SHORTWAVE RADIO NOTES
SHORTWAVE RADIO HAS MANY OPTIONS, I LIKE TO DIVIDE THEM INTO TWO DISTINCT
TYPES. ONE IS BROADCAST, AS THEM NAME IMPLIES IT IS A STATION THAT IS TRYING TO
HIT AS MANY LISTENERS AS POSSIBLE THEY TEND TO HAVE A THEME AND A SCHEDULE. THESE
STATIONS ARE ALMOST ALWAYS TRANSMITTING AM.
THE OTHER STYLE OF RADIO IS WHAT I CALL UTILITY CHANNELS. THESE ARE
STATIONS THAT ARE COMMUNICATING WITH EACH OTHER AND ARE NOT ON ANY SCHEDULE,
SUCH AS AIRCRAFT, MILITARY, HAM RADIO, SHIPS AT SEA, ETC. THEY USUALLY OPERATE
ON SSB FOR IT HAS GREATER RANGE.
IF YOU THINK YOU WOULD BE INTERESTED IN " UTILITY" FREQUENCIES BE
SURE THE RADIO YOU BUY HAS SSB CAPABILITIES.
THINGS TO LOOK FOR IN YOUR RADIO
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SIZE |
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MUST BE DIGITAL, ANALOG IS DEAD |
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SHOULD HAVE A NUMERIC KEYPAD FOR EASY PROGRAMMING |
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SHOULD COVER FREQUENCIES FROM AT LEAST 550 TO 30 MHZ WITH NO
BREAKS |
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IF YOU WANT SSB IT IS BEST TO HAVE A PRODUCT DETECTOR, THIS
WAY YOU WILL KNOW THE EXACT FREQUENCY OF THE STATION. THE OTHER CHOICE IS A
BFO AND THIS WORKS FINE BUT IS HARDER TO TUNE AND A LITTLE LESS STABLE. |
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BANDWIDTH AND SKIRTS ARE MORE IMPORTANT FOR SSB RECEPTION
THAN AM. |
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STABILITY, SENSITIVITY AND IMAGES WERE AT ONE TIME THE MOST
SERIOUS PROBLEM WITH LOW COST RECEIVERS BUT WITH MODERN DIGITAL RADIOS THEY
NO LONGER ARE AS IMPORTANT AS ALL DIGITALS ARE EXCEPTIONAL IN THIS
REGARD. |
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THE BETTER RADIOS HAVE BETTER SOUND, AND THE LARGER RADIOS
HAVE LARGER SPEAKERS AND ARE EASIER TO SEE AND PROGRAM |
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IN MY EXPERIENCE AN EXTERNAL ANTENNA, THOUGH IT SURELY DOES
IMPROVE RECEPTION, IS NOT WORTH THE BOTHER. THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN THE
ONBOARD WHIP USUALLY WILL NOT ALLOW YOU TO HEAR ANY MORE STATIONS. |
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ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THING TO REMEMBER IS THAT MOST
RECEPTION DURING DAYTIME IS ABOVE 10 MHZ AND AT NIGHT IS BELOW 10MHZ |
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FOR AM BROADCAST LOOK IN THE "METER" BANDS AS OUT
OF THE BANDS IS MOSTLY UTILITY STATIONS |
