An Introduction To Shortwave Radio. A neat hobby you can get into cheap!

Shortwave Radio is a great inexpensive way to get into the radio hobby. I've been listening to distant stations since I was about 8 years old. While the heydays of these bands are over, there are still 100's of broadcasts on the air at any one time, and if you find the right radio, you also have the ability to listen in to all the HAM bands as well.
I have 6 Radios here on the farms that I have collected over the years. Some are higher end sideband units that really pull in those faint signals, and others are $1.00 thrift store finds. The great part is that many times these "El Cheapo" radios work just as well!
Stay tuned as I will be doing reviews of many of the radios I own in future videos and I'll also be talking about Long wire and loop antennas that I use to help pull in those distant lands.
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[@stevebrian2145]

At 52, I'm just getting back into SWL. Sadly, there's not as much as there used to be. When I was a kid in the 70s, I would listen to my dad's sw. It was so magical to me to pickup obscure and far away broadcasts!! Although now the internet communicates a cross the world with ease, it doesn't have the same effect as finding something on sw. Thanks for the video!!!

[@Gen_Kael]

It'll make a come back.

[@richardgarno6591]

A family friend gave me an old radio in the 70’s. I didn’t listen often, until I picked up what I think was a Russian guy one night. Then I listened almost every night.

[@siatonto420]

@@Gen_Kaelwhen the internet is taken back away from us it certainly will

[@geraldscott4302]

The internet can be shut down and/or censored by the government anytime. It's a lot more difficult to stop radio signals from coming in, because they have no control of the source.

[@charliemcdermott301]

You have definitely brought back a lot of memories. In the late 50s, early 60s my friends and I would go to the Army Navy surplus and buy ww2 field radios. Then string wire down fence lines (there was definatly a different neighborly mind set then) crank the handle and talk to each other. We thought we were so cool then. Our buddy's dad installed a ham radio tower in his backyard (couldn't do it now for someone would have a hissy fit) WOW it was great talking to Australia. For some reason I can still remember his call letters. Anyway now that I'm retired the interest is back and am starting a new/old hobby.

[@jacianmcgurk7424]

Hi Charlie,read your name and thought you were just up the road from myself,then as i read your story i realise you must be in the USA , lol Any way into the same stuff myself with all the wires it entails 😃 You take care and all the best from Scotland my friend CHEERS Ian

[@televisionarchivestudios1130]

Same here. The only issue now is that you can't pick up many quality Shortwave stations

[@Scufdavid12]

im 14 year old just got interested in shortwave i wish i lived that experiences seems so fun!

[@avflyguy]

Wow.. Charlie, Must be around same age. As pre-teens (early 60's), Me and my neighorhood friend would stay up half the night in our 'club house' as we called it as kids. Around an 8x12 wooden shack we built in the back yard and ran a long wire antenna. Heard all kinds of stuff. VOA was always loud and clear and tons of stuff in foreign language. Skip played a big part in what we could hear all over the world. Late night/early morning seems best cause the noise would be less to hear more + time zones played a part too. I'd like to dabble in it again, but in huge metroplitan area with cell towers, microwave, and so many commercial bands, I just wonder what I could really hear anymore?

[@jml11158]

Great times, long live SW radio.

[@lynnee.pagels8896]

As a Radio Shack manager for 13 years in the late 70’s to 90’s , I picked up a DX-440 shortwave radio. It is a portable unit , so I can use it with battery or ac. A lot of times we used the larger desktop units on Saturday with the rooftop antennas to pickup the English football (soccer) matches while we worked.

[@DrCrabfingers]

I'm totally with you on the SW fade in/out being pleasurable to listen to. It's funny how some people just don't like it. I find it very pleasing and dream like...and relaxing. Long may it continue...

[@1neAdam12]

Can't be any worse than a Livestream podcast buffering.

[@hombre1965]

Yes! Nothing gives you that feeling of exotic distance like the fading in and out. Its just adds to the mysterious atmosphere of SW.

[@Cormac2023]

My dearly departed Dad was a radio nut. He had a rather interesting collection. He had an old Yaesu FT-401D and used a D-104 mic and had it all connected to a huge Moonraker beam antenna on a 30 ft tower. I remember listening to him talking to his friend in Australia a few times a week. He had CB radios and not all of his equipment and mods were legal. This was back in the mid 1970's when I was a young teen. And he did all the work on them himself. He was quite the radio nerd.

[@KayLee19676]

My dad had a half wave on the roof, we loved listening to people on the other side of the world, it was so unique!

