Good on ya Fred, Good stuff. I live in Urkaine for almsot a decade and a Donbas refugee in west Ukraine. I use internet SW SDR sites every now and then to get real radio signals streamed to me, but same problem, no internet no online SDR. I am definitely going ot buy a budget SW radio after checking out some more of your recommendations in the back catalogue of yours!
@@CB-RADIO-UK Cheers Fred. The people of the UK have been very supportive. All politics and scandals aside Bojo was out there on the front foot to get us help ASAP well before the Americans and the EU stepped up. This war is one big negative event, it's revived the tank, which everyone thought was obsolete, but they are machines of war. Anyway that's off-topic for you chan. For sure the one positive to come out of all this nasty business is that SW radio still matters. Internet SW SDR's are great, they are high quality cards in a decent computer with a longwire up a tall mast, usaully at a university, for pubic access. But your story really highlights the need to have an actual radio as a backup when there is no internet. Buy a fold out solar panel array to rechage the radio and this is an essentially good setup for people here to still get some news from the "beeb"!
The newer generation will look at it and wonder where the screen is. They will never figure out how to even turn it on much less realise it needs an antenna in the back or that it doesnt run on li-ion so they cant take it with them in the pocket.
@@UpcomingJedi something tells me you would look at a computer and never figure out how to check for systems updates or much less open the start menu on Win10. Why be ageist about it, that would drive away people from trying and killing this hobby for good.
There is something magical about plucking a radio signal from thin air after its bounced and skipped half way round the world that no digital media could ever compete with.
One of life’s greatest moments: on the deck of a boat in the middle of the ocean on a warm night beneath a vast galaxy of stars, listening to distant SW stations broadcasting in languages I didn’t speak.
The SW Bands are a lot quieter than many years ago it was good to scan the Band's and hear so many stations and languages before and wait to hear the name of Station. Ironically with the Ukraine war the BBC have started SW world Transmissions again a reminder of World War 2 days to get The True News and info into the Eastern Block countries where News is censored or distorted News told instead. SW Freq really do travel well. TV signals are also under threat as the cost of Transmission s and competition from mobile 5G and 6G want the frequency also. They are moving more services to internet, but not everyone can get in remote locations or cannot afford it, also at Peak times Internet suffers cannot cope , hope Satellite services stay good.
Internet radio is fake radio. I'd rather listen to radio frequencies on my own. The thrill of sitting in front of your SW unit and tuning in to faded signals is so much more enjoyable. It brings a sense of accomplishment.
Off topic but hams are indeed weaklings too.. Mounting your prebuilt pretuned antenna in ya garden or maybe even on ya roof isnt that fun.. Would much rather go with an antenna that i built, even setting it up is great fun too.. Like back in the cb days, with those huuge penetrators, god damn.
Understandable. However, I slightly disagree only because I am at a disadvantage and will take some of the "fake radio channels" and use them as a reference to what channel to search for and verify
Forgot to mention that shortwave listening also gives the listener the feeling of listening way further than the eyes can see and at an audible, yet tame volume. It's strange, as if a person is in two places at once, but without the (over)stimulation(?) of a phone call or video call, as if to almost leave the listener/audience to use their imagination whenever listening to shortwave radio.
So yes. There is thrill, sense of accomplishment, awe, wonder, nostalgia, joy, convenience and in some cases, comfort (I sleep to shortwave radio sometimes), but most importantly, there is the main benefit of information, or being informed, that other forms of media may require some sort of payment, in order to receive information. Oh and I forgot. There is a sense of pride to be taken in shortwave radio listening as well. It requires dedication, patience, diligence, and discipline.
I'm in my mid 70's and worked as an Engineer for over 45 years working in remote areas of Asia, Africa and South America. SW Radio was a must for all of us working in the field. Often I worked in some very unstable countries. Our only link with the outside world was our battery operated SW radios. I still pull out the old set and listen every now and then.
Shortwave is always important during emergencies. I pick up broken old shortwaves at ham radio swap-meets for literally next to nothing, free to $5 for a solid-state portable, $5 to $30 for a tube model. Then I fix them and realign them so they work pretty much as well as a modern one. Every once in a while I find someone who is fascinated with SW and I either sell them one of my radios cheap or, if they have little money I simply give them a radio. When I was 13 years old in the 1960's I was given a 12 tube Hallicrafters SX-25 shortwave in good working order. I lived in a rural area so I hung up a 100 foot north/south wire and a 100 foot east/west wire antenna at about 12 to 15 feet and I listened to the world every day all through high school. So now I do the same for others. While I have and use SDR's I don't like how much technology is required to receive anything at all, especially in an emergency. I prefer old tube receivers, and simple transistor radios. They make understanding what is going on much easier, and understanding is important. Whether or not there are a lot of good stations to listen to these days there is a great deal to learn about radio, about emergency communications, about skip conditions, about antennas, about ham radio and electronics which can become a skill as valuable as advanced first aid in an emergency. A shortwave is an invitation to gaining useful knowledge and is still an open door to the world.
The SW stations seem to be disappearing quite rapidly. I spent a lot of time listening to SW as a young man....particularly liked the Arabic transmissions, with the evocative calls to prayer. I still listen to SW, mainly Chinese....I challenge any radio enthusiast not to be totally entertained tuning into Radio Vietnam and hearing Vietnamese music filling your room with a soft dream like steamy jungle ambience. Like you I prefer the dials and buttons....I enjoy using a little cheap SW radio (analogue) over my more expensive digital radio for that reason. SW has romance....the fun is the tuning in (definitely using a knob) and hearing the drift of the signal.
Tecsun makes some very good analoge radios for 30.00 Built like a tank and very sensitive with low noise.They are the new Sangean of shortwave.Very cheap but dependable.Also no overload on 50 ft wire antennas strung outside.
I recall back in the late 70's early 1980's listening to the BBC in Vermont on a shortwave receiver in out kitchen. The unit had a two foot antenna when extended fully. We could receive the UK and many other countries when they had their broadcasts over the air. It's still a decent way to bypass censors, cut power and cable lines, as well as geo-blocked internet content. Shortwave technology should be broght back into areas of conflict to ensure th truth, whatever that is, gets heard.
The modem dropped offline this week which meant I had to revert to using the SW radios instead of the SDR receivers. The Sangean SW radios worked very well hooked up to the roof mounted loop antennas had the electricity had been knocked off I still could have used the battery operated Sangean on the random long wire for reception. It was a good reminder to have a backup system in place just in case. I logged more in 5 days than I usually do all month, far as I'm concerned there's still a lot to hear on shortwave, internet radio or not.
Those were the good old days. I used to be fascinated by the way you could listen to so many countries thousands of miles away! I am 58 and still like to listen to Ham and some SW transmissions. Currently, I am also listening through SDRs . I could never have imagined that someday we could listen through a computer via a dongle!!
I bet you also get a shitton of local commercials though. I seriously question how they call it radio when its going through some website that spies on you knowing almost EXACTLY where you are to yeet commercials for local businesses into your ears.
I purchased a SW radio last year. I like being able to scan around and see what can be found. The radio can run on D cells and can always be available no matter what is going on with the Internet or local power.
@@jefferysmith5921 I listened to shortwave many years ago as a hobby. Almost every country was broadcasting in English and it was so neat to learn about them. Magical is the word I should use. Now there is very little English stations apart from China. I don't listen anymore. The internet totally ruined shortwave radio
I am SW radio hobbiest from Tanzania,East Africa,in the 80ies and 90ies I used to enjoy the SW broadcasts around the world,stations like BBC,VOA,DWand WHRI were very familiar to me,I remember one day I succeeded to tune in Radio free Europe it was very amazing to me.
You nailed it, Fred. I've been talking about this for years. This digital dependance will be a dangerous time if it crashes for a multitude of reasons. Most global systems do not have a backup system to carry on with banking, communications, etc.
I always thought it was ridiculous turning off AM and even FM radio as they're threatening to do. What if there's an emergency situation? I borrowed a DAB radio for a few weeks years ago. It was a portable set with tiny headphones. The sound was amazing. So I got my own DAB radio some years later. Too much mono in my opinion. Then I realised I couldn't get half the available stations because I needed DAB+ so I got a tiny little Bluetooth radio for £45. The best stuff still sounds amazing. But a lot of the time the sound is nowhere near as good. What's the point of supposedly high-tech digital radio if it sounds like someone talking over the phone in mono???! I ended up using FM and when that doesn't work I go straight to internet radio. Sometimes I forget I'm tuned into a station from Adelaide or Alice Springs and I'm thinking, "What are they talking about??!?!"
