Hi There,

I was curious to try the short wave radio listening so I went for my old
and very cheapo Sony CFM-140L casette-recorder unit (16m; 19m; 21m; 25m;
31m; 41m; 49m). I don't remember how much it cost, but sure it was well
below $30.00 I got a 1.5mm diameter coated wire "plugged" atop of the radio
antenna, it was around 30 feet long (it, somehow, improved a wee bit the
radio reception. No wonders though).

Later I switched to the SW dial and I started to tune stations using the
main manual dial and the fine dial knobs, reaching to listen to the
following stations, not without big efforts using those analogic knobs:

#1 RFI - French - France
#2 BBC World Service - English - United Kingdom
#3 DOA News - English - USA
#4 Radio Canada Internacional - Spanish - Canada
#5 World Wide Christian Radio - English - USA
#6 Radio Bulgaria - Spanish - Bulgaria
#7 kilo - papa - alpha - two - What was that?
#8 Radio Internacional de China - Spanish - Vhina
#9 Radio Exterieur d'Espagne - French - Spain
#10 Radio Exterior de España - English - Spain
#11 CBC News - English - Canada
#12 Radio Rumania Internacional - Spanish - Rumania
#13 Radio Netherlands - Spanish - The Netherlands
#14 Canada International - English - Canda
#15 Radio Japan - English - Japan
#16 Radio Slovakia International - English - Slovakia

The above list was collected after four hours of discontinued listening;
besides those, I was able to listen to a few more stations from Moldova,
Colombia, ... a station which appeared to broadcast a "repetitive nanny
song" in clock intervals of around 15 seconds and 5 mute. Other stations
which broadcasted "noise" and a plethora of stations bradcasting in German
and Arabic (many many stations!).

Almost all the radio programs were radiating news, all stations seemed to
bradcast the same news despite being all from different countries. That's
globalization! Although I find amusing to being able to listen to all those
stations I must confess that listening only to news is really bothersome!
The exception being, perhaps, Radio Internacional de China which had a
varied grill.

Therefore, as a naive short wave listener I would like to know whether using
this dial all I will find will be news, always the same all over again the
same day, or whether there are wider program grills. Moreover, from the list
of stations I heard can sombody advise me on whether buying new equipment
(receiver plus antena?) I will be able to pick up more stations? Something
below $100.00, even if it is second hand.

Eventually, as I am a completely novice in SW I would like to listen to all
your advices concerning radio equipment (cheapo!), stations to listen to
(English; French; Spanish), prime times, ...

Keep it up!