Hi Newsgroup,

How many folks listen to shortwave radio in the US? I have to wonder where
shortwave is going, whats the appeal of SW station when there are millions
of radio streams available?

Personally, I like listening to it but the only time I seem to be able to hear
it is when I shut my computers off. ("Shielding" the computers would be a lost
cause, just too many of them, with ethernet and all that..)

Anyone else have this problem? Will a shielded antenna line work? (I was
thinking about maybe using my clothes line as an antenna)

I've got a DX-392 (Made by sangean under radioshack name) how does this compare
with a table-top model? Would a table-top model get MW any better? (The DX-292
kind of sucks for MW reception)

I've got my eyes on some table top models, something I can hook up to a
computer and/or the stereo, but I don't want to spend the $$, especially if it
suffers the same problems as my DX-392. Computer noise, station fading in and
out, (Gets LOUD then quiet and LOUD)

Also, are these shortwaves with remote controls really worth it? Since
a station goes off air, often need to adjust 1Khz and a lot of other fiddling,
seems like a good remote control would be nice. (obviously, something that
handles the wavy lOuD-qUiEt problem as well as compensating for frequency
shift automatically would be nicer)

Jamie
--
http://www.geniegate.com Custom web programming
(rot13) User Management Solutions

I do. It's fun! And easy for those without computers, internet,
broadband, etc.

wrote:

Hi Newsgroup,

How many folks listen to shortwave radio in the US? I have to wonder where
shortwave is going, whats the appeal of SW station when there are millions
of radio streams available?

More than some like to admit. As bad as reception is sometimes it just
may be more dependable than broadband streaming when the net goes down.


Personally, I like listening to it but the only time I seem to be able to hear
it is when I shut my computers off. ("Shielding" the computers would be a lost
cause, just too many of them, with ethernet and all that..)

I have multiple radios. One is right by my computer and yes, I do have
to shut the computer down to get certain frequencies. 3210 was really
bad to get when the monitor/computer was on.

Anyone else have this problem? Will a shielded antenna line work? (I was
thinking about maybe using my clothes line as an antenna)

I've got a DX-392 (Made by sangean under radioshack name) how does this compare
with a table-top model? Would a table-top model get MW any better? (The DX-292
kind of sucks for MW reception)

I've got my eyes on some table top models, something I can hook up to a
computer and/or the stereo, but I don't want to spend the $$, especially if it
suffers the same problems as my DX-392. Computer noise, station fading in and
out, (Gets LOUD then quiet and LOUD)

Station sync would help a little but not completely solve the problem.
Some days reception is bad all across the band. I'm in NC perhaps 500
miles from WWCR. When 9985 first comes on in the morning I can
generally get Australia, Canada and China better, but this is because of
the "skip zone" around the station.


Also, are these shortwaves with remote controls really worth it? Since
a station goes off air, often need to adjust 1Khz and a lot of other fiddling,
seems like a good remote control would be nice. (obviously, something that
handles the wavy lOuD-qUiEt problem as well as compensating for frequency
shift automatically would be nicer)

I don't use a remote with any of mine. It depends on where and when you
use your radios as to the type to get. If you spend a lot of time in
the car you may want to look at a SW radio for the vehicle instead of
getting a table top. I have one of the older Sony auto radios that
includes SW and have enjoyed many hours of SWLing as I rode from place
to place. Can't recall right now who carries these in the US, but
someone does. I had to get one from overseas. Sony will probably still
tell you they "don't make" an automobile radio with shortwave if they
know you are contacting them from the US. Don't ask why! :-(

In: , Al Patrick wrote:
wrote:

Hi Newsgroup,

How many folks listen to shortwave radio in the US? I have to wonder where
shortwave is going, whats the appeal of SW station when there are millions
of radio streams available?

More than some like to admit. As bad as reception is sometimes it just
may be more dependable than broadband streaming when the net goes down.

It is more "fun". Seems like streaming audio is just too easy. :-)

There is something fascinating about shortwave, but the lack of commercial stations
(6070 out of Canada is the only one I can think of) tells me that there just
aren't that many shortwave listeners. Government and religion seem to be about
the only thing on the dial. (or at least as far as I can get)

I have multiple radios. One is right by my computer and yes, I do have
to shut the computer down to get certain frequencies. 3210 was really
bad to get when the monitor/computer was on.

Do you have a shielded cable leading to an antenna? I can't get ANYTHING
(including MW) when the computer(s) are running. My computer(s) are old, I've
got wireless, hubs and several other "doo-dads" plugged in.

