djf

You should bed able to get a good greyline to the middle east about 8 to 9 in the morning your time


45 posted on 10/24/2010 9:06:36 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Voltage

I agree with your comments on shortwave being over.

I really respect the guys in this thread who love the nostalgia and honor the heritage and building blocks of modern communication. But if you are a guy like me who simply wants world news, the net is far better.

Twenty years ago I loved being able to hear BBC reports from the first Gulf war. And to get the European perspective on economic matters. It is just that stuff is now all available on the internet times ten.


46 posted on 10/24/2010 9:13:12 AM PDT by SteveAustin
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To: Jonah Vark

Yes. And people use digital signals on shortwave all the time.

http://wn.com/RTTY_Demo

This is not internet. This is via radio.


47 posted on 10/24/2010 9:14:36 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: SteveAustin

But, in an emergency. Katrina for instance, Shortwave is always the first usable news.

I listened to a guy on galveston who broadcast throughout hurricane Ike.

Phones were out,internet was out, cellphones gone..


48 posted on 10/24/2010 9:17:16 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: djf
KF50J Screen cap

Image and video hosting by TinyPic">

49 posted on 10/24/2010 9:33:10 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: djf

A truly excellent, yet inexpensive digital shortwave radio.

The Degen 1103

I have much more expensive radios but this is the one I usually listen to.

http://shop.ebay.com/i.html?_nkw=de1103+shortwave&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=


50 posted on 10/24/2010 9:33:46 AM PDT by Bobalu ( "Israel must be like a mad dog, too dangerous to bother." ..Moshe Dayan:)
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To: Bobalu

I agree.

The 1103 does it all.

the only thing it lacks is an IF output.


51 posted on 10/24/2010 9:40:54 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Bobalu

The Degen 1103,Kaito 1103 and the Grundig G5 are all the same radio.
The Grundig has a different user interface.
The guts are the same.


52 posted on 10/24/2010 9:42:47 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: mylife

Thank you.

I word to the wise is sufficient.


53 posted on 10/24/2010 9:48:49 AM PDT by Jonah Vark (Any 5th grader knows that the Constitution declares the separation of powers.)
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To: FReepaholic

I used to work for K5KJ

Sam was a great boss.

One of the best storm chasers around.


54 posted on 10/24/2010 9:50:13 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: Jonah Vark

Many here have lamented that the heyday of golden age of SW listening is gone.

BUT and this is a big BUTT....SW is still vital as a first line of communications.

All you need is a radio a battery and a wire.


55 posted on 10/24/2010 9:53:22 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: NVDave
One of the best radios ever designed. Still is able to detect signals barely off the galactic noise floor.

Damn Skippy! I could align one to have a MDS of -127dbm

56 posted on 10/24/2010 10:12:44 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: NVDave
And it will survive an EMP blast!


57 posted on 10/24/2010 10:19:07 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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I used to listen to baseball on the AN/BRD-7


58 posted on 10/24/2010 10:24:58 AM PDT by mylife (The Roar Of The Masses Could Be Farts)
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To: djf
Get a radio that works on both 12 volt or 110 house current.

You can design your own wire antenna, it's super easy....With a wire antenna you can listen world wide or talk world wide if you have receiver and transmitter.

Ham radio or being a shortwave listener if fun and can be extremely interesting.

I talked to a guy last night who was in Tahiti in the south Pacific with less power than a 100 watt light bulb. I also spoke to folks in Japan and Australia last night.

There are tens of thousands of people on the amateur radio bands...99 percent of them are nice people simple exchanging information and ideas.

59 posted on 10/24/2010 11:17:39 AM PDT by dragnet2
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To: Jonah Vark
If the internet is shut down, would short wave radio be good way to communicate necessary information?

Absolutely.

60 posted on 10/24/2010 11:24:04 AM PDT by dragnet2
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