People who know how to set up a shortwave of MW radio station from scratch will be sort after if there is a serious national emergency. After all the other forms of communication have stopped, studios adjacent to transmitters will be the only way to communicate with the public. We have no back up as far as i am aware. Radio hams will also be in demand.
@@ZadenZaneI live in rural Northumberland. No DAB reception where I live. So much for their promises it was the new thing. Useless here. The great irony is a guy here who had a career in TV transmission retired and they bought him a DAB radio as a retirement gift 😊
Good morning Sir, shortwave has fascinated me since my Grandad gave me a valve radio in the 70s. I still listen and there's plenty to listen to. If I am having a mess about in the shack I will have a radio on in the background and there's some propaganda stations still on that broadcast in English and say some interesting things about the West. . . Sometimes the music is interesting as well. I got the radio off the mother in law and it's really old but the recieve is great. Have a great weekend.
A great video and when I was about 5 years old I discovered radio and the fascination of tuning around the radio dial and hearing all these signals was wonderful. Fast forward to 2023 and the fascination is still with me and I'm 63 now! Oh I forgot to say from about the age of 18 to 30 I was very active in Pirate radio and I built various transmitters for shortwave and medium wave and then VHF FM.☠️.I am now ofcourse a responsible amateur radio operator 😅. 73. Ian G7HFS/PA3IKH
I used to listen on a pocket transistor radio agerd about 8 and wondered why Luxembourg faded in and out, We had a mw, lw and sw valve set and wondered why I couldn't hear the stations marked on the dial and why no radio covered the bit between mw and lw. G4GHB
Hi there. I have a Grundig Satilite 750. Had that one for years now. Love it. Same as the Tecsun s200. You have a very nice collection of radios there. I always loved listening to sw radio when I was a kid. I still do today. Thanks for sharing. Take care as always. 😊
I used to own a Sony ICF 2010 in the 80's . I was able to hear english language broadcasts from the UK, France, East and West Germany. Most of Europe. I also got Voice of Vietnam, Radio Korea, North Korea etc. All of these stations had broadcasts in English. I found it gave me a unique perspective on world affairs.
Anyone who has a interest in ssb CB use, should have a play at shortwave listening. I does require a little skill to understand the ham radio band allocation and propagation initially, but after a little bit of fiddling around you'll pick it up. I'd suggest getting into the swl hobby with an early radio.... Or as they're actually called "Communications Receiver" Another great video Fred!
Hi Fred. I’m 58 and I have a radio 📻 in just about every room in the house 🏠 When the satellites fall out of the sky and the wifi goes silent, everyone will want a cb radio and shortwave radio 😮 I’ll have plenty to sell!😅 🏴👍
When the sattelites fall out of the sky he says. There is so much garbage up there that is becoming next to impossible for anything to come down. They will be up there longer than it takes radioactive waste to decay.
Hi Fred. You are right - if the "S" hits the fan.... looking as if it could happen soon! That will be the moment where SW will be back again! I still have my SW radios on a good part of the day, minimum 2x per day I work my way through SW in 1Khz steps, nice and slowly und still hear loads! I still buy modern SW-Radios, still get a kick out of SW! Very much like and enjoy your Videos! Am on Radios now for close to 50 Years but still learn a lot in your videos! Keep up the good work! Lol, you got on slippery ground there! We just had a good laugh, THANKS!!
I moved house to somewhere with a hotbird dish. Wow! Hundreds of free channels in just about every language you could think of. I found myself watching The X Factor in Armenian. I ended up watching it quite a lot. There was a channel called RT Documentary with road trips through Siberia. It reminded me of the old Radio Moscow. So that's the nearest thing to shortwave radio as it used to be in the 1980s.
I used to have a Panny RF-3100. Lasted about 20 yrs. I bought it in 1985. I used to collect QSL cards. I threw most out and kept several Radio Moscow and Radio Albania. I still have some of the silk and cardboard pennants. I rebought Sony WB Radio Guide. I bought recently Mr. Mange's Passport WB books. Now, I listen to Online radiobox on my laptop. I would like a small tabletop to listen to 70s and 80s music.
Great post, Fred! I grew up with shortwave radios in the late 70s. SWL'ing was an inexpensive hobby at the time, way before personal computers became a household gadget. I've never really liked Internet radio. It's true that they're crystal clear but they may as well be local FM stations with very high fidelity! I still enjoy the nostalgia of tuning into faint and distant stations amidst the strange and wondrous interfering noises that many shortwave signals make. 🙂 I think the Internet radio boom in the 2000s has a positive side to it - by shrinking the shortwave radio market into a niche one, consumer grade receivers have also become a lot cheaper compared to in the 1990s. People today are prepared to camp out and form a long queue around the block and part with their money for the latest US$1,200 iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, but most electronics stores will not even stock a decent Tecsun or XHDATA shortwave receiver. In most cases one has to buy them online through the various e-commerce platforms. There's plenty of money to be made from the smartphone industry (including their accessories) but not so much from shortwave radio manufacturing. Have to thank the likes of Tecsun and XHDATA/Sihuadon for making their products so affordable! If Sony were to make something similar to my Tecsun PL-990 today, I don't think I could afford the Sony manufactured one! Now that BBC has restarted some of its shortwave broadcast operations in Europe, I do wish the Australian Broadcasting Corporation would do the same. I really miss listening to Radio Australia but apparently ABC's not willing to spend further on its long running, overseas shortwave service. 😞
I don't use radio for entertainment per se. I am captivated by sweeping the bands and finding voices from the world in the ether. It still amazes me at 75 that electricity flows through the air and a wire hanging in the attic brings it to me. real radios glow in the dark.
I agree - SWL is still a hobby worth pursuing. The quality of the receivers has greatly improved and the cost has decreased over the years. The HF radio spectrum is still the only game around for long distance communications. Many a nights I would stay up until the early hours listening to Radio Australia or Radio New Zealand or Voice of Turkey and Radio Cairo from my QTH in Texas - using my trusted old Grundig or Realistic DX-440.
Let's see, ABC shut down in 2017...Radio Cairo has been on the fritz for years, not sure they are even trying to broadcast...Turkey has cut back on beaming to North America and it's English programs...But RNZ is still energizing the wire, so 1 outta 4 ain't bad...
This was a really enjoyable discussion!!!! I have enjoyed SW listening since I was a kid. I now use Dollar Store 100 foot rolls of Green Twist Tie Wire for my antennas! Thanks for the video!!!
I am a Senior, living in Toronto with decades of using many kind of SW radios. But bitter truth is its days are almost becoming buggy and horses. Almost all SW international broadcasting were closed as they moved to Online. Radios are good only to listen FM and MW. Last week Bell (main agency) declared closing even 10 MW radio stations. In reality, how many times there are war and all countries start broadcasting on SW? How many times internet goes in cities where 90% people live.
Ironically, it's the internet that introduced me fully to shortwave. I started listening to NHK World Radio during the daytime (Japanese) and nighttime (English). Though I listened to VOA once, using our old Sony radio with shortwave on the dial as a kid. The best I have right now is the Tecsun PL-660, but, one day, maybe I'll get something similar to a communications receiver.
The latest Malahit SDR radio is mind blowing. It's like having something better than a top of the line Racal or Drake receiver, but small enough to put in your pocket. The NR is amazing. Superhets are on the way out, SDR is now far better. I totally understand the nostalgia of the classic radios though.
I live in Nigeria and have been fascinted with radio since childhood. I really want to get into radio as a self taught electronics technician. Only issue is finding affordable beginner radios. Great content
I like to listen to Pirate radio and Ham radio incl cb. I use 2 Lowe HF-150, an ATS25max, win1500, and sdr's (RTL, funcube, rsp1a) Ssb for ham and cb radio is a must.