[@knuckle47]

As a ham for the last 40 years, it was back in the late 1970’s I walked into an electronics store and asked the guy if he could order this Kenwood transceiver and he said..” well, you’re better off with CB etc. Etc. “. Took another 2 years before I took my tests at a military base and upgraded at 201 Varick St. in Manhattan. The nostalgic presentation you’ve provided here stirs up so many great memories. I had a friend, long gone, who as a kid, copied code from the Carpathia to the Titanic. OTher friend stationed in Alaska during WWII powered the filaments of huge transmitting tubes to generate heat and stay warm.... these were older guys at the time but their stories inspired me to learn code and take the exams

[@mojavedxer]

I got interested into shortwave when my uncle showed me his basement lab back in the mid 70's. After hearing radio Australia on a vintage Halicrafters and I was hooked. The first radio I bought with my own money as teen was the DX100. The radio lasted about a year until some static electricity killed it with a $150 repair bill back in 1982. Luckily my mon was able to get the store manager to do the repair for free and the radio ran great for the next 10 years.

[@lianeclemen1968]

I came to the right place! Thanks for sharing your valuable info. And that bit about perpective. By the time your video was over I had already bought one : )

[@paulbainjr]

One of my favorite shortwave radio books was Passport to world band radio, Great video thanks😊

[@TheRealhotboyQ]

This seems like something that would come in handy during the apocalypse

[@FarpointFarms]

I was thinking the same thing.

[@g4okt]

Not really to be honest, who will you talk to? What type of apocalypse? Nuclear?

[@tonyk8592]

@@g4okt It's not about 'talking" to anyone. It's about gathering anecdotal info on what's going on "out there", without making yourself "known".

[@g4okt]

@@tonyk8592 In the case of an EMP issue, you won't be hearing much, '...without making yourself known? What's all that about?

[@tonyk8592]

@@g4okt Agreed on the EMP, but EMP is only one of many scenarios. Almost every other scenario will have power available, and people will be talking. Stealth, is what all the other stuff is about. Some people prefer it, particularly in a case of societal upheaval. You only need to Observe Seattle, Portland, Kenosha as examples.

[@gruntohseven5803]

That old radio is so cool.Just imagining a family sitting around listening to their favorite radio shows on that thing.Very nice looking radio.

[@STB-jh7od]

While stationed in Germany in early 90s, I owned a portable dual cassette/AM/FM/SW(shortwave) radio (think small boombox) which I used to listen to BBC, and other short-wave English stations, along with the German FM stations.

[@lanbaode]

Beginning around 40 years ago in my youth, DXing - complete with the outdoor wire antenna - was my hobby and marveled at listening to radio stations all over the world. Now I can do the same with internet radio. In fact, I still listen to my favorite BBC World Service online now as I used to listen to it on short wave and on local AM and FM in a good number of cities and countries around the world then.

[@SimDeck]

Great stuff. Fascinating to me who really doesn’t know much about this but has always been interested.

[@robertwilliamson6121]

Bought a Sony ICF-2002 shortwave with side band years ago. I take good care of it and it still looks and runs like brand new. Also bought at great little radio called the Kaito KA1102. Full coverage plus side band. Much smaller than my Sony. I loved it so much I bought a second one for backup and found great protective mil-spec cases for them that fit like a glove with room for an extra length of wire to boost signal. Used to have a Panasonic RF-2200 and had a long wire outside for it and my Sony. Great table radio. But my Kaito KA1102 are much smaller and more compact for putting in my backpack for travel in the world. And they work great. Love ‘em. 👍🏼😃

[@roeydaz]

Great memories for me as well. I had a ham licence in the 70’s and had an HRO 1- 30 MHz ? Forgotten now…world war 2 valve receiver ! Super set. I strung up a long dipole antenna and rigged up an electrical tuner. I could listen to the world from Public broadcasts to ham to police… great fun! After I took up career at sea I always used a Sony Multi band to get news out on the ocean. I guess the seafaring lot are among the only lot still interested in SW!!

[@TylerWest1776]

I just bought a SW radio on Amazon but I need this one! Awesome.

[@moterdude1959]

You do great videos. I have bin into listening to anything for many years now. shortwave and CB and ham, Police scanner. Very good you mentioned the single side band feature makes a shortwave radio listening into a ham radio listening radio also. That was a must have feature that I needed to have on my radio. Thank you for your great video keeps people entertained during these crazy times with the virus.

[@daciamcv1026]

I am 80 years old and I lived in England and I remember listening on SW to voice of America for the Apollo space flights and the moon landings also to Russian radio for their space flights as well as many other stations around the world .And as you said what we are told by our domestic radio /tv can be totally different from other countries and is not always the true story. Example I now live in France and the history of France I learnt in England is very different to the history I now know about France

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks for commenting on this. You are so correct about history from other perspectives.

[@benhur563]

@daciamcv1026 Oh yes ! I remember listening to the Voice of America for the 2nd launch of Space Shuttle Columbia. Wiki has it that it was on the 12th of november, 1981. 42 years ago !

[@graphicventures]

Nice video, brought back memories when i used to hook up a long wire and listen to distant stations and get QSL cards as acknowledgement. Sad those days are gone!