I'm hopeful that somehow, an outdoor antenna would solve this problem.

I've got my eyes on some table top models, something I can hook up to a
computer and/or the stereo, but I don't want to spend the $$, especially if it
suffers the same problems as my DX-392. Computer noise, station fading in and
out, (Gets LOUD then quiet and LOUD)

Station sync would help a little but not completely solve the problem.
Some days reception is bad all across the band. I'm in NC perhaps 500
miles from WWCR. When 9985 first comes on in the morning I can
generally get Australia, Canada and China better, but this is because of
the "skip zone" around the station.

Station sync? What is that?

Also, are these shortwaves with remote controls really worth it? Since
a station goes off air, often need to adjust 1Khz and a lot of other fiddling,
seems like a good remote control would be nice. (obviously, something that
handles the wavy lOuD-qUiEt problem as well as compensating for frequency
shift automatically would be nicer)

I don't use a remote with any of mine. It depends on where and when you
use your radios as to the type to get. If you spend a lot of time in
the car you may want to look at a SW radio for the vehicle instead of
getting a table top.

I was thinking of getting a dual 12v/120v unit, or, find some way of getting
the 6v required to power my portable. (If I ever wanted to use it in the car)

Can't quite see how one would mount it though. (Especially the antenna)

Isn't it rather awkward to operate all those dials while driving? That's the main
reason I figure SWL in a car is a bad idea for me.

Jamie
--
http://www.geniegate.com Custom web programming
(rot13) User Management Solutions

Greetings Jamie! I love shortwave and listen to nothing via the
internet. There is something that has always been magical about radio
to me. To try to get dx the computer and monitor go off. Too much
interference. For casualy listening if it is a few feet away it is not
much of a problem.
I have the DX-390, same as yours except without the tape and a better
speaker. I find it a very exceptable portable radio. It however will
overload with most antennas. Some of the guys in here can tell you
where to find info on how to run a good outdoor antenna for not much
money and cut back on the adjacent freq overload problem.
I have never had a remote for a table top. I am generally up in the
radio anyway when I am listening so why bother with a remote unless you
are listening to a strong broadcast in a casual manner.
My DX-390 is not very good at Medium Wave either. I have a much less
expensive DX- 396 which beats the pants off of the 390, and pulls in
stations a little better than my GE Super Radio II.
I don't think that shortwave is going anywhere soon. As with all
technologies there will be change and some inevitalbly fall by the
wayside. Time will tell, but IMHO not for the next few decades for
shortwave.
Any kind of radio placed beside a running computer is not a good thing.
Just too much RF. The monitor is usually the worst offender. Also
watch for floresent tube lights. Took me awhile to figure that one
out.
Hope that helps. Have a great week! Jon in S.C.

In: om, "jon" wrote:
Greetings Jamie! I love shortwave and listen to nothing via the
internet. There is something that has always been magical about radio
to me.

I would agree on that front, although the practical value (Gaining perspective from
abroad) seems better served via the internet. (Clearer, more "stations", easier for
average person to broadcast, etc..)

Having said that... I have vivid, happy memories of listening to "CBS Radio
Mystery Theatre" on a crystal set kit. :-) I'm hoping some place on the dial,
someone is broadcasting that type of programming.

To try to get dx the computer and monitor go off. Too much
interference.

Yep, thats the first thing I switch off. Any CRT has high voltage, monitors are
the worst! (fortunately easy to turn off) however, there is still quite a bit
of noise from the other equipment. (3-4 computers, hub, network cable, VOIP
modulating device, wireless network device, SCSI cables, cable modem and
probably stuff I'm not mentioning) From what I gather, things like hubs and
routers are actually computers designed with specific purpose. (in this age,
it is cost effective to give pretty much all electronic devices a CPU, which
has a clock running at a certain frequency, one would imagine these devices
with cheap plastic cases are natural noise producers.)

I can't shut the computers off, they're designed to run 24/7. :-(

Floresent lights.. I've got one but it doesn't seem to matter very much. One
source that took awhile to "root out" was one of those anti-rodent devices.

The big thing is the computers, I simply can't switch them off. (Right now
they aren't present, so I've been able to enjoy some shortwave again when
I'm there) So.. if I listen to SW, I have to work around that some how.

For casualy listening if it is a few feet away it is not
much of a problem.

