Is there much on shortwave anymore?
 

On Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 10:32:29 AM UTC, wrote:
Hello,

When I was in my youth in the 1960s, I listened to shortwave and found
it interesting. I moved on to other things in life and in the 1990s, it
seemed like the internet became the better way to communicate about the
world. But it seems that in the past 5 or 6 years, the internet has
become stagnant and "social media" is not the rage, and in all honesty,
I find it to be little more than rubbish.

Combine that with the flood of advertising, malware, and even worse the
onset of highly complex websites that dont work properly, and often
create chaos on my compter due to excessive use of scripts and other
unnecessary garbage, and I am no longer finding the internet useful. The
old newsgroups (like this one) are quickly dying, and/or are flooded by
trolls and people posting politics on any and all newsgroups, only to
cause hate and discontent.

It's almost like we now have LESS contact with the real happenings in
the world, than we did before the internet began.

Suddenly, I have an urge to go back to shortwave listening. I still have
my Hallicrafters S-41G receiver from when I was in my teens, but it's
been on storage for 40 years or more. I've been wanting to get it, but
know it's going to need capacitors, but that's ok. Back in my youth I
loved to work on old tube radios and it was my hobby. When things went
to semiconductors, I lost interest in working on that stuff, because it
became too hard to fix and harder to get parts. But I really feel like
working on some old tube stuff again, just for the heck of it.

I also see some of the old tube shortwave sets being sold on ebay for
little money compared to what they sold for in the 60s. I see some of
the top of the line sets (from that era), and those are some radios I
really wanted in my youth, but could not afford. Now, I'm retired and I
have the time to putter with radios, and am sure I could buy one of
those old radios at a low price and get them working.

But I am hesitant to do any of this, for the reason being that it seems
like shortwave radio is also dying, if not nearly dead. But that is
based on my experience around 2012, when I was staying at a home which I
was helping clear out, and there was a small portable AM-FM-SW radio.
After getting bored with the FM stations, I switched to SW and there
seemed to be little on it, compared to what I once heard in the 60s and
70s. Most of what I heard was religious programs, which is fine for some
people, but not what I wanted to hear. But I should note that this radio
only had a "rabbit ear" antenna, and was a small cheapie transistorized
thing. (Something I'd consider to be a toy), even though it did have a
digital display.

Then again, to me, a REAL Shortwave radio weighs at least 25lbs, has
tubes, and connects to a long wire antenna. (yea, call me old
fashioned).

Anyhow, before I really get into all of this, I have to ask, is there
anything worth listening to on the SW bands anymore. I dont want to
invest time and money into something that has little to offer. If it's
just religious stuff and some morse code, I'm not going to get any use
out of it.

Thanks for all feedback....

Hey, try Radio MiAmigo International, oldies station on 6085KHz (also on-line www.radiomiamigo.International) transmits from Krall in Germany, with an array of Broadcasters from the UK, USA, Germany and Holland.

Is there much on shortwave anymore?
 

On Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 5:32:29 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Hello,

When I was in my youth in the 1960s, I listened to shortwave and found
it interesting. I moved on to other things in life and in the 1990s, it
seemed like the internet became the better way to communicate about the
world. But it seems that in the past 5 or 6 years, the internet has
become stagnant and "social media" is not the rage, and in all honesty,
I find it to be little more than rubbish.

Combine that with the flood of advertising, malware, and even worse the
onset of highly complex websites that dont work properly, and often
create chaos on my compter due to excessive use of scripts and other
unnecessary garbage, and I am no longer finding the internet useful. The
old newsgroups (like this one) are quickly dying, and/or are flooded by
trolls and people posting politics on any and all newsgroups, only to
cause hate and discontent.

It's almost like we now have LESS contact with the real happenings in
the world, than we did before the internet began.

Suddenly, I have an urge to go back to shortwave listening. I still have
my Hallicrafters S-41G receiver from when I was in my teens, but it's
been on storage for 40 years or more. I've been wanting to get it, but
know it's going to need capacitors, but that's ok. Back in my youth I
loved to work on old tube radios and it was my hobby. When things went
to semiconductors, I lost interest in working on that stuff, because it
became too hard to fix and harder to get parts. But I really feel like
working on some old tube stuff again, just for the heck of it.