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks for sharing

[@garrettvannorden7723]

I just found your channel, I absolutely love all your videos on radio, especially CB!

[@FarpointFarms]

Awesome, thank you!

[@BobJones-dq9mx]

Fifty years ago I listen to either Radio Russia, BBC or DW (Germany) while stationed in Vietnam. At nights, there where many musical programs. I was based at a remote observation post and without this SW radio, I would have died of boredom!

[@dangerfoxgaming110]

That's a great dial on that old radio. As soon as you see it, it makes sense. Thanks for taking the time to make and share the video!

[@FarpointFarms]

I do love the looks of this one.

[@proprotornut5389]

I spent my teenage years listening to HF radio stations around the world. VOA, Russia, Arab stations, European , even south American and Australia. Also loved listening to aviation Comms around the world.

[@dilbertbob5420]

Wow, this brought back a lot of memories. I've been a ham for over 40 years but before that I was a SWL (Short Wave Listener). I used to listen to a Canadian program called "As It Happens" at 5960 kHz. One night, in early 1979, they were interviewing, by telephone and through an interpreter, an Iranian religious leader living in exile in Paris, France. He stated that he was returning to Iran to lead a revolution and get rid of the current government. He was the Ayatollah Khomeini.

[@fattymatty5380]

Wow..that is amazing. I'm 62 and my Dad was an amateur radio enthusiast. I never got into amateur radio when I was a kid despite his desire for me to be but I had a similar interest in AM radio. I grew up in a small city in Indiana and I loved being able to hear radio from such exotic locales as Pittsburgh, Nashville, Cleveland and Detroit with my little transistor radio tucked under my pillow. Well here I am 50 years later and I now have an interest in shortwave. A buddy of mine is a life long amateur radio nerd and he's really excited for me to take up this hobby so he's going to offer all the help I need (and sending me a radio for free). He asked what I wanted to hear and I told him "weird stuff." The YTer referred to weird stuff as well and your story about hearing the Ayatollah Khomeini would have been of great interest to me. I actually was sort of taken by Brother STair years ago when he broadcasted on WLAC Nashville which eventually beame a Clear Channel station but just the idea that this apocalyptic preacher in South Carolina could have this world wide presence on short wave was fascinating to me. The numbers stations fascinate me too but I can't imagine listening to them for more than a few minutes.

[@chrisowen5497]

Excellent video! I still use my first shortwave radio from the late 90’s, MFJ 8100 kit that I assembled, with a 12 foot piece of wire for an antenna. Still gets the job done.

[@FarpointFarms]

Very cool!

[@cyberclaude]

Great video! i got my first shortwave radio in 1985. A Sony ICF-2010 portable unit that still work great to this day. i also own a Realistic DX375 wich is my lower end SWR. Finally i have a Grundig YB 300PE A small portable unit that deliver good result. In the 90's i made a hobby following aircraft coming from europe and heading to Montreal. I got the signal for the north atlantic route infos Nat-A, Nat-B...on the lower sideband and using an active SW antenna since i did'nt have the space for a long wire antenna. A message would last 10 to 15 seconds. During that small period of time you got a string of infos giving you all the details about the flight. When the flight came close to Montréal, i would switch to my Realistic pro-2006 scanner to follow the flignt till landing. With radios, even today you can have a good hobby listening to whatever you like.

[@hombre1965]

I loved listening to Greenwich meantime and random Eurupean stations back during the Cold War. Made me feel like I was an espionage agent.

[@FarpointFarms]

ha, I think I would feel the same way

[@earlymann1954]

To expand on what I commented on regarding police/fire communications, the signals can still be heard, but since they are digital, it will sound like noise, not people talking. Good that you mentioned that too.

[@WesPsWorld]

I'm a General Class Licensed Amateur Radio Operator and I LOVE radios. Been Licensed since 98' and I've talked all over the world, and listen to everything Shortwave, Medium wave, and Long Wave. Thanks for the video, I really enjoyed it, and I subscribed!!

[@kateburk2168]

So thrilled to happen upon your channel. My fiance is into sw & feel I need to understand it.😎 Thanks.👍

[@PepperandCaseysRV]

What an awesome woman.

[@Saddletramp1200]

Great video. The late Art Bell had the antenna! 5 acres of it. Thanks for sharing.

[@John-Sherwood-W4JFS]

Thanks for your video! As I have said before, you and I have a lot of the same hobbies. I’m an ASE master auto instructor, outdoorsman, gardener, and a CB and ham operator. I have been looking into shortwave lately and now you post this video. I’m thinking I might pick up a SSB radio soon in the $100ish range. I remember shortwave radios in my grandparents houses when I was little and I was drawn to them. It’s a shame SW and CB have declined over the years. Ham seems to be doing better attracting younger people after accepting new digital technologies. If we all get on the radio and participate, maybe things will turn around again. I look forward to all of your videos from the farm.

