Basic Shortwave Radio Information
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http://www.grundigradio.com/US/support/shortwave_101.aspx?index=4
Understanding Shortwave Bands
The Key to Successfully Using Your Shortwave Radio
What is Shortwave?
Now that you have a shortwave radio, no doubt you'll want to hear worldwide
stations right away. What is shortwave? What will you hear? Shortwave is a
broadcast frequency range that allows stations' signals to be heard over
vast distances, usually thousands of miles. You'll hear news and information
along with culturally oriented programming, sometimes including music. The
programming may or may not be biased or propagandized.
If you're new to shortwave, please take some time to learn the basics
outlined below. To successfully listen to shortwave stations you must know
how to find them. They are found in the shortwave bands. If you're an
experienced shortwave listener, you'll know what bands are and how to use
them, but if you're new, you'll need to learn about bands first. After that
you will have excellent success. Please read on.
Some Basic Rules of Thumb
* Night shortwave reception is usually better than daytime shortwave.
This can change from time-to-time, so it's worth checking the bands during
the day as well.
* Shortwave is usually better in the winter than other times of year.
* Typically, the best daytime shortwave bands are 13, 15, 16, 19, and 22
meters, 16 and 19 usually the best. At night, the best bands are 25, 31, 41
and 49 meters, with 31 and 49 usually best.
* Around sunset and sunrise, both the day and night bands may often be
exceptionally good,often making listening at these times quite rewarding.
* Because the construction materials of some buildings severely block
shortwave signals, it may be best to hold the radio in your hands and get
very close to a window or use an external antenna mounted next to the window
or outside.
What are Bands?
This is the most important concept to learn right away. If you have ever
listened to AM or FM radio, then you already know what a band is. In North
America, the AM band is a frequency range stretching from 530 to 1710
kilohertz; the FM band is 88-108 megahertz. A band is a frequency range
where stations are located. When looking for stations in these 'bands', you
will tune around with the tuning buttons (or the tuning knob on an analog
radio) until you find a station you like. Shortwave is similar and the
shortwave bands have names like 25 meters, 31 meters, 49 meters, etc. These
are abbreviated 25m, 31m and 49m. Just like in AM and FM radio, one simply
gets into the shortwave band and tunes around, looking for stations.
Each band represents a frequency range, as shown in the band chart below.
For example, the 19 meter shortwave band encompasses the frequency range of
15100 to 15600 kilohertz. Since some radios show frequency in megahertz
(MHz) and some in kilohertz (KHz), both are shown here. Look at your radio's
tuning scale or its digital display to determine which frequency designation
it uses in shortwave. On some shortwave radios these frequencies will look
like 15100 KHz, 15105 KHz or 15110 KHz and on other radios they might look
like 15.1 MHz, 15.105 MHz or 15.11 MHz. The exact frequency ranges for these
bands may vary somewhat from one radio model to another. This is perfectly
OK. On some radios the band names, e.g. 19 meters, are clearly marked, on
others they are not marked at all. If it is not apparent how to get into a
band on your radio, consult the owner's manual.
A Helpful Analogy About Bands
A shortwave band is like a street with many addresses on it. In this case,
the individual addresses are called frequencies, each one a potential home
of a broadcaster. For example, in the 19 meter band (it could be called 19
Meter Street), 15110 kilohertz is the home of Radio Spain International,
15190 is the home of BBC World Service and 15275 is the home of Deutsche
Welle (Germany). As on any street, the occupants at a specific address are
not always at home.
Day and Night Bands
Shortwave Band Chart
BAND MEGAHERTZ (MHz) KILOHERTZ (KHz)
120 m 2.300-2.500 MHz 2300-2500 KHz
90 m 3.20-3.40 MHz 3200-3400 KHz
75 m 3.90-4.00 MHz 3900-4000 KHz
60 m 4.750-5.060 MHz 4750-5060 KHz
49 m 5.950-6.20 MHz 5950-6200 KHz
41 m 7.10-7.60 MHz 7100-7600 KHz
31 m 9.20-9.90 MHz 9500-9900 KHz
25 m 11.600-12.200 MHz 11600-12100 KHz
22 m 13.570-13.870 MHz 13570-13870 KHz
19 m 15.10-15.80 MHz 15100-15800 KHz
16 m 17.480-17.90 MHz 17480-17900 KHz
13 m 21.450-21.850 MHz 21450-21850 KHz
11 m 25.60-26.10 MHz 25600-26100 KHz
Day Bands vs. Night Bands
Because shortwave signals depend on such factors as the sun, the ionosphere
and interaction with the earth itself, signals cannot be heard on all bands
throughout the day. Some bands are best during the daylight hours, and some
are best at night. In general, the bands with frequencies below 13 MHz
(13000 KHz) are better at night and the bands with frequencies above 13 MHz
(13000 KHz) are best during the day.
Sunset and Sunrise - Often the best time to listen.
This is when shortwave signals are often strongest and clearest, during a
window of time around sunset and sunrise. Sometimes it's a two-hour window,
at other times three or four hours. Experiment to determine when it's best
in your area.