Things I'm considering, (hopefully I'll get some feedback on this):

I could use an outdoor clothesline. It's a metal cable (steel I think) it's
outdoors and would be ideal, BUT it's only about 5-6 feet off the ground.
Would be perfect because I already have a ground for it, the phone co's spark
arrester ground. (Phone is not used) This would be the longest option, snow
would not be a problem either.

However, in my experience, stations come in better if I go upstairs which is
about 20-25 feet off the ground. (but ONLY when the computers aren't running :-( )

So, I was thinking about maybe running a copper wire in the attic. This would
be right above the computers though.. :-( Also, I can't see how to get to
a decent ground and it would be quite difficult to do. (there really isn't
an "attic" just a crawl space, I've never actually been "in" there)

Also, both antenna "plans" would run horizontal, east to west rather than north
to south, so, the "broad side" would have southern/northern exposure. Is this
significant? (I'm thinking horizon?) going the other way in the same part
of the house, the antenna would be a fair bit shorter.

The north-south plan:

Could take another chunk of the house (an addition) and go south-north (giving
broad side exposure to east/west) the antenna would be lower though. That
portion of the house tends to have a lot of snow on the roof in winter. (it is
slightly further from the computers, although it would be about the same
height) It is above a television set, I kinda doubt my girlfriend and her
daughter could refrain from using it. :-/

The money trap, keep dreaming plan:

Get a high-buck table top, with an RS-232 interface. Route RS-232 cable to the
garage, (with amplification to overcome 50 ft. limit) run SW in the garage and
run the audio back. Downside, ca$h and anyhow, there is a 220-voltage power
line over the garage. If BPL is ever deployed... forget it. Would be kind
of neat though. :-)

Spendy.. and.. well, spendy! Package everything up with fancy buzzers
and things so as to convince my girlfriend it's really a fancy burglar
alarm. :-) (heck, with those expenses a burglar alarm would be smart..)


I have the DX-390, same as yours except without the tape and a better
speaker. I find it a very exceptable portable radio. It however will
overload with most antennas.

I kind of noticed, (I've got a fishing line reel type) didn't know it
was called "overloading" though, just seems like the antenna only gives
a slight improvement. (It does help with SSB listening, although I generally
don't listen to those, ever hear SSB that isn't a conversation between
2 hams?)

Some of the guys in here can tell you
where to find info on how to run a good outdoor antenna for not much
money and cut back on the adjacent freq overload problem.

Yea, I'm interested in that. :-)

I have never had a remote for a table top. I am generally up in the
radio anyway when I am listening so why bother with a remote unless you
are listening to a strong broadcast in a casual manner.

Trouble is, spend so much time monkeying with the radio that it's hard
to pay attention to whatever it is they are saying.

My DX-390 is not very good at Medium Wave either. I have a much less
expensive DX- 396 which beats the pants off of the 390, and pulls in
stations a little better than my GE Super Radio II.

Hmm... DX-396 eh? I'll keep my eyes open for a cheap one. One thing
about the DX-392 (with cassette) is that it's too big to fit in a suitcase
really, yet it doesn't "feel" like a table-top. (Anyhow, end up rotating
it for MW)

Ever try a loop antenna with yours for MW? (I haven't tried that yet)

I can remember thinking that "grundig" was supposed to be the best, but
from what I've read so far, it *sounds like* grundig have the best
advertising. Is this a common perception?

I don't think that shortwave is going anywhere soon. As with all
technologies there will be change and some inevitalbly fall by the
wayside. Time will tell, but IMHO not for the next few decades for
shortwave.

Hope not, but, BPL has me a bit concerned about this. From a practical
standpoint, there are better (clearer) options available. (satelite,
and internet, satelite is something I wish I could get into.. :-) )

Makes me think that soon the only people listening to shortwave are people who
listen just because they like the technology.

Any kind of radio placed beside a running computer is not a good thing.
Just too much RF. The monitor is usually the worst offender. Also
watch for floresent tube lights. Took me awhile to figure that one
out.
Hope that helps. Have a great week!

Thanks!

Jamie
--
http://www.geniegate.com Custom web programming
(rot13) User Management Solutions

In: , "Michael Lawson" wrote:
In the end, the one nice thing about shortwave is that you
don't have to ante up money every time you turn on your
radio.

This is actually one of the reasons I feel that shortwave won't be
with us much longer.

With a million or so upfront cost plus thousands each month for a "commercial
grade" station, combined with relatively few listeners (and the fact that such
listeners are global) the fact that shortwave requires "frequency jumps" and
anyhow, is heavily influenced by solar activity.. it would be pretty tough to
find an advertiser. Religion and government seem to be about it's only market.
(and government probably won't continue the services if no one listens)

Where is the business model of shortwave broadcasting?

