INTRODUCTION TO SHORTWAVE
Shortwave enables you to hear stations from around the world. Now that you have a shortwave radio, no doubt you’ll want to hear worldwide stations right away. If you’re new to shortwave, please take some time to learn the basics outlined below. To successfully listen to shortwave stations you must know how to find them. They are found in the shortwave ‘bands’. If you’re an experienced shortwave listener, you’ll already know what bands are and how to use them, but if you’re new, you’ll need to learn about bands first. After that, you will have excellent success.
No SW frequency operates 24 hours. You may not hear anything unless you are listening at the right time, or you may hear another language, or you may hear some other country sharing the frequency.
Many countries are better heard in non-
Some stations only air a few minutes of English; or only in ID announcements (Mexico); or only language lessons (Ecuador).
Country of origin is shown. Many of the frequencies are relayed from elsewhere. (In the case of China, all of them shown here are relays.) Do not assume any particular frequency is actually coming directly from the originating country.
Some major countries no longer broadcast intentionally to North America, such as Australia, Germany, South Africa, UK. Longer frequency lists for these give you more chances to hear something directed elsewhere.
More than one station may be involved under some countries, or even outside broadcasts to that country (Liberia, Nigeria, Sudan).
Many of the strongest signals from strictly religious broadcasters in the US and
elsewhere are not shown.
FINDING DESIRED STATIONS
HOW TO IDENTIFY WHAT YOU’RE LISTENING TO AND HOW TO FIND STATIONS THAT YOU WANT TO HEAR
For this, you’ll need to use a shortwave directory.
SHORTWAVE DIRECTORY: We recommend the use of a comprehensive shortwave directory,
especially if you want to hear specific countries or to identify the station you’re
listening to. Such a directory will alphabetically list the countries broadcasting
on shortwave, showing their language, target area, broadcast time and frequency that
is used. The best shortwave directory is PASSPORT TO WORLD BAND RADIO, available
in major bookstores. Published by International Broadcasting Services, Ltd., Box
300, Penn's Park, Pennsylvania 18943. This publication has separate chapters for
English and non-
WHAT ARE BANDS?
THIS IS THE MOST IMPORTANT CONCEPT TO LEARN RIGHT AWAY.
If you have ever listened to AM or FM radio, then you already know what a band is.
The AM band is a frequency range stretching form 530 to 1600 kilohertz, the FM band
is 88-
For example, the 19 meter shortwave band encompasses the frequency range of 15100
to 15600 kilohertz. Below is a list of the shortwave bands used for international
shortwave broadcasts and their corresponding frequency ranges. Since some radios
show frequency in megahertz and some in kilohertz, both are shown here.
SHORTWAVE BANDS
120 meters /2.300-
90 meters /3.20-
75 meters /3.90-
60 meters / 4.750-
49 meters / 5.950-
41 meters /7.10-
31 meters / 9.20-
25 meters / 11.600-
22 meters / 13.570-
19 meters / 15.10-
16 meters /17.480-
13 meters /21.450-
11 meters /25.60-
10 meters /26.965-
also called ’citizens band’ or CB
DAY BANDS / NIGHT BANDS– THE DIFFERENCE IS VERY IMPORTANT
Because shortwave signals depend on such factors as the sun, the ionosphere and interaction with the earth itself, signals cannot be heard on all bands throughout the day. Some bands are best during the daylight hours, and some are best at night. Here are some good ‘rules of thumb’.
• In general, the bands with frequencies below 13000 KHz are better at night and the bands with frequencies above 13000 KHz are best during the day. This guideline is not ‘cast in concrete’ but is a useful general rule of thumb.
• Around sunrise and sunset, both the day and night bands might be good, sometimes exceptionally good.
• In the summer time, the day bands often are good into the early night.
• While most shortwave stations are found within the frequency limits of these defined
bands, some are found outside of them. It pays to take the time to tune in-
• These guidelines can be used worldwide and are not dependent on location.