Radio made a huge come back in the Tennessee North Carolina flood thia month. Some towns only had a single baofeng uv5r and it was the only way they got help
I'm very happy with my SDRPlay RSPDx SDR receiver. Receiver is amazing quality, the best I've ever heard by a long way. Very small and compact, just throw it in your laptop bag. If you can only own one receiver it should be this one...
I love old school SW and MW radios especially the analog ones. The joy of hearing distant stations hundreds or perhaps thousands of kilometers away at night is a satisfaction for me even though it's a whisper ... it is just like fishing! 👍
There are many difficult choices in life - you have to weigh how much you want that new widget (antenna, rig, whatever) against how much you like sleeping on the sofa. Lol.
Thanks for the lovely video, mate - always a pleasure to hear someone talking about Shortwave. A couple of comments on your review... If you would like to manually tune that Retekess V115, just don't do a scan with it... Then you can manually tune to any frequency you like via the up down buttons! ;-) For many years I had a Panasonic RF-2600 with red LED digital read out. Two speed tuning, wonderful radio. As a lad growing up in the states, one of the things I loved doing was listening to Marine Beacons (transmitting repeating Morse Code letters) on LW. They have all been shut down now, but it was a delight, tuning into distant lighthouses and listening to their call idents as a boy. Our U.S. shortwave bands are now dominated by Christian religious broadcasters here in the states. For the last couple of years, I'm seeing a transmigration of extreme right wing Christian organizations and broadcasters, getting literally kicked off RUclips and other social platforms and now ending up on SW. Recently, and outfit called "TruNews" has gone on the SW bands here in a big way. They were kicked off YT due to their antisemitic content. There are a couple of other SW broadcasters in the U.S., but almost every one is touting some form of Evangelical Christian, - "End Times Coming Soon" propaganda. It can get pretty darn boring. I agree with you, that Tecsun makes a great line of SW portable receivers. Oh, one last thing - in the states, the U.S. Government is trying right now to completely take over control of nearly every facet of the internet soon, via a sweeping and draconian new set of FCC laws package, which is due to be voted into U.S. federal law in a week or so. This could also be a boon to SW listeners, as it could create more - perhaps even local or "pirate" SW broadcasters onto the bands. Cheers.
Don't know about elsewhere, but in the US there's still Aircraft beacons on LW doing morse code similarly. It can also help you learn CW by sound if you're so inclined. Propagation isn't always good, stations are low power, but when that band opens up you can head from hundreds of miles away.
Great video. Thank you. Still have my Grundig 800 and Panasonic RF 2800. Great collection of radios. No matter what I will never leave this great hobby.
been listening to sw and mw for many years, till last year when the city council decided to remove all old street lights and replace them with LED. nothing but buzzing since then. have to move out to like 10km into the wild to get back some signal. which i'm too lazy to do.
1978 ... My HAM license... grew up in those days of 'exploration' and truelly home brewed Solutions that found their way into almost all modern day technology and communication. In parallel the computer revolution was underway , it was a magic time beyond any doubt.
Good stuff enjoyed very much, when I was 6 y/o my grandmother gave me a cheap radio shack am radio, at night I could listen to stations in Chicago, Dallas, Philly. Stations would fade but I was hooked. Have listened to radio at bedtime every night for the past 59 years. I was then and now in Florida, have ssb on sailboat and long wire at home. Art Bell, way before that mystery theater, radio Moscow, Radio Cuba, Like said below, could have never thought you could talk on cell phone anywhere in the world, amazing, Thanks, Pop's Fl.
Hey Fred i have bought a China made XHDATA D808 radio on FM its okay but on AM there is nothing there to listen to and shortwave you need a computer and search for radio stations that broadcast. I am really happy with my XHDATA D808 but i wish there were more station to listen to. Someone told me because of DAB+ and internet most of the stations stopped broadcasting on AM which is really a pity! But still thanks for making this video and sharing it!
Excellent video Fred, I've been fascinated by Shortwave radio since my teenage years. Started off with a H.A.C (Hear All Continents) two valve kit receiver, which was old technology even in the mid1970's. I've progressed since enjoying AM CB illegal and legal and on to full Amateur radio licence. I love the modern SDR receivers, owning an AirSpy HF+ and SDRPlay Duo which are both amazing, but still enjoying more traditional radios as well. If you want a really good traditional analog shortwave radio, try getting yourself a Yaesu Frg7 (the Frog) as they are still much sort after. Keep up the good work with the videos. Chris M0WGC
H.A.C., I built one when I was aged 14, the one valver. I wish I'd kept it. I've got PM2 type valves from rallies and will make a replica. Valves got hard to get new and 90 Volt batteries were no longer made, the coils i used in a wavemeter, but recently put the Range 4 coil in my Wireless 19 Set for better aerial tuning on rx. G4GHB
Except for the small SDR radios and dongles, my most modern radios are a pair of Kenwood R-5000 receivers, I love them. Aside from that, my favorites are vintage sets by Hammarlund, Hallicrafters, etc. I do tinker with the vintage radios and it's a simple process to replace the power supply capacitors as well as any paper & wax capacitors in old sets. Another thing, I picked up an old Hallicrafters S-40 receiver at a hamfest about 4 or 5 years ago completely reconditioned and aligned for $40. Works perfectly. I also picked up a Gonset (rebranded as Lafayette) from the late 1950's that works perfectly fine for $8. Eight dollars, US. All the receivers mentioned are "hot" meaning that they are super sensitive and do not drift once warmed up. I can be listening to a particular frequency, leave the set off for a week or two, and when I power it up again it's on that same frequency. There are a lot of nice features on some modern radios, but an old receiver with a bandspread can tune just about everything. They aren't like the R-5000, but they generally have a better sound (tubes) and cost next to nothing by comparison.
It's nothing like it was in the 1980's and earlier when it seemed every country had a short wave radio station. My interest in radio has never gone since 1969 when I made a one valve kit, the H.A.C., Hear All Continents. I've got PM2 type valves and will make a replica. I've waited about 50 years to get a Zenith TransOceanic. It cost a stupid amount of money to get it here from the U.S.A. but I'd always wanted one. I like my Racal RA17L but it's gone a bit deaf so I need to look at it. I was given a Roberts R9962. All my others are valve sets. I like s.w. for amateur radio, this morning with my FT817ND to Bratislava with 5 Watts ssb on the 18 MHz band and attic dipole with a 5.8. report. A nice 1,000 miles. Nothing wrong with older radio's however I'd suggest using an aerial tuner, easy and cheap enough to make with two variable capacitors and a tapped coil. Unfortunately I suffer from broadband internet noise at 17 MHz and below. G4GHB
Loved the video thx..as you say shortwave is still very intriguing. I Pick up a grundig sateliite 300 at the seconds store.. Needed abit of T. L. C... Working great now.. Added a Bluetooth doogle.. I now hit the tape button and have blue tooth if I wanna listen to internet radio..here in South Africa with the constant blackouts sw really comes in handy..keep up the good work.. Mike South africa
Thanks Fred about SW. Yes it's quite different from when I started out to listen to SW in 1962 at 17, in US High School with a Hallicrafters SX-110 tube receiver, and the next year, I obtained my Novice, US, Amateur Licence, and been one over 60 years now being almost 80 now. The big thing here in the US, are advertisements on the MW radio sometimes, to keep MW on the Auto radios for emergency notices, as some car makers of many brands are removing the MW band on them. Cheers😊
Internet sure has led to a decrease in CB use. But it also is just a change of interest with our youngsters. I just spent a good bit for a complete new CB-outfit for my grandchildren, in turn they teach me their world on the internet. Here in Ireland it is mostly very quiet on all channels. Still they have their pals and enjoy a natter! A few days ago we started hangin' out a little poster telling people to dust of their cb's and switch them on Saturdays 10am. Here in rural Ireland, people read every little scrap of paper hanging in shop. Let's hope we can get a few more old radios back into the crackely CB-world! We have found one who has his Radio in his Tractor - great fun hearing him and his old Zetor-Traktor rumbling in the back! We intend to refresh CB here in our area by using Posters and the Internet! Idea? It is great fun!
