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Any Shortwave Radio Tips for a Noob Considering the Hobby?
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VK3DRB:

--- Quote from: eti on December 08, 2019, 04:27:53 am ---I'll give you a guess which rock-solid, simple communication system based on physics and not on endless chains of servers and switches, I'd pick to save the life of my family, come a nuclear war? It's pretty simple, and here's a hint; it AIN'T the internet. We think we're SO SO "clever" and we are, but then radio preceded the "ever so pleased with itself" internet by MANY, MANY decades, and they don't use Skype or FaceTime to pilot submarines, so there's a clue as to which is better, merely by virtue of its' simplicity.

--- End quote ---

It is true that if the Internet were to go down many of us in countries whose infrastructure is addicted to the Internet will suffer a catastrophe. You wont be able to buy food, gasoline, medicines, no nothing. You water supply may well run out and you won't have electricity from the power grid. It just needs any of the lunatic countries that hoard nuclear weapons like Russia and the USA to push the button either on purpose for by accident. The doomsday clock is only TWO MINUTES TO MIDNIGHT. Nuclear attack might not be a matter of if, but when: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_nuclear_close_calls

But if you have a ham radio you will be able to communicate, assuming your infrastructure is destroyed and you were not vaporised. If this sounds far fetched, look what happened in Cyclone Tracey in 1974 which wiped out an entire city of Darwin. Ham radio was the ONLY form of communication to the outside world for several days. The main link was between a ham with a generator in Darwin and a ham in Melbourne.
 
If the doomsday happens, ham radio could also be used to coordinate emergency relief. And be used as an aid to hunt down the leaders of the countries that fired the nukes.

A film worth seeing is the 1964 film "Fail Safe". Such a scenario it is very possible. It almost happened in 1983.
AllTheGearNoIdea:
I have SDR but I prefer a real radio. Doesn’t have to be amazing I like old valve based communication receivers something  about the tactile nature of heavy switches, weighted tuning knobs and hot valves.  A good long wire and long wire tuner is essential. I would also recommend a separate clean Earth if that can be arranged. Lots still out there for listening and enjoy

Chris.
fourfathom:

--- Quote from: edy on December 06, 2019, 06:34:16 am ---Two of which I have seen some reviews for are Tecsun PL-310ET (digital) for $45, and Tecsun R-909 (analog tuner) for under $20.
--- End quote ---

That Tecsun 310 looks OK.  It has digital tuning and has a BFO (which means it is capable of receiving single sideband and CW).  With a long-ish wire external antenna it will work pretty well.  A ham radio will have better performance (and virtually any ham rig built in the last 20 years will have a full-range receiver), but the Tecsun will get you started.  Even with the built-in whip antenna you will hear plenty of signals, if you listen on the right frequency at the right time.
edy:
Thanks again for all the suggestions. I've heard back from a few HAM clubs, I may go to a meeting soon and see what is going on. Meanwhile a few ways I can learn more is read some intro books and I found a page on Ultralight DXing here: http://www.hard-core-dx.com/nordicdx/dxlab/mwdx.html

It talks about MW... I'm sure after reading a few books and getting to know the lingo I'll know more about what MW, SW, channels, etc... what it all means. I'm still on the fence but seems like the easiest way to start experiencing the hobby is to pick up an inexpensive MW/SW digital receiver. Even if I am limited by it as time goes on, it is not a huge upfront investment. While I like the RTL-SDR idea, I'm not so sure it is convenient especially if I want to have something bedside at night and plug in a headset before going to sleep, or if I am on a road trip or travel and curious to listen to stuff along the way.

I hope it's not a hobby going extinct, although I imagine as the folks involve age there is more incentive to keep the young ones interested (and now you compete with many more hobbies that seem to attract young ones) to pick up the torch.
jonovid:
Shortwave long wire antenna best is for 10 to 3MHz
urban area RF noise is your biggest problem , this will help
on my antenna setup , the jack gos to a Tecsun PL660 shortwave radio
update
added the link
http://users.telenet.be/d.rijmenants/en/swl.htm
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