Dear "D. of N."

Unfortunately you have picked probably the worst possible time to get
started in shortwave radio. We are at, or fast approaching, the
"bottom" of the 11-year sunspot cycle. At this point, shortwave
reception becomes problematic. Signals can travel farther on the higher
frequencies, but these are the frequencies most affected by the
presence or absence of sunspots. You will find reception to be
generally better in the early mornings and the late afternoons, with
nighttime reception to be "iffy." That's not to say, of course, that
you can't hear anything at night, just that it will be more chancy
until the new sunspot cycle "takes hold," which will occur in just a
couple of years. (I should mention to you that sunspots affect the
ionosphere which directly affects shortwave reception.)

Your whip antenna and/or the accessory reel antenna will work just
fine.

Try tuning to 6165 kHz at 0000 UTC (7:00 PM EST) and/or at 0100 UTC.
Radio Netherlands transmits in English at that time and their programs
are always interesting. If you can listen in the afternoons, try 12095
kHz at 1900 UTC (2:00 PM EST) and you should hear the BBC which
transmits until 2100 UTC. At that time tune to 11690 kHz and you should
hear Deutsche Welle. These two broadcasts will get you started. (This
is assuming, of course, that you live in the eastern part of the United
States.)

Hang in there. And keep trying/scanning the shortwaves whenever you
wish. Oftentimes you will hear something totally unexpected and this is
one of the joys of the hobby.

Best,

Joe

dead of night wrote:
Hi. I own a new, Sony icf7600GR, delivered yesterday. I am brand new
to shortwave radio. I have printed out the Prime Time Shortwave
listings of English speaking shortwave broadcasts to America. After
noting the difference between the UTC time and my time, I tried finding
broadcasts.

Out of approximately 12, I could only get about 3. Is this par for
the course? I had the antenna fully extended near my window. I tried
the reel antenna but it did not make much of a difference. Can you
offer any tips and advice? I'd prefer not to buy an expensive,
optional antenna right now, I want to make do with the whip and reel.