@@CB-RADIO-UK Yes, thanks for that. Our boys actually have enbraced this hobby quite well - for the moment. It takes a little running around and get the word out! We also offer help for those which have the gear in the attic but have forgotten how to install their antenna, all the gear. I believe, that in these times where all is up in the air and the Internet is overloading everybody, the good old CB-Radio can be fairly relaxing! It also could be a great help for elderly people living alone and suffering of nobody coming around for a "cuppa" anymore! Even in this short time we are doing these things, I can see changes in our youngsters, they are much more alert, they don't get lost in a senseless Videogame or Chatroom. I will try anything to get them back into real life! It works, highly recommended!
Shortwave radio and tvs were my hobby back in the late 60s and 70s. It was a thrill to rig up wires and listen to the fading in and out of stations. I used both valve and transistor radios but i cannot get any enjoyment out of Internet radio. Good quality and solid just like digital tv but no fun.
If Internet and power go down then I guess there must be some kind of emergency which means all the broadcast stations would be propaganda stations. The best way to know what is happening is from radio amateurs, CB and freebanders so SSB and NBFM is a must. Also get a radio with rechargeable batteries and USB charging since there are solar cells and wind up chargers if there is no power.
Simon Blandford: The invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentina is an example.....the first news of the attack came from a "Ham" operator on the islands.
I know sometimes I do like hearing am fm and short wave radios i do like listening to some music and live broadcasts but sometimes I do find radios comfortable playing in the background
Good video - thanks :-) The world would believe that S/W communication is a dead duck in this day and age? But your little demo in the last minutes of this video blow that idea out of the water. There really is still interesting stuff out there we can listen to :-) I'm getting back into it after decades of working on digital stuff - and I'm quite excited to be doing it 🙂
If WW3 comes, I will be with my family & a Shortwave radio. Going to buy one, now surveying. A SDR is interesting. I was listening SW radio in my high school in 80s
For anyone that's not living in developed countries, like UK, deals like you show in this video is something very, very rare. The portables, ultralight dx stuff are still good options for us to enjoy the hobby. Especially the XHDATA has been providing good quality receivers, albeit not analog. Nice video, nonetheless!
I remember the old days, when one would listen to Radio Sweden, Radio Moscow, Radio Habana, all sorts of things. It seems to be all religious broadcasts these days.
Uncanny Fred, I was given an old Panasonic Rasta blasts from the 80s , couple of wks ago , and believe it or not I was going through sw , stations , for about an hr , you can see it in the background on a couple of my last vids , cheers Shane
Here in America, right now with the hurricanes and epic flooding ham radio has been ESSENTIAL. It has been the only reliable communication and hams are working overtime. Radios are irreplaceable. Heck, even uhf/vhf is super important and extremely useful. I made a contact 3 days ago 130 miles away on uhf using tropospheric ducting while I was camping. I was able to tune in my hometown repeater and talk to people I knew and knew where I was. I am now the coolest kid in my radio club. Tell me that’s not useful.
Great video! Baluns are useful, but a 9:1 model will work better for a general purpose, random length long wire aerial. 49:1 and 64:1 baluns are generally used for resonant antennas, as found on an Amateur station working a particular band (or harmonically related band).
Omg your Saisho was released in the 80s under the Sangean brand. It was the 1st radio that I received RTTY and SSTV on. It's an awsome radio. Got a Realistic DX160 after it. These days I use a Malahit DSP2 and a Belka. Good video thnx 👌
I started listening to shortwave in 1993 with an ATS-803A. I eventually stepped up to an ICF-2010. Both great radios. In 2003 I pretty much gave up on shortwave because all --- ALL --- of the things I wanted to hear were gone. What anyone can find on shortwave today that is worthwhile, I cannot guess. I do not and will not listen online.
Fred, air craft SSB can be a lot of fun, finding flights coming in takes effort but very rewording !!! YOU dd another great job explaining. There arefrequencies for much of the day.
One thing that can really makes a difference listening to signals is having a radio with many bandwidth selections such as the Eton Elite Executive or the Tecsun Pl330. Other older radios might just have narrow and wide and while that might be enough, more is better.
I had a radio back in the 90s. I got it to listen to and learn french and spanish. I quite using it when the internet just gave you so much better options with consistant crystal clear reception. My radio ended up in my parents garage and since they've died no idea what happened to it. Probably just got thrown away. Anyway, for me personally the internet killed shortwave.
Fred .. as a young lad , my Grandfather gave me his beloved BC-348 receiver , voltage corrected for mains and set up a backyard wide copper wire antenna . Upon powering it up , a fine phenolic smell was warmed by the tubes (valves) . I can't tell you how many school week sleep nights were lost to listening to worldwide bands .. Thank you ! EDIT : I just sadly lost 13 tabletop , AC/DC multiband radios to a wildfire ..
Let me tell you something. I am a fan of listening to shortwave radio, and for more than forty years I have been listening to the events of the first and second Gulf War and the moment of the fall of Ceausescu, Romania, Bucharest. Omar from yemen
I mostly use my tablet with apps these days, but I still have my trusty Sony ICF 2010. Have had it since 1992. fresh out of the box. Also have a Kenwood R 1000.
Good review. The Saisho appears to be a clone of the Sangean-803A, also previously sold by Radio Shack under their name. Great receiver, have had it a long time. Just need something to listen to…73, Mike K3CXG
I have a Yaesu FRG7 comm receiver, it has SW and is able to receive SSB as well, I've had years of enjoyment from this receiver, I also very often listen to commercial jets who also use SSB when far out over oceans and north pole
Good on ya Fred, Good stuff. I live in Urkaine for almsot a decade and a Donbas refugee in west Ukraine. I use internet SW SDR sites every now and then to get real radio signals streamed to me, but same problem, no internet no online SDR. I am definitely going ot buy a budget SW radio after checking out some more of your recommendations in the back catalogue of yours!
Thank you for the comment. Iam sorry for what has happened to the Ukraine. Lets hope that peace will come soon.
@@CB-RADIO-UK Cheers Fred. The people of the UK have been very supportive. All politics and scandals aside Bojo was out there on the front foot to get us help ASAP well before the Americans and the EU stepped up. This war is one big negative event, it's revived the tank, which everyone thought was obsolete, but they are machines of war. Anyway that's off-topic for you chan. For sure the one positive to come out of all this nasty business is that SW radio still matters. Internet SW SDR's are great, they are high quality cards in a decent computer with a longwire up a tall mast, usaully at a university, for pubic access. But your story really highlights the need to have an actual radio as a backup when there is no internet. Buy a fold out solar panel array to rechage the radio and this is an essentially good setup for people here to still get some news from the "beeb"!
I'm sorry that your government are violent fascists that overthrew the democracy.
@@irongron I have a 30 Watt solar panel for my low power amateur radio.
G4GHB
@@irongron I would buy to get the best shortwave radio you can afford. Or get a good antenna amplifier.
On that bad day, when the internet goes down, you will be happy to have a real radio.
The newer generation will look at it and wonder where the screen is. They will never figure out how to even turn it on much less realise it needs an antenna in the back or that it doesnt run on li-ion so they cant take it with them in the pocket.
Oh brother what crap.
@@UpcomingJedi something tells me you would look at a computer and never figure out how to check for systems updates or much less open the start menu on Win10.
Why be ageist about it, that would drive away people from trying and killing this hobby for good.
Lol you triggered all the lgbtq in here
There is something magical about plucking a radio signal from thin air after its bounced and skipped half way round the world that no digital media could ever compete with.
Yes i totally agree.
One of life’s greatest moments: on the deck of a boat in the middle of the ocean on a warm night beneath a vast galaxy of stars, listening to distant SW stations broadcasting in languages I didn’t speak.
The SW Bands are a lot quieter than many years ago it was good to scan the Band's and hear so many stations and languages before and wait to hear the name of Station. Ironically with the Ukraine war the BBC have started SW world Transmissions again a reminder of World War 2 days to get The True News and info into the Eastern Block countries where News is censored or distorted News told instead. SW Freq really do travel well. TV signals are also under threat as the cost of Transmission s and competition from mobile 5G and 6G want the frequency also. They are moving more services to internet, but not everyone can get in remote locations or cannot afford it, also at Peak times Internet suffers cannot cope , hope Satellite services stay good.
Internet radio is fake radio. I'd rather listen to radio frequencies on my own. The thrill of sitting in front of your SW unit and tuning in to faded signals is so much more enjoyable. It brings a sense of accomplishment.
