Grundig shortwave radio

pa traveler wrote:
Thanks for info ,Im going to check around my area a club .Maybee look at some equipment ,going to check into general coverage shortwave receiver.

you might check here for a club in your area. good luck!

Thanks for info ,Im going to check around my area a club .Maybee look at some equipment ,going to check into general coverage shortwave receiver.

pa traveler wrote:
-- snip --
I was thinking it may be something to listen to while camping,thought maybe near ocean you could listen to ships, or I thought maybe you could listen to ham radio transmissions? -- snip -- Thanks

Most HF Maritime communications is Radio Teletype or Packet, so you would need special software for your computer to decode it.

Being near the ocean is no guarantee you would hear the ships. There is a Maritime Ham Radio Network on 14.300 MHz and most of the members are in the states on the Gulf Coast.

A few years ago, an 80 ft. ketch, in the Gulf of Mexico, ran into some heavy weather and was dis-masted (both masts). The owner was a Ham so he tried checking in to the Maritime Net but no one heard him except for another Ham in central Wisconsin. He relayed the distress call to the USCG; the yachtsman and his family were rescued a few hours later.

pa traveler wrote:
...Guess I should check into ham radios, is there a device to listen to ham transmissions without a license? Thanks

yup, it's called a shortwave receiver. :) seriously, you can buy ham equipment without a license. you just can't transmit but you can listen. but it would be a lot cheaper to buy a general coverage/shortwave receiver. most of the transmissions from countries (BBC, etc) are in AM mode but most everything else will be on sideband. hams use upper and lower sideband while commercial traffic is usually on upper sideband. that's the amateur HF or 'low bands'. if you want to listen to amateur radio on VHF/UHF pretty much any old analog scanner will do the job. just be sure the scanner covers the 144-148 MHz and the 442-450 MHz bands.

this link will show you the entire amateur radio band plan.

pa traveler wrote:
Thanks for replys ,I know a more now about it then I did,sounds interesting.I was thinking it may be something to listen to while camping,thought maybe near ocean you could listen to ships ,or I thought maybe you could listen to ham radio transmissions? Guess I should check into ham radios, is there a device to listen to ham transmissions without a license? Thanks

Most (like 99%) of Ham voice is what's called SSB or Single-Side-Band (as is some CB). It takes a more expensive and complicated radio to decode SSB. That little AM/FM/SW probably doesn't have the ability to decode either SSB or morse-code (CW). Let alone TeleType, Radio-Fax, etc, etc.

But it takes no license (in the US or most of the rest of the world) to listen to any radio station

Thanks for replys ,I know a more now about it then I did,sounds interesting.I was thinking it may be something to listen to while camping,thought maybe near ocean you could listen to ships ,or I thought maybe you could listen to ham radio transmissions? Guess I should check into ham radios, is there a device to listen to ham transmissions without a license? Thanks

I used to have a general coverage Short Wave 1/2 to 30MHz) and enjoyed it, I had a chance to get another of the same make and model a few years ago but alas, was short on funds.> I really wish I had bought it.
You seek the original I built from a kit... in 1966 I think.

Lots to listen to back then, I got some confirmation cards from several broadcasters.

Today, I still have a general coverage receiver, but I stick to the ham bands for the most part.. That and WWV on 5-10-15 MHz (They broadcast the time at the tone) But when it comes to the ham bands.. I can talk the the folks I listen to :)

pa traveler wrote:
I have seen these on the shelf at radio shack for years,around $100 dollars. Anybody have one? What would you use it for? How far away can it reach,and what would you be listening to? Does it pick up radio stations and broadcasts? Wondering if it would be an interesting camping tool for a rainy day?

I have more than one short wave receiver (and a few transmitters).

I sometimes enjoy listening to the FAA stations talking with international flights.

"Radio New York" time-shares a frequency near 10MHz with "Radio Gander" and broadcasts weather for the East coast of the US.

Very seldom do I hear stations that are more than 12,500 miles away but occasionally that does happen when the signal takes the "long path".

During hurricane season you can listen to the Hurricane Watch Net on 14.325 MHz.

----- WARNING! - DANGER! -----

Shortwave listening is addictive and is a gateway drug to Ham Radio.

:) :)

pa traveler wrote:
I have seen these on the shelf at radio shack for years,around $100 dollars. Anybody have one? What would you use it for? How far away can it reach,and what would you be listening to? Does it pick up radio stations and broadcasts? Wondering if it would be an interesting camping tool for a rainy day?

If it's the same one I have, not bad, not as good as my big shortwave, but not bad
It as AM, FM and SW

There are still lots of SW stations out there, because there are lots (something like 2/3s) of the world that don't have broad-band internet access

Here is a list of stations you might be able to hear

got a model number? beyond that a decent shortwave receiver connected to even a basic wire antenna can bring the world to you. many countries still broadcast on shortwave (although some are dumping radio in favor of the internet), military, utility stations, amateur radio operators and more. check out this google search. and this