Jamie
--
http://www.geniegate.com Custom web programming
(rot13) User Management Solutions

wrote:
Hi Newsgroup,

How many folks listen to shortwave radio in the US? I have to wonder
where
shortwave is going, whats the appeal of SW station when there are
millions
of radio streams available?

Personally, I like listening to it but the only time I seem to be
able to hear
it is when I shut my computers off. ("Shielding" the computers would
be a lost
cause, just too many of them, with ethernet and all that..)

Anyone else have this problem? Will a shielded antenna line work? (I
was
thinking about maybe using my clothes line as an antenna)

I've got a DX-392 (Made by sangean under radioshack name) how does
this compare
with a table-top model? Would a table-top model get MW any better?
(The DX-292
kind of sucks for MW reception)

I've got my eyes on some table top models, something I can hook up to
a
computer and/or the stereo, but I don't want to spend the $$,
especially if it
suffers the same problems as my DX-392. Computer noise, station
fading in and
out, (Gets LOUD then quiet and LOUD)

Also, are these shortwaves with remote controls really worth it?
Since
a station goes off air, often need to adjust 1Khz and a lot of other
fiddling,
seems like a good remote control would be nice. (obviously, something
that
handles the wavy lOuD-qUiEt problem as well as compensating for
frequency
shift automatically would be nicer)

Jamie
--
http://www.geniegate.com Custom web programming
(rot13) User Management Solutions

Jamie,

Yes, you can run your radios with computer left on. I do it all the
time.
My laptop is running on wireless connection. The radios are less
than a half a foot a way from the computer. With hookups to several
radios. And I experience practically no noise at all. I have tried the
setup with a Desktop and monitor and experienced the same noise
free results.

There are a few things you can do to make it possible.
Contact me off the group and I will be glad to give you
some pointers.


BW

nos... wrote (in part):

Where is the business model of shortwave broadcasting?

Jamie
-------------------------------------------------
"Business model"?
What "business model".

It is one of the few ways for most governments to
get their version of the "TRUTH" to the world.
Good PR/propaganda , you decide which is which,
is priceless.

I had a chance to talk with a engineer who left the USSR
befroe the meltdown and he told that "Radio Free Eurpoe"
was a "God send". His words not mine. I suspect the RFE,
VOA, and all the other hostile SW stations didn't help the
party control the people. Look at how hard the PRC is working
to control access to "hostile", IE truthfull or non communist,
internet outlets.
In NK tit is a captial offense to have a tunable radio. The only
legal ones are crystal controlled, locked to government stations.
A friend works with a NGOfood outfit and she told me that she
always carries a SW radio with her when she goes into the wild.
NK Customs had a s-fit. She thought they were going to arest her
on the spot, instead the labeled her persona-non-grata and sent
back to china on the same plane she came in on. And they destroyed
her radio before letting her go.

Given the time, resources and money required, I am assuming that
places who wish/need to control their populations must find it
reasonable
to go to all that trouble to limit outside influence.

The only SW outles with any sort of "bussines model" must be the church
based ones. They must find it worth while to spend the money.

Terry

On 04 May 2005 19:28:33 GMT, wrote:


I was thinking of getting a dual 12v/120v unit, or, find some way of getting
the 6v required to power my portable. (If I ever wanted to use it in the car)

You night want to just get a variable voltage power supply
that plugs into a lioghter socket. I just picked up a Vector VEC009 dc
- dc converter the other night in a Walgreen's. About $10. Wanting to
see what else the outfit made, I went online later and found they;re
available in many places for about $5, plus shipping that might make
the $10 I paid look OK.

Its output is switchable fom 1.5 to 7.5 volts in 1.5v steps,
followed by 9 and 12 volts. 2000 mA max; 14W max, for what it's worth.
I'm sure there are many others available.

As I like to run other things off lighter plugs (computer, GPS
unit, etc.), I have a 3-outlet expansion plug. Since I prefer not to
run stuff off the possibly spikey car lighter socket and have it all
come up or down every time I turn the ignition on or off, I run the
whole mess off the lighter socket in one of the car jumper battery
units that has a gel-cell and jumper cables. Easy to keep charged up
at home and avoids the possibility of draining the battery if you
leave it in and have the kind of lighter socket that's still hot when
the ignition switch is fully off.