Any Shortwave Radio buffs here?? (purchase, prices, reading, cost)

[Tightwad]

As I get older I cast about for things that have interested me ,off and on, most of my life. One of those things is radio. No not ham radio , my attention span is to short for all that goes with being a ham operator, but Short & Longwave radio or just radio period.

I had a good AM/FM/SW radio but now it's old and broken so I went shopping for new one. That's when I discovered that radios is almost a dead communication format anymore due to the internet & ipod type devices. There's not that much to pick from in the way of a good SW radio anymore. If you do find one the darn thing is made in China (ugh).

All that said, for those that still dabble in SW, what radio would you recommend to me from the current crop of new radios on the market today?

I need some help here so I don't throw money away on junk trying to find a decent SW radio.

[Consent Withdrawn]

Originally Posted by Tightwad

As I get older I cast about for things that have interested me ,off and on, most of my life. One of those things is radio. No not ham radio , my attention span is to short for all that goes with being a ham operator, but Short & Longwave radio or just radio period.

I had a good AM/FM/SW radio but now it's old and broken so I went shopping for new one. That's when I discovered that radios is almost a dead communication format anymore due to the internet & ipod type devices. There's not that much to pick from in the way of a good SW radio anymore. If you do find one the darn thing is made in China (ugh).

All that said, for those that still dabble in SW, what radio would you recommend to me from the current crop of new radios on the market today?

I need some help here so I don't throw money away on junk trying to find a decent SW radio.

I too share your love of radio. And the day (hopefully never) that over the air broadcasts are gone will be a sad day indeed. I tend to think radio will still be around for awhile due to it's local nature.
I have a Realistic shortwave radio which I purchased at Radio Shack probably 15 or 20 years ago. I like it and it is small and get's good reception. Do you ever listen to AM at night? You can pull in many clear channel 50,000 watters from all over the country and depending on where you are, maybe even Canada. I've gotten CKLW AM 800 in Windsor Ontario and CHML AM 900 in Hamilton Ontario.
There is something to about all the background static with AM at night and when you sometimes hear two broadcasts simultaneously. Very evocative for me.

[Moth]

Grundig is a very good brand. If you want some style go on eBay and buy a vintage Zenith TransOceanic.

[Tightwad]

Originally Posted by Moth

Grundig is a very good brand. If you want some style go on eBay and buy a vintage Zenith TransOceanic.

Sigh! Gundig WAS a good brand but they are no longer made in Germany they have been moved to, dare I say it?, China.

The Zenith brand is very old and long discontinued which make a good one very, very hard to find even used.

[catman]

Tightwad: Don't give up on getting a ham license. Getting a Technician class license isn't hard. I passed the General test without studying for it much because I'd been an SWL for so long. It helped me a lot!

I think the more expensive Grundigs are still made in Germany. But don't sell the Chinese radios short. They aren't all pieces of junk. Have a look at Sony's offerings too.

[Tightwad]

Originally Posted by catman

Tightwad: Don't give up on getting a ham license. Getting a Technician class license isn't hard. I passed the General test without studying for it much because I'd been an SWL for so long. It helped me a lot!

I think the more expensive Grundigs are still made in Germany. But don't sell the Chinese radios short. They aren't all pieces of junk. Have a look at Sony's offerings too.

I've been away from SWL for over 30+ years so I "might" try for ham but for now all I want is a bit 'o fun like I remember as a younger man. The radio I ordered to re-start this effort is a
Gundig S350DL and I have an antenna I can use for now so I'm kinda set. That said, I cruising hard on e-bay looking for a fine older table top SW set.

[msgsing]

Enjoyed reading throught this thread. Interest in SW is fading away. At one time it was the only technology available for long distance communication. As a kid way back in the distant past one of my most memorable xmas presents was a Zenith Trans Oceanic. I spent hours on this radio listening from the midwest to faraway places around the globe.

[Tightwad]

Originally Posted by msgsing

Enjoyed reading throught this thread. Interest in SW is fading away. At one time it was the only technology available for long distance communication. As a kid way back in the distant past one of my most memorable xmas presents was a Zenith Trans Oceanic. I spent hours on this radio listening from the midwest to faraway places around the globe.

While interest is fading due to internet radio, satellite radio and the new HD radio ,plus computers and ipod/mp3 players, I doubt that it will die completely unless it gets killed off like Analog TV did to satisfy the greed of business.

From what I've seen there is plenty of older equipment around to allow for a re-start of the hobby once all the kids grow up enough to understand the need for world communication that isn't digital. Heck, there must be SOME interest to support the high prices on e-bay for older SW equipment!!

[Tightwad]

Don't count Shortwave Radio out just yet. This story brings out some points that seem to be suppressed by big business of new tech.

EXCERPTS.......
"Powerful, manipulative forces are at work here. Although difficult to prove, there has even been speculation that considerable ‘promotional fees’ may have been paid in the process. "

"To quote the old saying: Let’s not throw the baby out with the bath water. Another popular and wise saying is: If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. We are in favour of new technology, provided it demonstrates a clear superiority to what is currently in use. In the case of shortwave, some would like to bury it before it has even died."

" As far as Internet is concerned, both the high cost of being online and that of computer equipment do not make audio streaming a viable alternative to radio in most regions of the world, and especially in developing countries- yet."

undpi.org : The Future of Shortwave and International Broadcasting: a critical point of view | International radio, TV and other media

[AlstraQ]

Originally Posted by catman

But don't sell the Chinese radios short. They aren't all pieces of junk. Have a look at Sony's offerings too.

One of the better radios for the money is a Kaito KA 1103, a Chinese brand.

Try this link:

http://www.eham.net/reviews/detail/5071

Also on this site you will find reviews of many radios, and tons of information.