Short Wave Radio

Introduction to Short and Medium Wave Radio

Short wave radio was a childhood passion and I enjoy being an SWL just as much today. There seems to be many web pages devoted to construction of radio equipment for the amateur radio experimenter but relatively few for the shortwave radio devotee. I decided to expand this web site to include projects for the SWL Homebuilder in 2005.

My favorite bands are 49 meters (5.9 - 6.2 MHz) at night-time and 19 meters (15.1-15.8 MHz) during the day. I also listen medium wave DX around 1400 - 1600 KHz. Future projects will favor these bands.

Is shortwave radio dead? I think not. There is no question that shortwave radio is past its prime, however, it is still thriving and still fun. Almost 1/2 of the world's population lives on $2.00 US or less per day. In addition, some people have governmental censorship limiting their local media and Internet content. Shortwave radio is able to break through obstacles such as borders, poverty and censorship and I imagine it will be around a long time to come. Shortwave radio entertains, informs and allows one to study propagation and experiment with radio equipment and antennas.

The most important component in your radio shack is your antenna. Don't hesitate to safely experiment with the many antenna designs available on the world wide web. Your sure to find a commercial unit or home brew antenna design that suits your real estate and budget.

Your next task is to find a receiver. It is difficult to recommend any one receiver because there are so many excellent commercial receivers to choose from. If you are thinking about purchasing a used receiver, you might consider checking eBay to find a receiver or to learn the going price for used gear. The ultimate SWL experience in my opinion is to build and operate your own receiver and this is the theme of the QRP/SWL HomeBuilder web site. A number of MW and HF receiving projects are forthcoming in 2007-2008. 73 and CUL, VE7BPO