[@steve94044]

I love to fall asleep to coast to coast am on a station 400 miles from my home. I love the signal fading. It actually helps me to fall asleep. I love AM radio and shortwave am and single side and radio!

[@LarryParamedic1]

Thank You for your video, it was very helpful. During my youth, radio was daily part of life growing up in SE New Mexico my Dad was a tow truck operator, this was before the "Jaws-of-Life" and the Ambulance Services was handled by the local Funeral Homes as a side-line just because it was expected of them. Tow Trucks were generally the only way to extricate injured people out of tangled wreckage. With all the aforementioned said, I still enjoy listening to radio. Thanks Again. LF.

[@FarpointFarms]

I have a few follow up videos on AM DXing and shortwave, so stick around!

[@andrewluchsinger]

I have had that hobby since I was 12. I'm 54 now and still doing it.

[@bill-2018]

13 for me with a one valve kit: the H.A.C., Hear All Continents. 65 now. Amateur radio at 19. G4GHB. .

[@davidvelen9835]

I still enjoy listening to shortwave and in my collection have a Realistic DX 160, a Yaesu FRG7 or a Frog 7 and both of those radios while from the 70's are still fully functional. Lastly a newer Crane "CC Radio SW", a newer digital radio. Enjoy, David W5DPV

[@benhur563]

Thanks a lot for this video. I discovered medium and short wave listening more than 50 years ago and I agree that it is so important to get different perspectives on issues of the time. And I share your love for SW listening at night, with a small light, concentrating on voices coming from the other end of the world. And I've been a ham radio operator, but that's another story...

[@FarpointFarms]

There is something special about it isn't there? Those faint distant voices fading in and out of the static. It draws you in.

[@cliffmathew]

Thank you. Good information. Also refreshing to see someone realizing and pointing out we are in our own information bubbles.

[@FarpointFarms]

I just want everyone to know that they should hear all sides and make up their minds on what to believe

[@mssippijim]

My dad had a friend when I was very young who had an old Hallicrafters S-40. I always loved to play with it when we would go visit him. I went from there to an Extra class ham radio license, a First Class FCC Commercial license and a life long career in television broadcasting. That was probably my earliest interest in radio communications.

[@FarpointFarms]

The spark certainly seems to have turned in to a wild fire for you!

[@mystyguitarmusic]

Nice presentation. I became enchanted by shortwave radio at about 10 years old.... Got an advanced class Ham ticket and still have my Hammarlund HQ-180 and Hallicrafters HT-37 in perfect shape. Just kinda sad that the bands are not nearly as alive as they used to be, but times change, and as you said, there's still interesting stuff there.

[@8vRocco]

Great video! This exact Realistic DX-302 is what got me hooked on SW. Heard and still hear oddities over the air. This radio also got me to get my ham license as well.

[@RJDA.Dakota]

My very first experience with shortwave was my uncle’s Sears branded Sangean shortwave radio. I originally bought an Astronaut 4 by Realistic.

[@peterbehringer63]

What memories! The Radio Shack rig in your thumbnail was my pride and joy way back in 1983.

[@subbu515]

Growing up in India, I was introduced to DXing and shortwave listening. Gettting mail from Radio Netherland or Swiss Broadcasting Corporation was like hitting the jackpot. Getting QAL cards...I can really get nostalgic. Now I have the money to buy the best Shortwave listening instrument but no time. Sooooo sad. Thank you for the talk though.

[@MayhemRv]

I have listened to sw stations since I was a kid. I enjoy listening on my Drake R8(what a great receiver) with a 200 or so ft random wire antenna.

[@FarpointFarms]

With 200 feet I'll be you can hear nearly every station!

[@RJDA.Dakota]

200’ ! That’s one heck of a long wire antenna. Should get all kinds of stations. Hams and utilities are a great time.

[@knightstemplar8977]

Quality journalism. That's really informative. Thanks 👍. Paul, UK England 🙂🇬🇧

[@redstickham6394]

I had a Heathkit SW-717 back in the 80s and heard a lot on it. When I got my ham ticket, I started using my Kenwood TS-140S ham transceiver. There was a lot of stuff to listen to back in the day, but not much now.

[@dwighthitchens9838]

Cool video. I did pick up a Patrolman SW 60 from a antique shop in PA for $20 about six months ago. It works great and the only thing that doesn’t work is the switch for the light. (The dial light is on all the time.) It also has marked on the dial where to find the weather station which is pretty cool. Best twenty bucks I spent in a very long time.

[@FarpointFarms]

Very cool!

[@pbyt3869]

My grandpa is a radio enthusiast because my great grandpa ran a radio shop. Recently he gave me one of his old radio and it’s exciting to see how much you could do with it.

