Sam wrote:

----- Original Message -----
What radio? Batteries or line current?
Where in Vancouver are you? West End with the
blocking apartment blocks, South slope?


Thanks for the info. I am using the Degen 1103 with 2300 mAh
rechargables
and I am located in North Richmond near the Fraser River.

Odd reviews. The Sony 7600 and Grundig YB400 are
a bit better.

You are near a noisy area. Wind a 2 metre (or a bit more)
insullated wire around the antenna 15 times and then put up
and out (i.e. near a window or outside door.
That should 'double' the signal

Get the World English page from the OXDA Listening In
magazine (Subscribe as well)
http://www.odxa.on.ca/listeningin/lisamplepages.html

Note that http://www.odxa.on.ca/WES.pdf
is 'two pages' wide (You'll see only 12 hours then on the
right the next twelve hours)
Print (sideways maybe)

Now you know times--the blanks are when they broadcast
in their vernacular, Spanish, Chinese or other languages.
Learn them also and appreciate the mellifluous French
speakers of Radio Taiwan International via the booming
Florida relay.

Try WWV and WWVH on 5, 10, 15 Mhz to see
the conditions.

I have, I can barely hear the station on different frequencies.

Then if you can't hear WWV, other stations won't come
in well other.
This assumes that you are not trying to listen
during the daytime when the skip is short and
signals are much attenuated.
The Voice of Korea is good at this time of year
first in English, then French, then German.
Few stations broadcast into our daytime as it is
not worth the energy.
You can get side signals of R. Free Asia and the
South Americans more easily.
See Radio New Zealand International, really sending
to the dawn of the South Pacific islands.

Nighttime and early morning should come alive.

NHK-Radio-Japan, CRI, BBC, DW, RN, VoA, CRI,
RCI, HCJB, many South Americans are powerhouses
into Vancouver.
But not all day, nor every month.
Most are morning or evening services, not mid-day
nor mid-night.
RNZI is a powerhouse for cheap portables during
the summer, as is Radio Australia.

I have heard the Aussie station, tonight it wasnt bad then at
around 11pm it
was bad. Even my FM sucks. Maybe I am too picky?

They run several frequencies, so switch to the other
one. Shortwave doesn't stay on the same frequency
24 hours a day.
http://www.odxa.on.ca/beginnersguide/swwhen.html
of the pages at:
http://www.odxa.on.ca/beginnersguide/dxguide.html