Off topic but hams are indeed weaklings too.. Mounting your prebuilt pretuned antenna in ya garden or maybe even on ya roof isnt that fun.. Would much rather go with an antenna that i built, even setting it up is great fun too..
Like back in the cb days, with those huuge penetrators, god damn.
Understandable. However, I slightly disagree only because I am at a disadvantage and will take some of the "fake radio channels" and use them as a reference to what channel to search for and verify
Yes true shortwave listening does have a distinct charm all of its own. Accomplishment, joy, nostalgia, a degree of convenience, etc.
Forgot to mention that shortwave listening also gives the listener the feeling of listening way further than the eyes can see and at an audible, yet tame volume. It's strange, as if a person is in two places at once, but without the (over)stimulation(?) of a phone call or video call, as if to almost leave the listener/audience to use their imagination whenever listening to shortwave radio.
So yes. There is thrill, sense of accomplishment, awe, wonder, nostalgia, joy, convenience and in some cases, comfort (I sleep to shortwave radio sometimes), but most importantly, there is the main benefit of information, or being informed, that other forms of media may require some sort of payment, in order to receive information. Oh and I forgot. There is a sense of pride to be taken in shortwave radio listening as well. It requires dedication, patience, diligence, and discipline.
Good point. Everybody should have a radio as a basic way of receiving information outside of the internet.
I'm in my mid 70's and worked as an Engineer for over 45 years working in remote areas of Asia, Africa and South America. SW Radio was a must for all of us working in the field. Often I worked in some very unstable countries. Our only link with the outside world was our battery operated SW radios. I still pull out the old set and listen every now and then.
You’ve lived an interesting life. 👍
Indeed, when SW had stations from around the world came in strong.
Shortwave is always important during emergencies. I pick up broken old shortwaves at ham radio swap-meets for literally next to nothing, free to $5 for a solid-state portable, $5 to $30 for a tube model. Then I fix them and realign them so they work pretty much as well as a modern one. Every once in a while I find someone who is fascinated with SW and I either sell them one of my radios cheap or, if they have little money I simply give them a radio. When I was 13 years old in the 1960's I was given a 12 tube Hallicrafters SX-25 shortwave in good working order. I lived in a rural area so I hung up a 100 foot north/south wire and a 100 foot east/west wire antenna at about 12 to 15 feet and I listened to the world every day all through high school. So now I do the same for others. While I have and use SDR's I don't like how much technology is required to receive anything at all, especially in an emergency. I prefer old tube receivers, and simple transistor radios. They make understanding what is going on much easier, and understanding is important. Whether or not there are a lot of good stations to listen to these days there is a great deal to learn about radio, about emergency communications, about skip conditions, about antennas, about ham radio and electronics which can become a skill as valuable as advanced first aid in an emergency. A shortwave is an invitation to gaining useful knowledge and is still an open door to the world.
The SW stations seem to be disappearing quite rapidly. I spent a lot of time listening to SW as a young man....particularly liked the Arabic transmissions, with the evocative calls to prayer. I still listen to SW, mainly Chinese....I challenge any radio enthusiast not to be totally entertained tuning into Radio Vietnam and hearing Vietnamese music filling your room with a soft dream like steamy jungle ambience. Like you I prefer the dials and buttons....I enjoy using a little cheap SW radio (analogue) over my more expensive digital radio for that reason. SW has romance....the fun is the tuning in (definitely using a knob) and hearing the drift of the signal.
Totally agree. Its the fade in and out which is the challenge and riding the VFO.
Tecsun makes some very good analoge radios for 30.00 Built like a tank and very sensitive with low noise.They are the new Sangean of shortwave.Very cheap but dependable.Also no overload on 50 ft wire antennas strung outside.
My Tecsun R9012 is garbage with its guitar string for a tuning cord. It makes for very creaky, unsmooth tuning.
Period Grundig radios were and are perfect for a collecter
I recall back in the late 70's early 1980's listening to the BBC in Vermont on a shortwave receiver in out kitchen. The unit had a two foot antenna when extended fully. We could receive the UK and many other countries when they had their broadcasts over the air. It's still a decent way to bypass censors, cut power and cable lines, as well as geo-blocked internet content. Shortwave technology should be broght back into areas of conflict to ensure th truth, whatever that is, gets heard.
The modem dropped offline this week which meant I had to revert to using the SW radios instead of the SDR receivers. The Sangean SW radios worked very well hooked up to the roof mounted loop antennas had the electricity had been knocked off I still could have used the battery operated Sangean on the random long wire for reception. It was a good reminder to have a backup system in place just in case. I logged more in 5 days than I usually do all month, far as I'm concerned there's still a lot to hear on shortwave, internet radio or not.
Those were the good old days. I used to be fascinated by the way you could listen to so many countries thousands of miles away! I am 58 and still like to listen to Ham and some SW transmissions. Currently, I am also listening through SDRs . I could never have imagined that someday we could listen through a computer via a dongle!!
I bet you also get a shitton of local commercials though. I seriously question how they call it radio when its going through some website that spies on you knowing almost EXACTLY where you are to yeet commercials for local businesses into your ears.
I purchased a SW radio last year. I like being able to scan around and see what can be found. The radio can run on D cells and can always be available no matter what is going on with the Internet or local power.
@@jefferysmith5921 I listened to shortwave many years ago as a hobby.
Almost every country was broadcasting in English and it was so neat to learn about them. Magical is the word I should use.
Now there is very little English stations apart from China. I don't listen anymore. The internet totally ruined shortwave radio
I am SW radio hobbiest from Tanzania,East Africa,in the 80ies and 90ies I used to enjoy the SW broadcasts around the world,stations like BBC,VOA,DWand WHRI were very familiar to me,I remember one day I succeeded to tune in Radio free Europe it was very amazing to me.
You nailed it, Fred. I've been talking about this for years. This digital dependance will be a dangerous time if it crashes for a multitude of reasons. Most global systems do not have a backup system to carry on with banking, communications, etc.
Spot on Andy.
I always thought it was ridiculous turning off AM and even FM radio as they're threatening to do. What if there's an emergency situation? I borrowed a DAB radio for a few weeks years ago. It was a portable set with tiny headphones. The sound was amazing. So I got my own DAB radio some years later. Too much mono in my opinion. Then I realised I couldn't get half the available stations because I needed DAB+ so I got a tiny little Bluetooth radio for £45. The best stuff still sounds amazing. But a lot of the time the sound is nowhere near as good. What's the point of supposedly high-tech digital radio if it sounds like someone talking over the phone in mono???! I ended up using FM and when that doesn't work I go straight to internet radio. Sometimes I forget I'm tuned into a station from Adelaide or Alice Springs and I'm thinking, "What are they talking about??!?!"
People who know how to set up a shortwave of MW radio station from scratch will be sort after if there is a serious national emergency. After all the other forms of communication have stopped, studios adjacent to transmitters will be the only way to communicate with the public. We have no back up as far as i am aware. Radio hams will also be in demand.
@@ZadenZaneI live in rural Northumberland. No DAB reception where I live. So much for their promises it was the new thing. Useless here. The great irony is a guy here who had a career in TV transmission retired and they bought him a DAB radio as a retirement gift 😊
@@ZadenZane They can't turn off anything of that nature. They sure can make it illegal, but non-compliance is an obstacle for them.
Frid in the shed your portable shortwave receivers Are awesome 👌 👏 👍 🎉🎉😊😊
Good morning Sir, shortwave has fascinated me since my Grandad gave me a valve radio in the 70s. I still listen and there's plenty to listen to. If I am having a mess about in the shack I will have a radio on in the background and there's some propaganda stations still on that broadcast in English and say some interesting things about the West. . . Sometimes the music is interesting as well. I got the radio off the mother in law and it's really old but the recieve is great.
Have a great weekend.
Thanks Simon. Once radio is in the blood it stays with you.
A great video and when I was about 5 years old I discovered radio and the fascination of tuning around the radio dial and hearing all these signals was wonderful. Fast forward to 2023 and the fascination is still with me and I'm 63 now! Oh I forgot to say from about the age of 18 to 30 I was very active in Pirate radio and I built various transmitters for shortwave and medium wave and then VHF FM.☠️.I am now ofcourse a responsible amateur radio operator 😅.