[@marksommers6764]

My first radio was a BC - 348 RECEIVER . MY GRANDFATHER'S CONSTANT COMPANION WAS A WONDERFUL GIFT ! It had been converted to house current and retained the original "Jerry mounts" used in field equipment or aircraft . He set it up in my room at the back of the House and ran a single wire across the backyard . I missed many hours of school week sleep time listing to the distant transmission and odd quarks . The metal , Western Union bakalite ear "pads" warmed fast enough and I often Awakened with the fabric covers cords wrapped around my neck ! Alas , the smoke came out and it was never quite replaced by a myriad of solid state multi-band receivers . Thank you and your fans for the great memories !

[@AmWestColl]

Very good video. I started listening to SW Radio in the early 1960s and was a Popular Electronics Magazine "Registered Short-Wave Monitor" (WPE5DMR) and really enjoyed it. I got into C.B Radio in the 60s-70s and finally became a Ham Radio operator. Nothing beats listening to a world that is thousands of miles away!

[@hokep61]

Wow....sounds like my story! Seems my SWL monitor was WPE5DZJ. 73, de KB5RUZ

[@narcisodionson7173]

In the 50s, studying for the Christian ministry in Cebu, Philippines, we listened to a pre-tuned SW radio with broadcasts from Far East Broadcasting Company. My brother in law who was a ship captain taught me how to accurately set my watch to a station from somewhere. During the Marcos dictatorship in the Philippines, I listened to Voice of America and Radio Australia for news. It was fun to hear Waltzing Matilda on SW!

[@inseries5494]

You provoked my nostalgia. I loved listening to SW stations mostly because of the magic of long distance radio> As a radio engineering student I had the chance to visit the biggest Soviet SW radio transmission station close to Moscow back in the seventies. The output power was around 1MW. Boy that was something I still remember: the huge fountain in the front yard which turned to be part of the water cooling system, the huge tubes much higher than me, the anode coil with water running inside to cool>>everything was huge. And then the vast nearby antenna field!

[@nextellcup8]

that would have been awesome to see

[@Ind421]

You didn't mention RF burns.

[@robertfoster6070]

Спасибо!

[@RFMaster6]

I frequently pick up Radio Romania on my IC-718 with the long wire.

[@bill-2018]

I find R.R. very interesting.

[@Rickm505]

Terrific Video. What a blast from the past. 60 years ago the short wave bands were full of interesting stations to listen to, today most of them are gone as they switched to streaming services online. What's left are mostly religious stations, and Radio Cuba of course. Still, this video brought back fond memories.

[@fullscale4me]

In the 60s I used old clock radios as a source of long single strand copper wire for an antenna. They had a motor run clock which was easy to get the wire bobbin off the motor core. IIRC it was 20 AWG solid wire. Nowadays curbside junk picks for these types of motors might be weedeaters and vacuum cleaners. Big appliances have a lot of intricacies that prevent easy unwinding.

[@MAGNETAR-187]

After I picked up CB radio i came across Shortwave radio listening. And I believe to support shortwave radio you have to support the makers of shortwave radio. I now am a proud owner of some shortwave radios like the Qodosen SR-286 XHDATA D808 Tecsun PL330 Tecdsun PL990x Sangean ATS 909x2 so if you want to support shortwave radio or CB radio buy the products like CB radios or shortwave radios. Greetings from the Netherlands!

[@FarpointFarms]

Good point. I really like the XHdata radios.

[@jeromemckenna7102]

I used to listen to Radio Moscow in the 1970s and 1980s, some of the broadcasts were a hoot.

[@Camman010]

I use to listen to them and Radio Cuba English news as well as The Voice of America, Radio Canada and the BBC. I would hate it when the US would jam Radio Moscow and Radio Cuba. If you were listening back then you might remember the, "Russian Woodpecker" over the horizon radar that would move through the shortwave band with that distinctive clicking?

[@bill-2018]

Another one: Radio Tirana made it sound like the best country in the World.

[@joesmoe71]

We've got plenty of domestic equivalents to Soviet radio now, no need to turn to SW.

[@johnkimbalb]

@@joesmoe71 just about all of them

[@hienluong85]

Thank you for your show that I'm interested in

[@davidlj53]

Just retired and bought a second home in Canton N c, had my license 35 years ago and let it laps, studying the ARRL manual now, hope to get back on the air. Great video, thanks!

[@AmazingPhilippines1]

Interesting discussion. I have listened to a lot of foreign broadcasts over the years on old radios since I was a kid. Living in the Philippines for many years now it would be interesting to see what I could pick up here.

[@pavil58yt]

Just a note to add that two other older but pretty good radios to consider are the Grundig YB-400 'Yacht Boy' series and the more recent Grundig G5. The latter is a very nice radio with the one exception that sometimes the surfaces of the radio can get sticky with age. Mine has not done that and I use it everyday.

