USA news has dropped into a landfill - it's either hobnail conservative or wackystraigtjacket grade alpha X chromosome dominant.Soooo, putting a shortwave radio on the seemingly endless list of togets may be in my future. But I had a $250 Radio Shack digital back in the eighties that was pathetic. Sensitive as a brick.I guess I will need an external antenna. But my knowledge is showing. I need to study optimum antenna length and orientation. Some of the sites I visited were Klingon - Vulcan grade hyper sophisticated meaning out of my league. I used to get a kick out of listening to Radio Moscow (USSR sponsor, perfume, "Essence of Tractor"). But when the subject of "wall" comes up I'd rather it be a product of Pink Floyd, and "MARCH" be concerned with the month. Having endured 13 different presidents I'd rather limit my dosage to micrograms of politics.CCrane offers a large shortwave with a 5" speaker that sounds interesting. But by the time shipping and taxes gore the sale, I'm looking at $180. Any actual experiences out there?Satellite radio does not work down here. Even with external antenna and amplifier so save your breath. Great music until the death hiss.

Hey Mex, something else you might want to dabble with is called Software Defined Radio. You have a receiver chip (typically an inexpensive ATSC-USB adapter, roughly $15 on eBay), and special free software that runs on the computer. The chip downloads the entire broadcast spectrum from 1 khz to 1 ghz into the computer, all at once, and the software then picks out the parts you want to listen to.I don't know if you have enough Internet to watch any Youtube videos on the subject, but it is very impressive.The hard part is building the antenna network to capture the portions of the spectrum you are interested in.Here's a screenshot I found that shows a typical display for SDR:

While I can not rate the radio.. It is a company I have heard of and that is all (heard the name, just today in fact)I can make antennas easier for you.For a portable radio you need a LONG WIRE,, ideally the length of the wire in meters is 75million divided by the frequency in Hz.or if you like 75/frequency in MHzSo 3 MHZ is 25 Meters for the antenna.. One end goes to ground, wrap twice around the radio, and the other end in trees. 4 Mhz would be 75/4 or 19 meters and a quarter. NOTE these are rough figures..in practice, toss about 100' of wire up and be happy. Some thing to listen to.. If you don't mind Christian Radio though from time to time Transmitter 2 is not badListen to the commercialswtww.us | Listen live | Transmitter 2 HTML-5 is the link I useBest time to listen is Sat afternoon, at 2pm give or take a bit... but that's my choice. You might like the sat Afternoon MusicBut listen to the ads for places like R&L radio and so on.

If you have internet why not listen to radio on the net.Just about every radio station on earth streams onto the net.It's all I listen too.https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/store/p/mytuner-radio-pro/9nblggh10hqq

Wow Fizz, I clicked on your link and the first thing it said was "this app doesn't work on your device". Oh well.

bcsdguy wrote:Wow Fizz, I clicked on your link and the first thing it said was "this app doesn't work on your device". Oh well.Try this link.That app should work everywhere.I've tried a few and this is my favorite.https://mytuner-radio.com/Scroll to the bottom and take your pick.

CCrane $150 Shortwave? Worth The Money? | Good Sam Community

GordonThree
Explorer
Mar 21, 2017
Hey Mex, something else you might want to dabble with is called Software Defined Radio. You have a receiver chip (typically an inexpensive ATSC-USB adapter, roughly $15 on eBay), and special free software that runs on the computer.

The chip downloads the entire broadcast spectrum from 1 khz to 1 ghz into the computer, all at once, and the software then picks out the parts you want to listen to.

I don't know if you have enough Internet to watch any Youtube videos on the subject, but it is very impressive.

The hard part is building the antenna network to capture the portions of the spectrum you are interested in.

Here's a screenshot I found that shows a typical display for SDR:
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Mar 21, 2017
While I can not rate the radio.. It is a company I have heard of and that is all (heard the name, just today in fact)

I can make antennas easier for you.