73.
Ian G7HFS/PA3IKH
Hi Ian. Yes radio fascinated me as a kid. I could not believe that i was hearing radio stations 1000's of miles away in my bedroom.
I used to listen on a pocket transistor radio agerd about 8 and wondered why Luxembourg faded in and out, We had a mw, lw and sw valve set and wondered why I couldn't hear the stations marked on the dial and why no radio covered the bit between mw and lw.
G4GHB
Same with me !
I do SW/AMDXing nightly. Stations are there. A long wire outside and high as possible is a good antenna at ten feet up in the air. WK0Y
Frid in the shed I learn lot from about shortwave receivers and CB radios with AM FM ssb
Hi there. I have a Grundig Satilite 750. Had that one for years now. Love it. Same as the Tecsun s200. You have a very nice collection of radios there. I always loved listening to sw radio when I was a kid. I still do today. Thanks for sharing. Take care as always. 😊
Thanks, you too!
I used to own a Sony ICF 2010 in the 80's . I was able to hear english language broadcasts from the UK, France, East and West Germany. Most of Europe. I also got Voice of Vietnam, Radio Korea, North Korea etc. All of these stations had broadcasts in English. I found it gave me a unique perspective on world affairs.
Great informative video mate! Love it
Anyone who has a interest in ssb CB use, should have a play at shortwave listening.
I does require a little skill to understand the ham radio band allocation and propagation initially, but after a little bit of fiddling around you'll pick it up.
I'd suggest getting into the swl hobby with an early radio....
Or as they're actually called "Communications Receiver"
Another great video Fred!
Hi Fred.
I’m 58 and I have a radio 📻 in just about every room in the house 🏠
When the satellites fall out of the sky and the wifi goes silent, everyone will want a cb radio and shortwave radio 😮
I’ll have plenty to sell!😅 🏴👍
Spot on. 😉
When the sattelites fall out of the sky he says. There is so much garbage up there that is becoming next to impossible for anything to come down. They will be up there longer than it takes radioactive waste to decay.
Satellites fall out of the sky? Really? Now that's funny!
Hi Fred. You are right - if the "S" hits the fan.... looking as if it could happen soon! That will be the moment where SW will be back again! I still have my SW radios on a good part of the day, minimum 2x per day I work my way through SW in 1Khz steps, nice and slowly und still hear loads! I still buy modern SW-Radios, still get a kick out of SW! Very much like and enjoy your Videos! Am on Radios now for close to 50 Years but still learn a lot in your videos! Keep up the good work! Lol, you got on slippery ground there! We just had a good laugh, THANKS!!
I moved house to somewhere with a hotbird dish. Wow! Hundreds of free channels in just about every language you could think of. I found myself watching The X Factor in Armenian. I ended up watching it quite a lot. There was a channel called RT Documentary with road trips through Siberia. It reminded me of the old Radio Moscow. So that's the nearest thing to shortwave radio as it used to be in the 1980s.
I used to have a Panny RF-3100. Lasted about 20 yrs. I bought it in 1985. I used to collect QSL cards. I threw most out and kept several Radio Moscow and Radio Albania. I still have some of the silk and cardboard pennants. I rebought Sony WB Radio Guide. I bought recently Mr. Mange's Passport WB books. Now, I listen to Online radiobox on my laptop. I would like a small tabletop to listen to 70s and 80s music.
Nice one.
I got a tecsun s8800. Love it.
Even comes with a remote control.
Its a buzz when u pick up number stations.
Good video.
The building of your own radio is so fun than anything else in the world. Believe me.
Great post, Fred! I grew up with shortwave radios in the late 70s. SWL'ing was an inexpensive hobby at the time, way before personal computers became a household gadget. I've never really liked Internet radio. It's true that they're crystal clear but they may as well be local FM stations with very high fidelity! I still enjoy the nostalgia of tuning into faint and distant stations amidst the strange and wondrous interfering noises that many shortwave signals make. 🙂
I think the Internet radio boom in the 2000s has a positive side to it - by shrinking the shortwave radio market into a niche one, consumer grade receivers have also become a lot cheaper compared to in the 1990s. People today are prepared to camp out and form a long queue around the block and part with their money for the latest US$1,200 iPhone or Samsung Galaxy, but most electronics stores will not even stock a decent Tecsun or XHDATA shortwave receiver. In most cases one has to buy them online through the various e-commerce platforms.
There's plenty of money to be made from the smartphone industry (including their accessories) but not so much from shortwave radio manufacturing. Have to thank the likes of Tecsun and XHDATA/Sihuadon for making their products so affordable! If Sony were to make something similar to my Tecsun PL-990 today, I don't think I could afford the Sony manufactured one!
Now that BBC has restarted some of its shortwave broadcast operations in Europe, I do wish the Australian Broadcasting Corporation would do the same. I really miss listening to Radio Australia but apparently ABC's not willing to spend further on its long running, overseas shortwave service. 😞
One thing your videos never are, Fred, is "boring". I love watching them and learning from them.
Awesome video! Long live shortwave radio! May the discontinued SW stations get revived soon! 🙂👍
I don't use radio for entertainment per se. I am captivated by sweeping the bands and finding voices from the world in the ether. It still amazes me at 75 that electricity flows through the air and a wire hanging in the attic brings it to me. real radios glow in the dark.
Yep still amazes me also
I agree - SWL is still a hobby worth pursuing. The quality of the receivers has greatly improved and the cost has decreased over the years. The HF radio spectrum is still the only game around for long distance communications. Many a nights I would stay up until the early hours listening to Radio Australia or Radio New Zealand or Voice of Turkey and Radio Cairo from my QTH in Texas - using my trusted old Grundig or Realistic DX-440.
Let's see, ABC shut down in 2017...Radio Cairo has been on the fritz for years, not sure they are even trying to broadcast...Turkey has cut back on beaming to North America and it's English programs...But RNZ is still energizing the wire, so 1 outta 4 ain't bad...
This was a really enjoyable discussion!!!! I have enjoyed SW listening since I was a kid. I now use Dollar Store 100 foot rolls of Green Twist Tie Wire for my antennas! Thanks for the video!!!
Great tip!
I am a Senior, living in Toronto with decades of using many kind of SW radios. But bitter truth is its days are almost becoming buggy and horses. Almost all SW international broadcasting were closed as they moved to Online. Radios are good only to listen FM and MW. Last week Bell (main agency) declared closing even 10 MW radio stations. In reality, how many times there are war and all countries start broadcasting on SW? How many times internet goes in cities where 90% people live.
Ironically, it's the internet that introduced me fully to shortwave. I started listening to NHK World Radio during the daytime (Japanese) and nighttime (English). Though I listened to VOA once, using our old Sony radio with shortwave on the dial as a kid.
The best I have right now is the Tecsun PL-660, but, one day, maybe I'll get something similar to a communications receiver.
The latest Malahit SDR radio is mind blowing. It's like having something better than a top of the line Racal or Drake receiver, but small enough to put in your pocket. The NR is amazing. Superhets are on the way out, SDR is now far better. I totally understand the nostalgia of the classic radios though.
I live in Nigeria and have been fascinted with radio since childhood. I really want to get into radio as a self taught electronics technician. Only issue is finding affordable beginner radios. Great content
Frid in the shed your utube videos are awesome 👌 👏 👍 🎉🎉😊😊
Great vlog fred. I have rspduo (sdrplay). Best bit of kit i ever bought & portable too with my laptop.
I like to listen to Pirate radio and Ham radio incl cb.
I use 2 Lowe HF-150, an ATS25max, win1500, and sdr's (RTL, funcube, rsp1a)
Ssb for ham and cb radio is a must.
I like Morse Code.
A couple of weeks ago with 1 Watt I and indoor dipole for 10 metres I contacted Sicily and Bulgaria.
G4GHB
Radio made a huge come back in the Tennessee North Carolina flood thia month. Some towns only had a single baofeng uv5r and it was the only way they got help
I'm very happy with my SDRPlay RSPDx SDR receiver. Receiver is amazing quality, the best I've ever heard by a long way. Very small and compact, just throw it in your laptop bag. If you can only own one receiver it should be this one...