[@FarpointFarms]

I'll keep an eye out for them!

[@bajomba2010]

Shortwave listening is wonderful hobby..I love it since child..nice to hear sounds of people from strange lands ..love it love it till the day I die.

[@johnadams9723]

Watching this video reminded me of one of my 4th grade buddies whose dad was from the PI and had a large Sony shortwave multi-mode that he allowed us to listen to at night on the weekends. Great memories as I'm 61 now. All those foreign stations, well, looking back at those days now it is obvious that listening to those signals and finding new ones, is what got the spark ignited in me and I still enjoy The MAGIC that is RADIO today. Also wanted to add, that I got the idea that I wanted an automobile shortwave radio for my truck, that it would make waiting to pick up my youngest son in the school's pickup line more tolerable so I started searching and found there are many automotive sized vehicle radios available on the market so check them out as well, if ya so inclined.

[@tracythorn2918]

In my early teens, I started out with a Realistic (Radio Shack) DX 160. That was in the late '70s. I climbed many trees to run long wire antennas then created some diapol antennas. Eventually, I had a Kenwood R5000. It was a fun hobby, I didn't die falling from a tree and there was a lot to hear, remember those number stations? I would like to pick up a radio and experiment again, mostly for ham bands and whatever else is left to hear.

[@JohnL1950]

So did I. Back in the 60s. All nighter's dxing.

[@Hidden_Destinations]

So did I! DX-160, I was so proud to have that radio.

[@user-xf3en8ih3d]

Great show learned a lot.

[@Jimwill01]

My first SW radio was a Realistic DX100, when they cost $100! I was getting better news from Radio Moscow than I was from the TV news!

[@ALSmith-zz4yy]

That was my first SW radio too. I also remember listening to Radio Moscow. It was quite amusing.

[@jml11158]

Thank you for keeping this exciting passtime alive, long live SW radio and all broadcast radio stations.

[@FarpointFarms]

Glad you enjoy it!

[@adamwolf4041]

Excellent video/s, great information. A please to watch! Thank you!!

[@FarpointFarms]

Glad you enjoyed it! Thank for watching

[@rustyrails3225]

I have a dx 302 like the one in your video. Great radio. I've had it for over 20 years. I listen to WRMI out of Florida. I wish there was more programs on. Sadly though it's getting slim out there. Keep up the good videos

[@FarpointFarms]

This is a GREAT radio!! I use it mostly for AM clear channels, but it's great as shortwave as well.

[@Billiemarie1000]

Growing up in the 70s, short wave was amazing. Most countries had a shortwave presence. Unfortunately they have switched to having internet streaming which is much cheaper then running 250KW to 500KW transmitters. But if you do get a SW Receiver, get a good one with SSB as there are plenty of ham radio activity and we are coming up on good radio conditions. You may even get the bug to get your own license and the code requirement for a license was dropped a long time ago. There are still a handful of broadcasters left to hear also, but way to many religious ones!

[@ronalddaub7965]

Love 40 m SSB and others Have realistic 160

[@AdamosDad]

🎙73's kd9oam

[@RJDA.Dakota]

Which is unfortunate because the internet can go down, shut off or censored in one way or the other. Shortwave can cover the world. An XHData 808 or a Tecsun 330 is an excellent beginner radio. As they shut off the analogue it seems like they’re trying on purpose to keep us in the dark.

[@shandybrandy5407]

Brings so much nostalgia. Excellent presentation

[@ortizramon]

Another excellent video I have a couple of multiband radios and I always enjoy listening to am and sw dx at night.

[@FarpointFarms]

AM DXing is also very fun. I'm going to make a video on that soon.

[@nomansland4811]

I remember as a kid my scoutmaster had a 48 Buick with a factory shortwave radio.

[@FarpointFarms]

How cool that it came with a factory Shortwave

[@jeffreyyoung4104]

I can recommend the software defined radios available today! They have up converters to allow you to listen to very low frequency broadcasts, all the way to microwave aircraft and space communications! When I started, you only had VHF and up, which was still educational, and you could use mapping software to show where aircraft were flying in the area, as well as satellites overhead! But the software and hardware allows you to hear ham radio CW or Morse code, SSB, Single Side Band, as well as Teletype and digital communications! All for less than $200 for new hardware! Add your computer and antennas, and you can listen in on the world! Or you can buy an old, but working, shortwave receiver, and just listen to the many stations still working, but many of the old AM radio stations are shutting down as the technology makes them obsolete. The thing is, you have many things to do, it never gets old as you discover other methods of communicating!

[@FarpointFarms]

I do like SDR for playing around with the strange stuff, but prefer old school dial operated radios for real listening.