I also see some of the old tube shortwave sets being sold on ebay for
little money compared to what they sold for in the 60s. I see some of
the top of the line sets (from that era), and those are some radios I
really wanted in my youth, but could not afford. Now, I'm retired and I
have the time to putter with radios, and am sure I could buy one of
those old radios at a low price and get them working.

But I am hesitant to do any of this, for the reason being that it seems
like shortwave radio is also dying, if not nearly dead. But that is
based on my experience around 2012, when I was staying at a home which I
was helping clear out, and there was a small portable AM-FM-SW radio.
After getting bored with the FM stations, I switched to SW and there
seemed to be little on it, compared to what I once heard in the 60s and
70s. Most of what I heard was religious programs, which is fine for some
people, but not what I wanted to hear. But I should note that this radio
only had a "rabbit ear" antenna, and was a small cheapie transistorized
thing. (Something I'd consider to be a toy), even though it did have a
digital display.

Then again, to me, a REAL Shortwave radio weighs at least 25lbs, has
tubes, and connects to a long wire antenna. (yea, call me old
fashioned).

Anyhow, before I really get into all of this, I have to ask, is there
anything worth listening to on the SW bands anymore. I dont want to
invest time and money into something that has little to offer. If it's
just religious stuff and some morse code, I'm not going to get any use
out of it.

Thanks for all feedback....

No sir, unfortunately Short Wave is long gone, is dead as a dodo bird. There are a few old short wave listeners out there with a lot of wishful thinking missing the good old days but everybody abandon ship, there is nothing to listen to anymore.

Is there much on shortwave anymore?
 

On Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 5:32:29 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Hello,

When I was in my youth in the 1960s, I listened to shortwave and found
it interesting. I moved on to other things in life and in the 1990s, it
seemed like the internet became the better way to communicate about the
world. But it seems that in the past 5 or 6 years, the internet has
become stagnant and "social media" is not the rage, and in all honesty,
I find it to be little more than rubbish.

Combine that with the flood of advertising, malware, and even worse the
onset of highly complex websites that dont work properly, and often
create chaos on my compter due to excessive use of scripts and other
unnecessary garbage, and I am no longer finding the internet useful. The
old newsgroups (like this one) are quickly dying, and/or are flooded by
trolls and people posting politics on any and all newsgroups, only to
cause hate and discontent.

It's almost like we now have LESS contact with the real happenings in
the world, than we did before the internet began.

Suddenly, I have an urge to go back to shortwave listening. I still have
my Hallicrafters S-41G receiver from when I was in my teens, but it's
been on storage for 40 years or more. I've been wanting to get it, but
know it's going to need capacitors, but that's ok. Back in my youth I
loved to work on old tube radios and it was my hobby. When things went
to semiconductors, I lost interest in working on that stuff, because it
became too hard to fix and harder to get parts. But I really feel like
working on some old tube stuff again, just for the heck of it.

I also see some of the old tube shortwave sets being sold on ebay for
little money compared to what they sold for in the 60s. I see some of
the top of the line sets (from that era), and those are some radios I
really wanted in my youth, but could not afford. Now, I'm retired and I
have the time to putter with radios, and am sure I could buy one of
those old radios at a low price and get them working.

But I am hesitant to do any of this, for the reason being that it seems
like shortwave radio is also dying, if not nearly dead. But that is
based on my experience around 2012, when I was staying at a home which I
was helping clear out, and there was a small portable AM-FM-SW radio.
After getting bored with the FM stations, I switched to SW and there
seemed to be little on it, compared to what I once heard in the 60s and
70s. Most of what I heard was religious programs, which is fine for some
people, but not what I wanted to hear. But I should note that this radio
only had a "rabbit ear" antenna, and was a small cheapie transistorized
thing. (Something I'd consider to be a toy), even though it did have a
digital display.

Then again, to me, a REAL Shortwave radio weighs at least 25lbs, has
tubes, and connects to a long wire antenna. (yea, call me old
fashioned).

Anyhow, before I really get into all of this, I have to ask, is there
anything worth listening to on the SW bands anymore. I dont want to
invest time and money into something that has little to offer. If it's
just religious stuff and some morse code, I'm not going to get any use
out of it.

Thanks for all feedback....

Is there much on shortwave anymore?
 

On Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 5:32:29 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Hello,

When I was in my youth in the 1960s, I listened to shortwave and found
it interesting. I moved on to other things in life and in the 1990s, it
seemed like the internet became the better way to communicate about the
world. But it seems that in the past 5 or 6 years, the internet has
become stagnant and "social media" is not the rage, and in all honesty,
I find it to be little more than rubbish.

