The voice from the radio was clear, yet was speaking in an unknown language. Tuning in another frequency brought the staccato ditz and dashes of a Morse code transmission. A little more tuning brought in an understandable yet noticeably foreign English broadcast. If you can recall the first shortwave radio broadcast you ever heard, you may remember it as a crackling voice or melody, with the signal fading or growing in strength. The fact that these signals were coming from far around the world was amazing, to say the least.

One does not have to be a ham, or amateur radio operator, to enjoy tuning the airwaves. An amateur radio license is required only for transmitting on the air. As a listener, you are free to tune in to your heart’s content. Long distance monitoring or “DXing” is not only an interesting pastime, it can be an efficient method of acquiring information not available elsewhere.

Unlike normal AM or FM radio broadcasts, shortwave radio depends upon the atmospheric layers surrounding the earth to “go the distance.” These radio waves radiate from their transmission point, then actually “skip” off of the ionosphere, then back to earth to some point far distant from where they originate. The radio signal may actually skip several times before it loses its strength. This characteristic is what enables you to glimpse life halfway around the world, via your radio.

A good, dependable radio receiver is a definite asset for monitoring these distant broadcasts. For the homesteader, or other remote location, or the casual listener, shortwave radio listening can be a very enjoyable and informative pastime. During normal times, dozens of entertaining broadcasts may be picked up on just about any evening. In emergencies or during events of international significance, these radios can help the listener monitor important events as they develop, often right where they are occurring in the world.

Tags: AM, FM, Radio
Filed under: Communication, Education, Radio, Technology