I love old school SW and MW radios especially the analog ones. The joy of hearing distant stations hundreds or perhaps thousands of kilometers away at night is a satisfaction for me even though it's a whisper ... it is just like fishing! 👍
Currently fighting with the wife about installing a wire antenna on the bedside sw radio.
Went through that LOL. I put up a CB antenna whilst she was at work. Took her 2 days to notice. Got burned for that but once its up its up etc :-)
There are many difficult choices in life - you have to weigh how much you want that new widget (antenna, rig, whatever) against how much you like sleeping on the sofa. Lol.
The joys of being 'single and happy' 😊
In seriousness a great video, many thanks.
Hide her vibrator
Hey, as long as it's done tastefully I wouldn't mind.
Then again, I'm a cis male.
Very informative. I am going to get a SW radio now.Thank.
Frid in the shed I have 5 shortwave receivers iam thinking about getting my ham license
Thanks for the lovely video, mate - always a pleasure to hear someone talking about Shortwave. A couple of comments on your review... If you would like to manually tune that Retekess V115, just don't do a scan with it... Then you can manually tune to any frequency you like via the up down buttons! ;-) For many years I had a Panasonic RF-2600 with red LED digital read out. Two speed tuning, wonderful radio. As a lad growing up in the states, one of the things I loved doing was listening to Marine Beacons (transmitting repeating Morse Code letters) on LW. They have all been shut down now, but it was a delight, tuning into distant lighthouses and listening to their call idents as a boy.
Our U.S. shortwave bands are now dominated by Christian religious broadcasters here in the states. For the last couple of years, I'm seeing a transmigration of extreme right wing Christian organizations and broadcasters, getting literally kicked off RUclips and other social platforms and now ending up on SW. Recently, and outfit called "TruNews" has gone on the SW bands here in a big way. They were kicked off YT due to their antisemitic content. There are a couple of other SW broadcasters in the U.S., but almost every one is touting some form of Evangelical Christian, - "End Times Coming Soon" propaganda. It can get pretty darn boring. I agree with you, that Tecsun makes a great line of SW portable receivers. Oh, one last thing - in the states, the U.S. Government is trying right now to completely take over control of nearly every facet of the internet soon, via a sweeping and draconian new set of FCC laws package, which is due to be voted into U.S. federal law in a week or so. This could also be a boon to SW listeners, as it could create more - perhaps even local or "pirate" SW broadcasters onto the bands. Cheers.
Don't know about elsewhere, but in the US there's still Aircraft beacons on LW doing morse code similarly. It can also help you learn CW by sound if you're so inclined. Propagation isn't always good, stations are low power, but when that band opens up you can head from hundreds of miles away.
Great video. Thank you. Still have my Grundig 800 and Panasonic RF 2800. Great collection of radios. No matter what I will never leave this great hobby.
Personally i like catching signals with a long bit of wire! :)
I actually just bought a TecSun 880 to listen to at night.
been listening to sw and mw for many years, till last year when the city council decided to remove all old street lights and replace them with LED. nothing but buzzing since then. have to move out to like 10km into the wild to get back some signal. which i'm too lazy to do.
I just use my Kenwood TS-950SD for short wave listening, with an 80m end fed half wave long wire. Works really well!
The Saisho looks like my old Radio Shack DX-440. They were very nice back in the 1990s.
1978 ...
My HAM license... grew up in those days of 'exploration' and truelly home brewed Solutions that found their way into almost all modern day technology and communication.
In parallel the computer revolution was underway , it was a magic time beyond any doubt.
Good stuff enjoyed very much, when I was 6 y/o my grandmother gave me a cheap radio shack am radio, at night I could listen to stations in Chicago, Dallas, Philly. Stations would fade but I was hooked. Have listened to radio at bedtime every night for the past 59 years. I was then and now in Florida, have ssb on sailboat and long wire at home. Art Bell, way before that mystery theater, radio Moscow, Radio Cuba,
Like said below, could have never thought you could talk on cell phone anywhere in the world, amazing, Thanks, Pop's Fl.
Hey Fred i have bought a China made XHDATA D808 radio on FM its okay but on AM there is nothing there to listen to and shortwave you need a computer and search for radio stations that broadcast. I am really happy with my XHDATA D808 but i wish there were more station to listen to. Someone told me because of DAB+ and internet most of the stations stopped broadcasting on AM which is really a pity! But still thanks for making this video and sharing it!
I love old SW radios and have many of the newer ones too. I still scan the bands as a hobby. Still much to be heard and many pirate stations now.
I spent the summer holidays one year tuned into my dad's Panasonic GX600M - got me hooked!
Excellent video Fred, I've been fascinated by Shortwave radio since my teenage years. Started off with a H.A.C (Hear All Continents) two valve kit receiver, which was old technology even in the mid1970's. I've progressed since enjoying AM CB illegal and legal and on to full Amateur radio licence. I love the modern SDR receivers, owning an AirSpy HF+ and SDRPlay Duo which are both amazing, but still enjoying more traditional radios as well.
If you want a really good traditional analog shortwave radio, try getting yourself a Yaesu Frg7 (the Frog) as they are still much sort after.
Keep up the good work with the videos.
Chris M0WGC
Cheers Chris. Unmolested FRG7's are pretty rare. The battery pack leaking killed off many. I think most would require a re-cap nowadays.
My first SW Receiver was the Trio 9r59de when I was 10 back in 1978!
H.A.C., I built one when I was aged 14, the one valver. I wish I'd kept it.
I've got PM2 type valves from rallies and will make a replica. Valves got hard to get new and 90 Volt batteries were no longer made, the coils i used in a wavemeter, but recently put the Range 4 coil in my Wireless 19 Set for better aerial tuning on rx.
G4GHB
@@richardmillican7733 I had one too, about 1981. That was after the H.A.C. one valve kit.
G4GHB
@@CB-RADIO-UK FRG7s have battery packs? I have an FRG7, I wasn't aware of any batteries.
Except for the small SDR radios and dongles, my most modern radios are a pair of Kenwood R-5000 receivers, I love them. Aside from that, my favorites are vintage sets by Hammarlund, Hallicrafters, etc. I do tinker with the vintage radios and it's a simple process to replace the power supply capacitors as well as any paper & wax capacitors in old sets. Another thing, I picked up an old Hallicrafters S-40 receiver at a hamfest about 4 or 5 years ago completely reconditioned and aligned for $40. Works perfectly. I also picked up a Gonset (rebranded as Lafayette) from the late 1950's that works perfectly fine for $8. Eight dollars, US. All the receivers mentioned are "hot" meaning that they are super sensitive and do not drift once warmed up. I can be listening to a particular frequency, leave the set off for a week or two, and when I power it up again it's on that same frequency.
There are a lot of nice features on some modern radios, but an old receiver with a bandspread can tune just about everything. They aren't like the R-5000, but they generally have a better sound (tubes) and cost next to nothing by comparison.
Excellent video. And yes, it’s worth having a radio over listening via the internet.
I believe a sdr is better for 2024 than a shortwave radio. You get HF, VHF, UHF and more for listening and emergency. Also, a sdr is cooler looking.
It's nothing like it was in the 1980's and earlier when it seemed every country had a short wave radio station. My interest in radio has never gone since 1969 when I made a one valve kit, the H.A.C., Hear All Continents. I've got PM2 type valves and will make a replica.
I've waited about 50 years to get a Zenith TransOceanic. It cost a stupid amount of money to get it here from the U.S.A. but I'd always wanted one.
I like my Racal RA17L but it's gone a bit deaf so I need to look at it.
I was given a Roberts R9962. All my others are valve sets.
I like s.w. for amateur radio, this morning with my FT817ND to Bratislava with 5 Watts ssb on the 18 MHz band and attic dipole with a 5.8. report. A nice 1,000 miles.
Nothing wrong with older radio's however I'd suggest using an aerial tuner, easy and cheap enough to make with two variable capacitors and a tapped coil.
Unfortunately I suffer from broadband internet noise at 17 MHz and below.