For a portable radio you need a LONG WIRE,, ideally the length of the wire in meters is 75million divided by the frequency in Hz.

or if you like 75/frequency in MHz

So 3 MHZ is 25 Meters for the antenna.. One end goes to ground, wrap twice around the radio, and the other end in trees.

4 Mhz would be 75/4 or 19 meters and a quarter.

NOTE these are rough figures..

in practice, toss about 100' of wire up and be happy.

Some thing to listen to.. If you don't mind Christian Radio though from time to time Transmitter 2 is not bad

Listen to the commercials

wtww.us | Listen live | Transmitter 2 HTML-5 is the link I use

Best time to listen is Sat afternoon, at 2pm give or take a bit... but that's my choice. You might like the sat Afternoon Music

But listen to the ads for places like R&L radio and so on.
Fizz
Explorer
Mar 21, 2017
If you have internet why not listen to radio on the net.
Just about every radio station on earth streams onto the net.
It's all I listen too.

https://www.microsoft.com/en-ca/store/p/mytuner-radio-pro/9nblggh10hqq
bcsdguy
Explorer
Mar 22, 2017
Wow Fizz, I clicked on your link and the first thing it said was "this app doesn't work on your device". Oh well.
Fizz
Explorer
Mar 22, 2017
bcsdguy wrote:
Wow Fizz, I clicked on your link and the first thing it said was "this app doesn't work on your device". Oh well.

Try this link.
That app should work everywhere.
I've tried a few and this is my favorite.

https://mytuner-radio.com/
Scroll to the bottom and take your pick.
rexlion
Explorer
Mar 22, 2017
It seems to be a well liked brand that gets some good reviews.
hugemoth
Explorer
Mar 22, 2017
When my CCrane am/fm/sw radio failed last year I bought a cheaper radio with the same bands thinking it would work just as well. It's mostly used to listen to somewhat distant am or fm while in the Quartzsite area. The new radio picked up zero channels where the CCrane radio was able to pick up several. CCrane radios are expensive but they do indeed work better than cheaper ones.
wa8yxm
Explorer III
Mar 22, 2017
The problem with Internet Radio (Which I do use by the way) is ... It don't work if you don't have internet.

But a good Shortwave Receiver.. WILL.

http://carshortwaveradio.com/
ktmrfs
Explorer II
Mar 22, 2017
you might want to consider picking up an OLD SW radio from ebay that has been tuned up. I have a Zeinth Transoceanic that has great sensitivity, easy to tune to parts of the SW bands that have broadcast. In the summer evenings I've listed to radio australia football games.

Downside these old radio's are tube type, but tubes are still available and last a long time. Upside is they are also battery powered which is pretty handy, and battery packs are easy to make. 60AA's and 6 D cells and you will get 500+ hours out of the D's more out of the AA's.
MEXICOWANDERER
Explorer
Mar 22, 2017
When the lights go out I have my NOOK. But with Tel Mex Banda Ancha being so weak even basic telephone internet is impossible. I remember my grandfather's Zenith Transoceanic shortwave that had a scary expensive 37 volt dry cell battery. So battery drain is a concern and so is transport over horrible roads. When I go to Guatemala, 70% of the population speaks Quiche, the remainder español or roachclip.
.
I love listening to political propaganda (except for Republican and Democrat).

British Parliament is a real trip: "Hunga Hunga Unk unk". "Reasonable" Radio China, spewing Central Committee Hogwash. Al Jeezera tightrope walking between suicide vest and Predator strike listener reaction.

Because of logistics I should ask about "The Preferable Way" to haul and erect 100' of antenna wire. Is orientation absolutely critical?

Looks like the CCrane $150 unit goes into the Santa Wish List box. Guatemalan Customs is snotty therefore all my electronic playtoys have to stay in Michoacan. Reading material where I will summer seems to focus on "White Widow or Tora Borah Mind Meld Which One Wins The Blue Ribbon?"

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