Daytime Listening
Shortwave listening is generally at its poorest during the daylight hours of
about 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. The major reason for this is that the broadcasters
are not transmitting to regions at this time, assuming that we are all
either at work or at school and are not able to listen during the day. In
North America, daytime shortwave tends to be best in the East and Midwest.
The day bands are 13, 16, 19, 22 and 25 meters, often with 16 and 19 being
the best. In the summer, these bands may stay open into the evening hours.
Evening/Night Listening
This is the best time to listen, because the broadcasters are deliberately
transmitting to you, wherever you are, at least up to about 11 pm. These
bands may be extremely good around sunset and sunrise too.
The night bands are 25, 31, 41, 49 and 60 meters. In the winter, these bands
produce results earlier than in the summer months, often starting around 3
pm on 25 and 31 meters and 5 pm on 41, 49 and 60 meters. In the summer these
bands start later, around 5 pm for 25 and 31 meters and around 7 pm for 41,
49 and 60.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Getting close to a window may substantially improve
reception. Shortwave signals penetrate single-level wood frame buildings
easiest, while concrete and brick buildings, multi-story and metal roofed
structures often block signals. In such situations, position the radio as
close to a window as possible. Holding it may also help. Use an external
antenna if necessary.
Shortwave Directory
We recommend the use of a comprehensive shortwave directory, especially to
seek specific countries or to determine what you're listening to. Such a
directory lists the countries broadcasting on shortwave, showing their
language, target area, broadcast time and frequency that is used. A
frequency-by-frequency listing helps to determine what is being heard. The
two such directories listed below are found in major bookstores, on-line
bookstores and from the antenna retailers noted later. These and other
ources of shortwave broadcast information can be found via your favorite
search site by searching for 'shortwave broadcast schedules'.
PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND RADIO, published by International Broadcasting
Services (IBS).
WORLD RADIO TV HANDBOOK, Published by WRTH Publications, Ltd.
Shortwave Antennas
An external shortwave antenna, especially when mounted outside, can greatly
enhance reception. If your shortwave radio has an antenna socket,
professionally engineered antennas can usually be used. etón Corporation
does not manufacture or sell shortwave antennas, however, there are many
excellent models available to significantly enhance your shortwave
reception.
NOTE: When ordering any antenna, let the retailer know what radio it's for
and that you want the proper plug fitting or adaptor installed on the
coaxial cable for your model, or else the antenna's coax cable won't plug
into the radio's antenna socket. This may cost a few dollars more, but it's
well worth it and saves you time if such fittings and adaptors are not
available from a local store in your area.
Full-Sized Passive Shortwave Antennas
These normally give the best performance. Generically they have names such
as dipoles, trapped dipoles, parallel dipoles and slopers. They are
characteristically fed with 50 or 75 ohm coaxial cable that leads to the
radio's antenna socket. Even when built from instructions in a book, such
antennas are an 'engineered system', thus optimizing performance.
Active Shortwave Antennas (usually small)
Active antennas are much smaller than others and employ the use of
amplifiers to compensate for their small size. There are many models to
choose from. They usually do not perform as well as passive or
non-amplified, professionally engineered models but are useful when a short,
small size is needed.
Shortwave Antennas for Use on Boats
RF Systems makes the model MARINE BALUN KIT (about $90 USD), which can turn
a backstay or a long piece of wire into an efficient shortwave receiving
antenna. McKay Dymek makes the model DA-100EM (about $200 USD), mountable on
a mast or railing, the antenna being only about 1.5 meter high (4 ft. 8
in.).
Long-Wire Shortwave Antennas
If your radio does not have an antenna socket, or if you want to take a
simpler or less costly approach, this type of antenna can improve signal
levels. Understand, however, that this not an engineered system and noise
levels may still be quite high. Such antennas are attached directly to the
radio's telescopic antenna with an 'alligator' clip or other secure
attachment device.
AM Antennas
We are often asked about AM antennas. Such antennas, usually AM-Loop
antennas, are made by a variety of manufacturers and often work extremely
well to boost signals. One brand, Select-A-Tenna, is a time-proven performer
and includes models ranging from about $60-$200.
Finding Antennas
One way to find antennas is by performing a search on the Internet. The
following retailers are known to sell such products:
* Universal Radio,
www.universal-radio.com.
* Universal's antenna page,
http://www.universal-radio.com/catalog/sw_ant.html.
Phone, 1-800-431-3939.
* Amateur Electronic Supply (AES),
www.aesham.com.
1-800-558-0144.
* Ham Radio Outlet (HRO),
www.hamradio.com,
1-800-854-6046.
* Radio World (Canada),
www.radioworld.ca,
416-667-1000.
* Durham Radio (Canada),
www.durhamradio.com,
1-888-426-1688.
Time Stations
These stations broadcast Universal Time (GMT), usually 24 hours per day.
CHU-time(Canada) 3330 Best at night
CHU-time(Canada) 7335 Day/night
CHU-time(Canada) 14670 Best during daylight
WWV-time/weather(US) 2500 Best at night
WWV-time/weather(US) 5000 Best at night
WWV-time/weather(US) 10000 Day/night
WWV-time/weather(US) 15000 Best during daylight
WWV-time/weather(US) 20000 Best during daylight
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