[@kajbyman3006]

Thank's for the the video.Brings back memories from my childhood in the 60's,when i was listening late in the night to all those foreign radio stations.Mainly on AM,but shorwaves too.. At that time there was no commercial radio stations here in Finland,and only two tv channels (In b/w ofcourse..)..Now i have been thinking of buying a "world radio" to start the hobby again,but now there are so much interference of electronic devices here were i live,so i doubt it will work..

[@cbradioghosttalk1986]

Been listening to Shortwave since the mid 1960s. Lots of changes but overall there is still a lot of interesting stations and countries of origin. I have a few of the new radios which I really don't use. I still prefer my Dx-160-DX200-Dx302 Realistic's and a star roamer. Shortwave is far from dead. Mid Wave is one of my favorites and at night stations jump in and out from many hundreds of miles away. A good antenna is a must and a good ground and then the bands open up. I use a 200ft end-fed copper wire antenna and a few shorter runs for the higher bands. Great channel and a very interesting hobby with rewards.

[@FarpointFarms]

I can't wait to get this antenna project done so I can really hear the world!

[@cbradioghosttalk1986]

@@FarpointFarms I Know the feeling. Always excited about Antenna projects etc. Yesterday at about 5:45pm EST. I Tuned in a numbers station. The station was in Spanish but clearly a numbers station. 13 Mhz. Hadn't heard a spy station in a good while but they are there. Was using Realistic DX-200.

[@houseblacksmithing9836]

The no-name one you have there is the same as my Radioshack SW100.

[@theJasta]

Straight to the point, covering all bases. Excellent explanation, thank you. Regards from NZ.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks for watching- take care my friend

[@timmotel5804]

Good Day & Very Well Presented, As Always. I started listening to SW about 1961, with a long wire out door antenna. Great listening in those days. Much less today. I have a 100 foot outdoor wire antenna connected to a TECSUN PL-880 that I bought two years ago. It does serve my purpose pretty well. I listen to SW & HAM mostly. Thanks & Best Regards.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks for sharing, take care my friend

[@Erick6930]

Hello, good morning, thanks for the video, that reminded me a lot of my dad who already died when we were kids, he had a tube radio and had several short-band frequencies and in the afternoon he spread out a Mundi map to see where the station we were listening to was and We with my brother were amazed at how far we could hear and they were very rare languages ​​for us at that time, thanks for the explanations, God bless you.

[@FarpointFarms]

Sounds like some neat memories!

[@mynameisnobody5462]

This is great, thank you for explaining this. I want to show this to all the people that think the little chinese hand held is the do all end all radio. I tell them there is so much more out there but they don't seem to want to hear it. Go figure

[@davidrumbelow]

I grew up in the Cape Town suburb of Sea Point, in an apartment above a laundry with static so my shortwave limited to night time. It was great hearing the Voice of America and BBC that was 55 years ago. I built my own 3 valve radio using valves from ex army radios sold for pennies. Later in 1975 I bought an early transistor Radio Shack shortwave and tool it on business trips with me ( by car ) to an area called the great Karoo. Fantastic reception area

[@FarpointFarms]

Sounds like a great adventure into radio for sure.

[@PepperandCaseysRV]

Thanks for the explanation. Love listening to radios and ham. I’ll have to see if I can find a shorty. New sub.

[@juanhernandez2858]

Greetings from México.i listen sw radio.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks for listening

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

My dad once told me that at the beginning of WW2, people in my birth town disabled short wave receivers of folks who were German immigrants. They apparently feared they would receive info from overseas and act on it. It should have never happened IMHO!

[@hokep61]

At that time, it was illegal for stores to sell radios with working shortwave bands. That applied to everyone, not just certain groups. The SW portion of the radio had to be disabled. After the war, it was ok to reconnect that portion. I've restored a couple of radios from that period that still had the shortwave bands disconnected.

[@wrxs1781]

Another great video from a new subscriber from Canada.

[@FarpointFarms]

Thanks and welcome

[@Gwaybean237]

I always had a sentimental attachment to radios, and radio talk shows always captured my interest far more than the tv for sure; both as a kid and even now. Im starting to get into SW because im curious as to what else is out there beyond where i live! Thanks for the informative video!

[@FarpointFarms]

Glad I could help!

[@MrVasile]

"It's weird...and I love weird!" Right on, brother!

[@patrickbodine1300]

"Normal" is boring.😁👍

[@stevenredman1582]

Go Bucks..!!

[@morganrussman]

@@patrickbodine1300 huza to that. What is normal anyway? 🙂🤠😄

[@dennisblass]

We may need shortwave to get news. We seem to be getting very little from local and national outlets.

[@j.d.schultzsr.9215]

Dennis Blass, Why do you need shortwave when your president gives you tweets 5X/day???

[@Dallas-Rife-UDX-347-Tennessee]

Great review and some cool radios Erik , I haven’t listened to shortwave in a few years but I’m itching to get back into it .

[@FarpointFarms]

You should! It's really neat tuning in all those distant stations. I spend about 30 minutes a night playing with the old tube radio I have setup.