Combine that with the flood of advertising, malware, and even worse the
onset of highly complex websites that dont work properly, and often
create chaos on my compter due to excessive use of scripts and other
unnecessary garbage, and I am no longer finding the internet useful. The
old newsgroups (like this one) are quickly dying, and/or are flooded by
trolls and people posting politics on any and all newsgroups, only to
cause hate and discontent.

It's almost like we now have LESS contact with the real happenings in
the world, than we did before the internet began.

Suddenly, I have an urge to go back to shortwave listening. I still have
my Hallicrafters S-41G receiver from when I was in my teens, but it's
been on storage for 40 years or more. I've been wanting to get it, but
know it's going to need capacitors, but that's ok. Back in my youth I
loved to work on old tube radios and it was my hobby. When things went
to semiconductors, I lost interest in working on that stuff, because it
became too hard to fix and harder to get parts. But I really feel like
working on some old tube stuff again, just for the heck of it.

I also see some of the old tube shortwave sets being sold on ebay for
little money compared to what they sold for in the 60s. I see some of
the top of the line sets (from that era), and those are some radios I
really wanted in my youth, but could not afford. Now, I'm retired and I
have the time to putter with radios, and am sure I could buy one of
those old radios at a low price and get them working.

But I am hesitant to do any of this, for the reason being that it seems
like shortwave radio is also dying, if not nearly dead. But that is
based on my experience around 2012, when I was staying at a home which I
was helping clear out, and there was a small portable AM-FM-SW radio.
After getting bored with the FM stations, I switched to SW and there
seemed to be little on it, compared to what I once heard in the 60s and
70s. Most of what I heard was religious programs, which is fine for some
people, but not what I wanted to hear. But I should note that this radio
only had a "rabbit ear" antenna, and was a small cheapie transistorized
thing. (Something I'd consider to be a toy), even though it did have a
digital display.

Then again, to me, a REAL Shortwave radio weighs at least 25lbs, has
tubes, and connects to a long wire antenna. (yea, call me old
fashioned).

Anyhow, before I really get into all of this, I have to ask, is there
anything worth listening to on the SW bands anymore. I dont want to
invest time and money into something that has little to offer. If it's
just religious stuff and some morse code, I'm not going to get any use
out of it.

Thanks for all feedback....

Is there much on shortwave anymore?
 

On Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 5:32:29 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Hello,

When I was in my youth in the 1960s, I listened to shortwave and found
it interesting. I moved on to other things in life and in the 1990s, it
seemed like the internet became the better way to communicate about the
world. But it seems that in the past 5 or 6 years, the internet has
become stagnant and "social media" is not the rage, and in all honesty,
I find it to be little more than rubbish.

Combine that with the flood of advertising, malware, and even worse the
onset of highly complex websites that dont work properly, and often
create chaos on my compter due to excessive use of scripts and other
unnecessary garbage, and I am no longer finding the internet useful. The
old newsgroups (like this one) are quickly dying, and/or are flooded by
trolls and people posting politics on any and all newsgroups, only to
cause hate and discontent.

It's almost like we now have LESS contact with the real happenings in
the world, than we did before the internet began.

Suddenly, I have an urge to go back to shortwave listening. I still have
my Hallicrafters S-41G receiver from when I was in my teens, but it's
been on storage for 40 years or more. I've been wanting to get it, but
know it's going to need capacitors, but that's ok. Back in my youth I
loved to work on old tube radios and it was my hobby. When things went
to semiconductors, I lost interest in working on that stuff, because it
became too hard to fix and harder to get parts. But I really feel like
working on some old tube stuff again, just for the heck of it.

I also see some of the old tube shortwave sets being sold on ebay for
little money compared to what they sold for in the 60s. I see some of
the top of the line sets (from that era), and those are some radios I
really wanted in my youth, but could not afford. Now, I'm retired and I
have the time to putter with radios, and am sure I could buy one of
those old radios at a low price and get them working.

But I am hesitant to do any of this, for the reason being that it seems
like shortwave radio is also dying, if not nearly dead. But that is
based on my experience around 2012, when I was staying at a home which I
was helping clear out, and there was a small portable AM-FM-SW radio.
After getting bored with the FM stations, I switched to SW and there
seemed to be little on it, compared to what I once heard in the 60s and
70s. Most of what I heard was religious programs, which is fine for some
people, but not what I wanted to hear. But I should note that this radio
only had a "rabbit ear" antenna, and was a small cheapie transistorized
thing. (Something I'd consider to be a toy), even though it did have a
digital display.

