Dear Bill,

Welcome to a great hobby. I have been a shortwave listener for almost
fifty years.

For the answers to ALL your technical questions, go he

https://www.comcat.com/~mwk/pages/or...hor-RADIO-3800

and order the "White Paper" How to Interpret Receiver Lab Tests and
Measurements (Edition 3.01)

It will cost you all of $6.95 postpaid and you will find it invaluable.

The "White Paper" Popular Outdoor Antennas, including installation
(Edition 5.0) is also of great interest should you want to learn more
(and remember, as I'm sure your friend has already told you, the
antenna is more important than the receiver).

On this page (I suggest you "bookmark" it) you will also see for sale
the 2006 edition of PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND RADIO. I recommend that you
do NOT buy this book just now - the new 2007 edition will be published
in October and I recommend that, at this time of the year, you wait for
it. I DO recommend you order it at that time. (You can even get the
book less expoensively on Amazon.com.)

You should obtain a great deal of pleasure and knowledge from your
DX-398 and I hope this has been of some help to you.

Best,

Joe

bill wrote:
I am new to Shortwave and I am trying to understand the technical
stuff. I have been lurking for several months and have some basic
questions that I hope to get answered or at least directed to an on
line reference. I have googled and tried searches but I just don't have
the background to understand what I am searching for. I am a graphic
artist looking at retirement in 6 months and I don't have a real strong
technical background. ...

I am currently using a DX398 that I bought at a flea market. I
understand that this is a
basic radio and I am thinking about moving up to a better receiver.
Before I commit any
real money for a modern radio I am trying to understand what the
numbers mean and
not be taken. Since I am getting ready to retire, money is an issue and
I may have to consider a used radio. At this point I am not trying to
get suggestions for a specific radio, I am just trying to gain a modest
understanding of what numbers are important. ...

So while I am pretty green, I am learning. I have learned you can have
a lot of fun even if
your don't really know what you are doing.

Bill
Lancaster Kentucky