[@kenbaird7067]

I have been listening to SW since the early 1950's using my dad's Philco. I have had some 20 SW radios since. Now use a Tecsun PL600, Sangean 808 on a random wire and a mag loop . A life member of the NZRDXL, ex ham ZL3TBJ. Logging masses of stations here in NZ. A great hobby I still enjoy after many years. SW is NOT dead.

[@RJDA.Dakota]

Tons of things to hear; you just have to hunt for them here in North America. Most of it is beamed away from us. Love listening to RNZI!

[@BentConrod]

Digital alone won't guarantee "no drift". Even phase locked loops are only as good as the stability of the oscillator driving them.

[@acoustic61]

Virtually any crystal oscillator reference used for PLL would outperform a tuning capacitor. I'd be more concerned with sensitivity and selectivity when searching for a good radio.

[@aliso-pv7ll]

My love for DXing began in the mid 1950's with Hallicrafters S38-B that my father purchased. I've listened to Castro in 1959, the Kennedy assassination coverage, November 22,1963, the assassinations of Bobby Kennedy and MLK in 1968. I miss the late Joe Adamov on Radio Moscow and I also miss Radio Netherlands. Joe Adamov, on his talk show " Moscow Mailbag" would always end with a joke about Communist Russia. A favorite one went along similar to these words: " Comrade is a country the size of Israel big enough to hold the Soviet Union? No Comrade a country the size of Israel is too small to hold the Soviet Union! What about Italy? Again Comrade, Italy is too small to hold the Soviet Union! What about France? Comrade a country the size of France is too small to hold the Soviet Union! What about the Sahara Desert? Yes Comrade the Sahara Desert is big enough to hold the Soviet Union! But I must warn you Comrade, eventually there will be a shortage of sand!"

[@jdchannelviewer]

Hey I had that black portable radio with the handles when I was a kid (now 44)- its actually the reason I'm looking into radio options again.

[@futureshock7425]

Long live radio shack! Excellent presentation too

[@cw4arz]

I find the really cheap entry level sets are fun but are missing some of the bands where commercial shortwave now live. My suggestion is to try and get one of the mid priced sets. . You;ll be glad you did. Far better selectivity, sensitivity and you'll get all the bands. The Tecsun PL-310 is affordable at about $40 and will get you there with 4 IF filters built in. If you have a flair for vintage, keep your eye on ebay and the Radio Shack DX-200 or 300 model. A little further up scale is Eaton/Grundig's S-350 or S350DL. Fantastic radio big full sound and Full coverage including stereo FM. The cheepies are not half the fun not to mention the aenemic performance as ones just a bit up the price scale and you'll find twice the signals to listen to. Take it from an old ham/sw person with a big collection. Oh and if you can find one that has usb/lsb modes..you'll also get to hear all the ham radio signals too. And that'll open wide the doors of shortwave listening.

[@bendeleted9155]

If the government would stop worrying about what we listen to so much then maybe we would stop worrying about our government so much

[@FarpointFarms]

yup

[@rudygerona]

It's my favorite hobby to listen to multiband Radio receiver specially shortwave transmission mostly in Asia & VOA. That was long time ago & now I can't find good shortwave radio. I wish I could have one to listen to shortwave radio programs around the world.

[@garycb8592]

Got my wife's grandparents 1937 Philco floor model working as shortwave bands. Bought my ICOM IC-R70 new, still use it. Have a large collection of QSL cards from everywhere in the world.

[@alqumran8930]

Loved short wave listening. Started way back in the 60,s. But the bands have become noisy due to atmospheric. The good DX times will return when the sunspot cycles come right again. But in the meantime, 60 % of the great SW Radio stations have gone. Shame, but true.

[@joewoodchuck3824]

Building my own HF receivers in the 1950s and 1960s was what started me on a great electronics career. REAL electronics, not computers.

[@Gogogordy1]

Now you're carbon-dating yourself! LOL

[@joewoodchuck3824]

@@Gogogordy1 Yup.

[@joaovitormatos8147]

That's probably the most "ok boomer" comment ever

[@Marg1312]

I hate to say it, but yes. Computers are the future of electronics, so they must be incorporated wherever they can be useful! I should note also that computers and HF are not at odds - quite the contrary! Digital HF modes allow for secure messages to be quickly sent, either in the form of voice or data. I should finally add that computers can enhance “real” electronics. Computer chips like arduinos create an interface between digital and analog, giving the opportunity to correct the operation of the analog system. There are lots of possibilities thanks to computers, especially with radios! They’re not that bad ;)

[@tresfingeros]

@@Gogogordy1 guess I fall under that statement too👍😂🤣 in the late 70s I built a dish and receiver before dish was around and cable was pretty new..but they got their signals from towers as they do today. I could pick up channels from England, France and Japan as well.