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If you're just starting out in short wave radio, you really need two things: 1. A good quality portable SW radio. Good quality: like most things electronic, you get what you pay for. You could spend $40 on a cheap Korean or Chinese knockoff from RadioShack or a pawnshop, but then you'll spend most of your time fiddling with the radio dial and getting frustrated as the radio drifts off the station you're listening to. Portable: if you enjoy short wave radio, you're going to eventually buy a portable anyway so that you can listen to broadcasts as you travel and high-quality portables are cheaper than high-quality tabletop radios. Basically, you have two choices: the Eton E5 or the Sony ICF-SW7600GR. Each one will run you about $150; you can't go wrong with either. Buying anything else at first means you run the risk of either spending too much of your money on a hobby that you end up not liking or not spending enough of your money, getting frustrated, and then giving up. 2. The latest Passport to World Band Radio. This annual publication has everything you need to know about SW--broadcast times, frequencies, broadcasters, radio reviews, program listings, articles. While randomly scanning the airwaves can be fun, you'll get more enjoyment of your radio when you know when and on what frequencies programs will be airing. hudibrastic fucked around with this message at 02:34 on Jun 7, 2007 |
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Jun 7, 2007 00:45
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Dog Case posted:Is it USB? It might be the Armed Forces Radio and Television Service. They broadcast network news and sports, but I don't know if they'd broadcast on anything other than SW. And to tie the SSB and ESPN Radio questions together: AFRTS is pretty much the only major commercial shortwave broadcaster that uses SSB. Their frequencies and transmitters are listed here: http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/shortwave/ Program guide: http://myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/radio/afn/schedule.asp The bad news is that AFRTS SW broadcasts can be very weak and hard to receive, especially from the United States. If you live in the Far East or Pacific you might have better luck. Have fun.
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Jun 12, 2007 18:22
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DarkSol posted:I'm buying an E5 this Friday after I get paid! Lots of Eton love here, which is great. But don't count out Sony, they've been making portable radios for 50 years. The 7600GR is a great radio and if you can find a ICF-2010 (produced from 1985-2003) at a good price, snatch it up. I've never used a 2010, but many guys swear that it's the best portable radio ever made. Now please excuse me, I have to go try to trick the wife into letting me buy an E1XM...
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Jun 14, 2007 00:10
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You people, making me spend money on kick rear end hobbies that I really am extremely interested in.
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DarkSol posted:What sucks is that I can't find these radios on Sony's webpage, unless I'm totally overlooking where. So, comparing them is nigh impossible. I dug around and found it: http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=3720 It's kind of cool of Sony to have shortwaves on the same website as their computers, HDTVs, Blu-ray players, PS3s, etc. Kickin' it old-school, yo. (Listening to Japanese music right now on 5960, NHK.)
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Jun 14, 2007 04:51
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YASD posted:As a cheap college student, is there a somewhat workable low cost way to at least partially experience the wonders of shortwave? Is a police radio tracker cheaper? What, in essence, is the biggest bang for my buck? Two options: 1. Pawn your computer and buy a radio. 2. Check out streaming audio of world band broadcasts. Here's a couple to get you started: BBC World Service NHK Online [Note: If you are posting from your school's computer lab, Option 1 will probably not be feasible.]
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Jun 25, 2007 05:36
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meatpotato posted:I have a question about grounding my SW7600GR. The radio has no coax connector or grounding terminal at all. It has a 1/8" audio mini jack connector labeled "AM External Antenna," but that's it. Should I get a male connector and attach one part to ANT, another to GND? I'm guessing the outer jacket it ground, the innter "core" being antenna. I was just about to post about this. For the SW7600GR, the antenna jack is only supposed to be used with the Sony AN-1/AN-102 antennas. The jack outputs DC for those antennas' operation. (According to the 7600GR manual, anyway. An EE-type can probably give you more information or a workaround if you still want to use it.) The good news is that you really don't need to ground the antenna if you are using a portable. Just connect your wire to the whip antenna with an alligator clip. Disconnect it if there's a storm nearby. Antenna grounds, static suppressors, etc. are really only necessary if you've got a tabletop and you don't want your $2000+ radio to go up in smoke. But even then, I bet that 99% of dudes disconnect their rigs from the antennas when they hear thunder.
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Jun 25, 2007 20:08
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foobar posted:Welcome to the AN-LP1 club. That guy has got to be wondering what the hell is going on with all these people suddenly wanting to buy the same antenna! Spoiler: AstroZamboni is buyfromjapan.
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Jun 26, 2007 01:46
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Free shortwave receiver for indigent goon. I'm moving to a new place next week and in going through my stuff I found an old RadioShack DX-375 radio that I forgot I had. PM if you are interested. I'll even pay postage to anywhere in the US. Edit: Radio has been claimed and mailed. Thanks to everyone for their interest. hudibrastic fucked around with this message at 00:19 on Jun 28, 2007 |
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Jun 26, 2007 21:48
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