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Why would a person want a shortwave receiver or shortwave radio? Most people want a reliable way to check for weather and news in cases of emergencies such as severe weather conditions such as hurricanes, floods or earthquakes. A shortwave receive or radio is a good way to get this emergency information. So just as one would stock food, first aid and water for emergencies, one should also have a good shortwave receiver or radio on hand. Shortwave(SW) may also be referred to as high frequency (HW)
But there are many other reasons to get a shortwave radio. They open the world to you. How would you like to hear radio broadcasts from Russia pr the Philippines?
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Because shortwave or SW frequencies pick up broadcast from around the world. AM or FM radio frequencies cannot do this.
Not only will you get radio broadcasts but you can also listening in on amateur radio citizens also know as HAM radio operators. Or you can hear stations just for weather reports or even hear airline pilots.
Now you can also get a shortwave receivers that lets you tune into broadcasts on the Internet. These are more specialized and may not be for everyone. Perhaps you may want to start with a regular shortwave receiver.
You can get a good portable SW radio but it may be limited in the band length that you can receive. But it may be perfect for emergency situations. Some of these portable SW radios are self-powered. that is to say they either use a crank to generate power to run the radio or may also use solar to re-charge the SW radio. Some provide a way to re-charge your cell phone too. As you can see these shortwaves are very handy to have in all situations.
Of course there is a wide range of prices as well as product features. You need to do some research before buying a SW radio. If you want it primarily for emergencies then perhaps a portable one that has a hand crank as well as battery and AC features would be best.
But you may decide to get a good SW radio because you enjoy listening to world news without an American slant or you have an interest in Guam or where ever.
Or you want to listen to the utility stations with weather alerts, marine updates, aviation news and even military communications. These are called “ute” broadcasts.
And if you are considering becoming an amateur radio enthusiast then again there are many amateur radio broadcasts or conversations to be found. Even some social revolutionary talk.
Some drawbacks of shortwave listening include a lack to consistently good reception. The shortwave frequencies may be affects by time of day, the season of the year or other atmospheric conditions such as sun spots.
But those who enjoy shortwave receivers don’t mind the distractions. It really is fun to hear far away broadcast or the variety of utility broadcast or even just listening in on amateur radio conversations.
So do some research and find the right shortwave receiver or radio to meet your needs. You’ll be happy you did.
Here’s an interesting video about HAM radio during the Katrina emergency.
