Paul Ciszek wrote:
[SNIP]
Is there anything similar to the GE or Radio Shack that gets shortwave?
More to the point: In the middle of the continental US (Colorado), can
I pick up international news in English? Someone told me once that the
BBC was going to stop its shortwave broadcasts for the US because we
weren't offsetting the cost.

The RS-12-903 is discontinued according to this reviewer:
http://www.geocities.com/rbrucecarter/12_603.htm.
and the GE SuperRadio 3 is an underperfomer according to this one:
http://www.dobe.com/wts/funk/GESRIIIreview.html, but still available as
a Thomson Multimedia product from Amazon.com.

A high-value for money radio for MW, SW, and VHF-FM is the Kaito
KA-1103, or the same radio direct from China via eBay, the Degen
DE-1103. Highly sensitive, with good selectivity, digital display and
tuning (oodles of memories) and capable of SSB/CW reception. User group
at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/de1103/ . Many user reviews at
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5071 with a 4.7/5 average rating
(that's a value rating not a performance rating). The Eton E5 is
similar electronically (same factory) but with a better user interface;
its price is in the range of the Sony 7600GR but latter has synchronous
AM detector for reduced distortion on fading signals - reviews
http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/1534.

Tom