G4GHB
Loved the video thx..as you say shortwave is still very intriguing. I Pick up a grundig sateliite 300 at the seconds store.. Needed abit of T. L. C... Working great now.. Added a Bluetooth doogle.. I now hit the tape button and have blue tooth if I wanna listen to internet radio..here in South Africa with the constant blackouts sw really comes in handy..keep up the good work.. Mike South africa
Thanks Fred about SW. Yes it's quite
different from when I started out to
listen to SW in 1962 at 17, in US High
School with a Hallicrafters SX-110
tube receiver, and the next year, I
obtained my Novice, US, Amateur
Licence, and been one over 60 years
now being almost 80 now.
The big thing here in the US, are
advertisements on the MW radio
sometimes, to keep MW on the
Auto radios for emergency notices,
as some car makers of many brands
are removing the MW band on them.
Cheers😊
Good summary Fred. Thanks for the interesting vid. 73.
That opening shot is a corker Fred!
Internet sure has led to a decrease in CB use. But it also is just a change of interest with our youngsters. I just spent a good bit for a complete new CB-outfit for my grandchildren, in turn they teach me their world on the internet. Here in Ireland it is mostly very quiet on all channels. Still they have their pals and enjoy a natter! A few days ago we started hangin' out a little poster telling people to dust of their cb's and switch them on Saturdays 10am. Here in rural Ireland, people read every little scrap of paper hanging in shop. Let's hope we can get a few more old radios back into the crackely CB-world! We have found one who has his Radio in his Tractor - great fun hearing him and his old Zetor-Traktor rumbling in the back! We intend to refresh CB here in our area by using Posters and the Internet! Idea? It is great fun!
Using posters is a great idea in a small community. Only takes two people meeting on air to set up a group which can become a net. Best of luck.
@@CB-RADIO-UK Yes, thanks for that. Our boys actually have enbraced this hobby quite well - for the moment. It takes a little running around and get the word out! We also offer help for those which have the gear in the attic but have forgotten how to install their antenna, all the gear. I believe, that in these times where all is up in the air and the Internet is overloading everybody, the good old CB-Radio can be fairly relaxing! It also could be a great help for elderly people living alone and suffering of nobody coming around for a "cuppa" anymore! Even in this short time we are doing these things, I can see changes in our youngsters, they are much more alert, they don't get lost in a senseless Videogame or Chatroom. I will try anything to get them back into real life! It works, highly recommended!
Shortwave radio and tvs were my hobby back in the late 60s and 70s. It was a thrill to rig up wires and listen to the fading in and out of stations. I used both valve and transistor radios but i cannot get any enjoyment out of Internet radio. Good quality and solid just like digital tv but no fun.
If Internet and power go down then I guess there must be some kind of emergency which means all the broadcast stations would be propaganda stations.
The best way to know what is happening is from radio amateurs, CB and freebanders so SSB and NBFM is a must. Also get a radio with rechargeable batteries and USB charging since there are solar cells and wind up chargers if there is no power.
Totally agree. Knowledge is king and if things get switched off its the radio guy who is going to know whats going on.
Simon Blandford: The invasion of the Falkland Islands by Argentina is an example.....the first news of the attack came from a "Ham" operator on the islands.
I know sometimes I do like hearing am fm and short wave radios i do like listening to some music and live broadcasts but sometimes I do find radios comfortable playing in the background
Good video - thanks :-) The world would believe that S/W communication is a dead duck in this day and age? But your little demo in the last minutes of this video blow that idea out of the water. There really is still interesting stuff out there we can listen to :-) I'm getting back into it after decades of working on digital stuff - and I'm quite excited to be doing it 🙂
If WW3 comes, I will be with my family & a Shortwave radio.
Going to buy one, now surveying.
A SDR is interesting.
I was listening SW radio in my high school in 80s
Great video Fred, despite the knob chat!! I have the little Sihaudon R 108, brilliant shortwave receiver.
For anyone that's not living in developed countries, like UK, deals like you show in this video is something very, very rare. The portables, ultralight dx stuff are still good options for us to enjoy the hobby. Especially the XHDATA has been providing good quality receivers, albeit not analog. Nice video, nonetheless!
Radio has and always will have a certain magic about it. Point to point communication via the ionosphere will always have an appeal.
i'm also old-fashioned....i prefer a dedicated internet radio, instead of a smartphone or computers.
I remember the old days, when one would listen to Radio Sweden, Radio Moscow, Radio Habana, all sorts of things. It seems to be all religious broadcasts these days.
Uncanny Fred, I was given an old Panasonic Rasta blasts from the 80s , couple of wks ago , and believe it or not I was going through sw , stations , for about an hr , you can see it in the background on a couple of my last vids , cheers Shane
Hi Shane. Yeah all the older radios had the SW and LW bands. Not much on LW anymore but SW is still active. Keep shooting bud. Have a nice weekend.
There's still algeria on 252 khz. I was able to pick up it with my xhdata d-109
Here in America, right now with the hurricanes and epic flooding ham radio has been ESSENTIAL. It has been the only reliable communication and hams are working overtime. Radios are irreplaceable. Heck, even uhf/vhf is super important and extremely useful. I made a contact 3 days ago 130 miles away on uhf using tropospheric ducting while I was camping. I was able to tune in my hometown repeater and talk to people I knew and knew where I was. I am now the coolest kid in my radio club. Tell me that’s not useful.
I remember when an antenna was an aerial.
Great video! Baluns are useful, but a 9:1 model will work better for a general purpose, random length long wire aerial. 49:1 and 64:1 baluns are generally used for resonant antennas, as found on an Amateur station working a particular band (or harmonically related band).
Thanks for the tips!
Omg your Saisho was released in the 80s under the Sangean brand. It was the 1st radio that I received RTTY and SSTV on. It's an awsome radio. Got a Realistic DX160 after it.
These days I use a Malahit DSP2 and a Belka. Good video thnx 👌
Thanks for sharing!
Radio, and SW radio are a relief from what passes as television these days, the internet is poor in my area.
I started listening to shortwave in 1993 with an ATS-803A. I eventually stepped up to an ICF-2010. Both great radios.
In 2003 I pretty much gave up on shortwave because all --- ALL --- of the things I wanted to hear were gone.
What anyone can find on shortwave today that is worthwhile, I cannot guess.
I do not and will not listen online.
Fred, air craft SSB can be a lot of fun, finding flights coming in takes effort but very rewording !!!
YOU dd another great job explaining. There arefrequencies for much of the day.
One thing that can really makes a difference listening to signals is having a radio with many bandwidth selections such as the Eton Elite Executive or the Tecsun Pl330. Other older radios might just have narrow and wide and while that might be enough, more is better.
Great overview 👍
I had a radio back in the 90s. I got it to listen to and learn french and spanish. I quite using it when the internet just gave you so much better options with consistant crystal clear reception. My radio ended up in my parents garage and since they've died no idea what happened to it. Probably just got thrown away. Anyway, for me personally the internet killed shortwave.
Fred .. as a young lad , my Grandfather gave me his beloved BC-348 receiver , voltage corrected for mains and set up a backyard wide copper wire antenna . Upon powering it up , a fine phenolic smell was warmed by the tubes (valves) . I can't tell you how many school week sleep nights were lost to listening to worldwide bands .. Thank you !
EDIT : I just sadly lost 13 tabletop , AC/DC multiband radios to a wildfire ..
Sounds like a fine radio. Sorry you lost so many.
We see the elusive, Fred in the shed chin make an appearance, 😘🤣😉🤝👍
Let me tell you something. I am a fan of listening to shortwave radio, and for more than forty years I have been listening to the events of the first and second Gulf War and the moment of the fall of Ceausescu, Romania, Bucharest. Omar from yemen
I mostly use my tablet with apps these days, but I still have my trusty Sony ICF 2010. Have had it since 1992. fresh out of the box. Also have a Kenwood R 1000.
Nice to see the Brookmans Park radio station - I grew up there!
Fred I have the tecsun pl330.nice little radio .I also have the external long wire aerial.just brill.
Good review. The Saisho appears to be a clone of the Sangean-803A, also previously sold by Radio Shack under their name. Great receiver, have had it a long time. Just need something to listen to…73, Mike K3CXG
I have a Yaesu FRG7 comm receiver, it has SW and is able to receive SSB as well, I've had years of enjoyment from this receiver, I also very often listen to commercial jets who also use SSB when far out over oceans and north pole
Great radio. Makes you work for the contact so your more likely to listen.
Totally agree with the 'gotta have a radio',😊😊😊