Listed below are the characteristics of the major shortwave bands. Follow these guidelines for best listening results.
DAYTIME LISTENING
Shortwave listening is generally at its poorest during the daylight hours of about two hours after sunrise until about two hours before sunset. The major reason for this is that the broadcasters are not transmitting to North America at this time, assuming that we are all either at work or at school and are not able to listen during the day. If you want to try daytime listening, use the guidelines below. Typically, daytime shortwave tends to be better in Eastern North America than in Western North America.
DAY BANDS CHARACTERISTICS
13meters
Results vary. Worth trying. Sometimes extremely good around sunrise and sunset.
16meters
Similar to 19m
19meters
The best overall daytime band. May also be good at night in the summer months. Sometimes extremely good around sunrise and sunset. Sometimes good at night in the summer.
22meters
Similar to 19m.
EVENING/NIGHT LISTENING
This is the best time to listen, because the broadcasters are deliberately transmitting to North America. These bands may be extremely good around sunset and sunrise too.
NIGHT BANDS CHARACTERISTICS
25meters
Similar to 31m.
31meters
Good all night, everywhere. Often extremely good at sunrise and sunset. Good results often start about an hour before sunset.
41meters
Similar to 49m. Good all night in Eastern North America; varies in Western North America.
49meters
The best overall night band.
IMPORTANT NOTE: Getting close to a window may substantially improve your reception. The construction materials of some buildings simply do not let signals in very well. Signals penetrate wood frame buildings easiest, while concrete and brick buildings usually block signals. If you are in a building with one or more stories above you, signals can also be impaired in strength. In such a situation, situate the radio as close to a window as possible while listening. Holding the radio while close to a window may also improve reception.
SAMPLE OF SOME COUNTRIES THAT ARE HEARD ON SHORTWAVE RADIO:
The following list shows some of the more popular countries that target North America with their broadcasts. Frequencies are primarily for evening listening. Whether or not a station can be heard depends on many factors, including signal strength, your geographic location and the condition of the earth's ionosphere. T
ALASKA -
ALBANIA -
ARGENTINA -
AUSTRALIA -
AUSTRIA -
BAHRAIN -
BANGLADESH -
BELARUS -
BULGARIA -
CANADA RCI -
CANADA CBC -
CHINA -
CROATIA -
CUBA -
CZECH REP -
ECUADOR -
EGYPT -
ETHIOPIA -
FRANCE -
GERMANY -
GHANA -
GREECE -
GUYANA -
HUNGARY -
INDIA -
INDONESIA -
IRAN -
ISRAEL -
ITALY -
JAPAN -
JORDAN -
KOREA, N -
KOREA, S -
LAOS -
LIBERIA -
LIBYA -
LITHUANIA -
MALAYSIA -
MEXICO -
MOLDOVA -
MONGOLIA -
MYANMAR -
NEPAL -
NETHERLANDS -
NEW ZEALAND -
NIGERIA -
OMAN -
PAKISTAN -
PAPUA NEW GUINEA -
PHILIPPINES -
POLAND -
ROMANIA -
RUSSIA -
SENEGAL -
SERBIA -
SINGAPORE -
SLOVAKIA -
SOLOMON IS. -
S AFRICA -
SPAIN -
SRI LANKA -
SUDAN -
SURINAME -
SWEDEN -
SYRIA -
TAIWAN -
TAJIKISTAN -
THAILAND -
TIBET -
TURKEY -
TURKMENISTAN -
UGANDA -
UKRAINE -
U K -
UNITED NATIONS -
USA AFRTS -
USA VOA -
USA KAIJ -
USA WBCQ -
USA WEWN -
USA WRMI -
USA WWCR -
VANUATU -
VATICAN -
VIETNAM -
YEMEN -
ZAMBIA -
ZANZIBAR -
Feel free to ask us for purchasing advice
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