"Larry Weil" wrote in message
...

Getting into ham radio would be a great hobby, but would have nothing to
do
with what you are trying to do here. Purchassing a good communications
(shortwave) receiver would help with your situation, and if not a portable
one
it would not only accept but require an external antenna. In that case,
the
wire in the attic or better yet an outdoor wire would be great. But don't
go
cheap, there are lots of cheap radios out there that are more trouble than
there worth. You don't want to buy a cheap radio first and then a good
one
when you realize the cheap one is no good, that will cost more in the long
run.


I might augment Larry's comment here, that most ham radios now contain
general coverage receivers that can tune from 150 Khz up to 30 Mhz. These
are good, but not the most outstanding receivers for MW (the AM band)
DXing.

Other alternatives = car radios always have an external antenna jack; some
DXers use those with batteries to power them.

And of course, the low-cost GE Super Radio III (they were under $50) - if
you can find one - was a favorite among those who do what you wish to do.