What's the future of shortwave?
 

I'm thinking of getting into shortwave radio (listening to it, at
least), but I've heard a lot about satellite radio, the internet, and
problems with power lines making shortwave a moot point. What's the
future of shortwave radio? Will it stick around in its current form?
Is it worth it to even buy a set, or am I better off just listening
online?

Thanks!

gort581 wrote:
I'm thinking of getting into shortwave radio (listening to it, at
least), but I've heard a lot about satellite radio, the internet, and
problems with power lines making shortwave a moot point. What's the
future of shortwave radio? Will it stick around in its current form?
Is it worth it to even buy a set, or am I better off just listening
online?

Thanks!

Setting concerns about BPL to one side, shortwave isn't going anywhere.
Why would it? It's not like there's only room enough for a single
medium of information in the world. When satellite radio and the
internet lead to the closing of all newspapers, movie theaters,
conventional FM and MW station, publishing houses, etc., then start to
worry. But that's never going to happen.

It might turn out that shortwave isn't as commercially viable as some
other media. This, in fact, is how I *hope* things play out. Granted,
it will result it more major broadcasters moving to other media, but it
will thereby clear up a lot of bandwidth for smaller broadcasters, much
more interesting content, and awesome DX opportunities.

So, you have more reason to buy a shortwave radio now than you ever did
before.

Steve

PS: Oh, and I'd be willing to wager that, ten years from now (if not
five years from now), we'll all be straining to remember exactly what
"DRM" was.

"gort581" wrote in message
ups.com...

What's the future of shortwave radio? Will it stick around in its
current form?
Is it worth it to even buy a set, or am I better off just listening
online?

I would buy a set as they are cheap and portable. There is good radio on the
internet & satellite but for me it does not match the thrill of DXing, I
think shortwave will survive, even if the major broadcasters continue to
give it up, there's new opportunities for lower power and exotic stations to
be heard.

Looking to the future hopefully shortwave DRM will open up new
possibilities.

73s

Mike (a dxer since the 60s)

Mike

Someone wrote
What's the future of shortwave radio? Will it stick around in its
current form?
Is it worth it to even buy a set, or am I better off just listening
online?

Bogie - Here's typing to you kid

Yesterday is dead and gone
And tomorrow is outta sight
Buy that radio, me bucko
And enjoy some DX tonight

--
Round up the usual spammers
Rains In Casablanker
--

gort581 wrote:

I'm thinking of getting into shortwave radio (listening to it, at
least), but I've heard a lot about satellite radio, the internet, and
problems with power lines making shortwave a moot point. What's the
future of shortwave radio? Will it stick around in its current form?
Is it worth it to even buy a set, or am I better off just listening
online?

Thanks!

There is less specifically directed at various places broadcasters feel
might listen with other means: N. American, Pacific. That said, this
cleans up the clutter and allows us to hear stuff not directed our way like
things intended for Africa or Asia. Right now the new technology looks
pretty neat to many. But I wonder if the radio for a fee concept will end
up where TV is. Limited on the free airwaves and more of the same crap via
fee. You know: so many channels, nothing worth watching. FWIW, SW does
have lots worth hearing still, I spend most evenings and early mornings
tuned to something, and it's got more than what I can get locally.

DRM =QRM

wrote:


gort581 wrote:
I'm thinking of getting into shortwave radio (listening to it, at
least), but I've heard a lot about satellite radio, the internet, and
problems with power lines making shortwave a moot point. What's the
future of shortwave radio? Will it stick around in its current form?
Is it worth it to even buy a set, or am I better off just listening
online?

Thanks!

Setting concerns about BPL to one side, shortwave isn't going anywhere.
Why would it? It's not like there's only room enough for a single
medium of information in the world. When satellite radio and the
internet lead to the closing of all newspapers, movie theaters,
conventional FM and MW station, publishing houses, etc., then start to
worry. But that's never going to happen.

It might turn out that shortwave isn't as commercially viable as some
other media. This, in fact, is how I *hope* things play out. Granted,
it will result it more major broadcasters moving to other media, but it
will thereby clear up a lot of bandwidth for smaller broadcasters, much
more interesting content, and awesome DX opportunities.

So, you have more reason to buy a shortwave radio now than you ever did
before.

I hope that the only real commercial SW stations in the world-outside of
the third world tropical banders-the US kook stations find that kook
radio isn't viable in the next few years and switch to less weird
programming or shut down altogether. Those stations are like the old
Soviet blasters, all over the place and with signals so strong that they
take up 10 khz of space on the dial. So far Bill Cooper is the only
major kook to self destruct, although after Gene Scott's death I predict
his stations like Caribbean Beacon will eventually wither away and die.
I mean, how much money can the Wal Mart crowd give to their favorite
kooks before they decide that they're either tapped out or that the
apocalypse isn't coming and cut off the funds? If that happens, then
most kooks who don't have local congregations (like Gene Scott did in
LA) will go away, and there will be a lot of excess transmitter
capacity.


Steve

PS: Oh, and I'd be willing to wager that, ten years from now (if not
five years from now), we'll all be straining to remember exactly what
"DRM" was.

Anybody remember Beta videotapes? Didn't think so.


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In article , running dogg wrote:

Snip

It's look'in good. Good propagation today.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

The question isn't "Should I buy a shortwave radio?"

The question is "Should I get rid of my television?"

Steve

wrote:

The question isn't "Should I buy a shortwave radio?"

The question is "Should I get rid of my television?"

Old burnt out TVs are readily available in the back alleys of
Sacramento's Midtown District. I thought of taking one home, taking
pictures of me smashing it with a sledgehammer, then making a flyer with
the pic and the tagline KILL YOUR TV and posting them everywhere.

I should note that one rarely finds radios of any kind, even cheap
boomboxes, in the alleys. Just TVs-when the CRT dies they're useless. I
once found an old two tube portable record player, though, covered in
tweed, but the motor was bad.

I watch my TV for about an hour a day-a half hour for local news and a
half hour for national news. If I'm up late I may watch the 10pm news.


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