Then again, to me, a REAL Shortwave radio weighs at least 25lbs, has
tubes, and connects to a long wire antenna. (yea, call me old
fashioned).

Anyhow, before I really get into all of this, I have to ask, is there
anything worth listening to on the SW bands anymore. I dont want to
invest time and money into something that has little to offer. If it's
just religious stuff and some morse code, I'm not going to get any use
out of it.

Thanks for all feedback....

Is there much on shortwave anymore?
 

On Tuesday, May 22, 2018 at 12:51:04 AM UTC-5, mares cressi wrote:
On Sunday, January 29, 2017 at 5:32:29 AM UTC-5, wrote:
Hello,

When I was in my youth in the 1960s, I listened to shortwave and found
it interesting. I moved on to other things in life and in the 1990s, it
seemed like the internet became the better way to communicate about the
world. But it seems that in the past 5 or 6 years, the internet has
become stagnant and "social media" is not the rage, and in all honesty,
I find it to be little more than rubbish.

Combine that with the flood of advertising, malware, and even worse the
onset of highly complex websites that dont work properly, and often
create chaos on my compter due to excessive use of scripts and other
unnecessary garbage, and I am no longer finding the internet useful. The
old newsgroups (like this one) are quickly dying, and/or are flooded by
trolls and people posting politics on any and all newsgroups, only to
cause hate and discontent.

It's almost like we now have LESS contact with the real happenings in
the world, than we did before the internet began.

Suddenly, I have an urge to go back to shortwave listening. I still have
my Hallicrafters S-41G receiver from when I was in my teens, but it's
been on storage for 40 years or more. I've been wanting to get it, but
know it's going to need capacitors, but that's ok. Back in my youth I
loved to work on old tube radios and it was my hobby. When things went
to semiconductors, I lost interest in working on that stuff, because it
became too hard to fix and harder to get parts. But I really feel like
working on some old tube stuff again, just for the heck of it.

I also see some of the old tube shortwave sets being sold on ebay for
little money compared to what they sold for in the 60s. I see some of
the top of the line sets (from that era), and those are some radios I
really wanted in my youth, but could not afford. Now, I'm retired and I
have the time to putter with radios, and am sure I could buy one of
those old radios at a low price and get them working.

But I am hesitant to do any of this, for the reason being that it seems
like shortwave radio is also dying, if not nearly dead. But that is
based on my experience around 2012, when I was staying at a home which I
was helping clear out, and there was a small portable AM-FM-SW radio.
After getting bored with the FM stations, I switched to SW and there
seemed to be little on it, compared to what I once heard in the 60s and
70s. Most of what I heard was religious programs, which is fine for some
people, but not what I wanted to hear. But I should note that this radio
only had a "rabbit ear" antenna, and was a small cheapie transistorized
thing. (Something I'd consider to be a toy), even though it did have a
digital display.

Then again, to me, a REAL Shortwave radio weighs at least 25lbs, has
tubes, and connects to a long wire antenna. (yea, call me old
fashioned).

Anyhow, before I really get into all of this, I have to ask, is there
anything worth listening to on the SW bands anymore. I dont want to
invest time and money into something that has little to offer. If it's
just religious stuff and some morse code, I'm not going to get any use
out of it.

Thanks for all feedback....

Youtube Remco Transistor Radio Kit Commercial 1960s

Is there much on shortwave anymore?
 

On Tue, 22 May 2018 19:17:13 -0700, allisellis851 wrote:

+AD4 Youtube Remco Transistor Radio Kit Commercial 1960s

Hey, that's pretty cool+ACE Probably around that time, I got one of those multi kits with a GENUINE VACUUM TUBE+ACE Transistors were normally used in those kits at the time but I think there were still some thermionic stragglers showing up then. Anyway, one of the projects was a AM radio. I followed the instructions and it worked+ACE I was awestruck+ACEAIQ

There are DIY radio kits available on ebay. I built this one and it's not bad:

https://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-AM-Radi...UAAOSwy0JaGBSz

There are some youtube videos of building these radios. That helps, the instructions are in Chinese.