Millions of people all over the world use shortwave as their primary or only source of information. Ok! I think I can do that! Sure! Anybody can do it. Another part of being a shortwave listener is designing and deploying the most clever antenna possible, balancing visibility, reliability, and performance. It can run out the window to a tree, or stapled along under the eaves, or even in the attic. Oh no! I can’t put up some big, ugly antenna! All it takes is a very fine wire. Oh, it’s fine for FM - but shortwave antennas need to be at least fifty feet long to be useful! Ok, so what else do I need to know to get started? Your little portable shortwave radio has a useless antenna. You can also just spin the dial and listen, and keep notes of what is where, when, and make your own custom listening schedule. What if I’m not listening when they make the announcement? Part of being an avid shortwave listener is collecting radio schedules. When it’s time to change, they make an announcement. Shortwave broadcasters may use several frequencies, rotating through them every day. You will soon learn to locate your favorite shortwave stations on the right frequency, depending on what time it is. Likewise, stations from the east will bounce into the US in the early morning hours, increasing in strength through midday, then fading out as the sun goes down over the Atlantic. It means that higher frequency, daytime bands will bounce into the US from the west in the evening, because it’s still sunny over the Pacific. Is that daytime at my house, or at the far-away radio station? Good question! Answer: Somewhere in between. Around sunrise and sunset, the middle frequencies seem to travel best. At night, it reflects lower frequencies and passes higher ones. What’s that? The ionosphere is a finicky mirror! In the daytime, it reflects higher frequencies, and absorbs lower ones. They bend around the earth by reflecting off the ionosphere. Why? Shortwave radio signals travel great distances. Shortwave listening is a bit more complicated than AM or FM radio listening, and satisfactory results depend upon designing and installing a good antenna. Who needs this article? Anyone who is a new shortwave radio listener. Dough Types, Procedures, and Properties.How to Become an Amateur Radio Operator.706: Computer Control and Soundcard Interface.Amateur Radio Frequency Allocations and Band Plans.

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