Shortwave questions for newbie

[kaj]

I just picked up a Grundig G8 shortwave portable radio. I can get about a dozen shortwave stations - maybe half are in English ! Can some one give me some tips on shortwave listening ? I'm looking for the BBC news radio station but can't find it. I know I will need an external antenna, but which one ? I'll just be using this for casual listening usually in the evenings.

 

[Foxx510]

Look for a DEGEN DE 31MS indoor active antenna on ebay. They are about $20. They work ok for the money, the only downside being slightly finicky tuning.

 

[doktor_x]

Here are some online resources to get you started:

http://www.naswa.net/swlguide/
http://home.centurytel.net/danielsampson/
http://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Shortwave_Radio/Schedules/

I can't be of much assistance beyond that, at present. My DX-398 will be residing at the modification facility until sometime next week.

 

[Radiophile]

You'll have to forgive me because I'm not much of a shortwave listener anymore, but I believe the the BBC stopped service to North America long ago. Perhaps you can catch a broadcast skipping here from another continent, but I don't know where to tell you to look.

I did find an interesting chart that you may find useful here:

http://www.shortwavestore.com/files/wes0710.pdf

About antennas. Longer and higher are better. For casual listening you can try a reel antenna that either clips to the whip on your radio, or plugs into the antenna jack - if there is one on your radio. Active antennas can be very good, but they are expensive in comparison and probably not for the casual listener. Spend $10 - $20 for a reel antenna or just wrap a few winds of a piece of wire around your whip and throw the rest across the room or out a window.

Have fun!

 

[mightysparrow]

The BBC no longer broadcasts intentionally to north America. Many of us listen to the BBC's broadcast to central and south America, when conditions are good for receiving it here.

The G8 is a great radio, but it can be overloaded with a sensitive external antenna. Some active antennas will have this effect, too. Try it and see if it improves your reception without producing spurious noises on frequencies that aren't really on those frequencies in reality.

You might also try an inexpensive reel antenna that clips to your radio's whip or plugs into an external antenna outlet. These antennas are pulled out of their reel and clipped to a higher place in your residence. They usually improve reception considerably.

As an alternative, I have a powerful active antenna that works great. I am willing to sell it, as I have sold all of my larger radios. PM will be sent shortly with details.

Check out the Grove Enterprises, Inc. website and look at the link to Monitoring Times magazine. This magazine is available via e-subscription or in paper by snail-mail. It publishes schedules of English broadcasts from around the world, as well as listings of "catches" by other listeners and articles of interest to short wave listeners and ham enthusiasts.

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Here are some online resources to get you started:

http://www.naswa.net/swlguide/
http://home.centurytel.net/danielsampson/
http://www.dxzone.com/catalog/Shortwave_Radio/Schedules/

I can't be of much assistance beyond that, at present. My DX-398 will be residing at the modification facility until sometime next week.

Be good if you explained to the OP about your DX-398, and you wanting it modified. Who is doing your mod, radiolabs?

Bill
,

 

[doktor_x]

Be good if you explained to the OP about your DX-398, and you wanting it modified. Who is doing your mod, radiolabs?

Bill
,

Yep. I've been wanting to send it to RadioLabs for the typical mods (improved filters, front end sensitivity, anti-chuffing, etc.) for several years and someone special made it happen recently as a birthday present. In stock form, the DX-398 (a re-badged Sangean ATS-909) is quite adequate, but I'm eager to hear what it can do after some tweaks.

The Radio Habana propaganda broadcasts may prove even more amusing with the new sound. :tinfoil: Until then, I'll have to limp by with the indestructible (but lacking SSB capability and access to some interesting frequencies) DX-375 that has served so well for many years.

 

[morrowsmowers]

I've been looking at these: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=370263261897&ssPageName=STRK:MESE:IT

I like the idea that it can be packed up very easily but is just as easy to set up again when you need it.

 

[Flying Turtle]

I've recently dusted off my DX-398. Haven't done much SW listening lately. Not much there anymore, thanks mainly to the internet. The speaker on mine has mostly quit (very low volume), but I've got some small external ones connected through the earphone jack. For an additional antenna I just use a long wire (10 ft.) clipped to the other.

Geoff

 

[Bullzeyebill]

Yep. I've been wanting to send it to RadioLabs for the typical mods (improved filters, front end sensitivity, anti-chuffing, etc.) for several years and someone special made it happen recently as a birthday present. In stock form, the DX-398 (a re-badged Sangean ATS-909) is quite adequate, but I'm eager to hear what it can do after some tweaks.

The Radio Habana propaganda broadcasts may prove even more amusing with the new sound. :tinfoil: Until then, I'll have to limp by with the indestructible (but lacking SSB capability and access to some interesting frequencies) DX-375 that has served so well for many years.

Any reports on your modded DX-398?

Bill

 

[doktor_x]

Any reports on your modded DX-398?

Bill

Affirmative. It came home some 4 days ago. There was some glitch in the system and it took about 5 weeks to get it back, but I'm very happy with the result.

My external antenna seems to have found a really good hiding spot somewhere (presumably) in the house, so a proper SW shakedown hasn't happened yet. However, I'm pulling in MW stuff that I'd no idea even existed. It's a new experience to pick a signal out of a bunch using the once-largely-vestigial Gain knob. The other night, I had a strong signal from a broadcast station in Waterloo, IA (~750 miles away) on nothing more than the internal ferrite bar. Atmospheric conditions certainly played a role, but it was an awakening nonetheless.

I'm thinking of snagging a 200' spool of magnet wire from CellphoneShack (a.k.a. RadioShack) to just build a new portable external solution.