Shortwave radio retains its longtime magic

By BILL HUSTED

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

May 27, 2007

I've been hearing voices for years. Strange music, too. While that bothers my wife, I can't imagine a world without those voices.

Sometimes the voices are clear, but my favorite times are when they are faint whispers that fade in and out of the static from the old shortwave receiver in my home office.

Radio broadcasting is an analog technology in a digital world — yet each time I write about it, I hear from readers who find it either reawakens an old interest in shortwave listening, or creates a new one.

Stay tuned and I'll tell you why.

Maybe it's because we're dealing with magic here. Being completely practical about shortwave radio is as silly as being practical about golf or fishing. But for those who want practical benefits, shortwave broadcasting has some.

It offers a broader perspective on the world than any TV program or newspaper. Shortwave lets you pull up a chair and listen for as long as you'd like to the news, music and popular programs of other lands. There's something about hearing the voices that helps a person understand.

There's also no better way to refresh language skills than listening to native speakers.

But the people who eventually find themselves pulled into the static end up staying because of the magic. It's very much like fishing; you never quite know what you'll pull in.

So how do you sample this hobby? The good news is, it's a lot cheaper than computing. Sony and Grundig make excellent portable shortwave receivers for $200 or less. Even with the built-in antenna, you can cruise the world because commercial broadcasters pump out such strong signals.

Browse amateur radio catalogs online for a receiver in your price range. Ham Radio Outlet can be found at hamradio.com. Amateur Electronic Supply at aesham.com is another good source. A low-cost portable from either one is a good way to start.

For computer lovers, several manufacturers make shortwave receivers designed to be connected to — and controlled by — a computer. These radios are very sophisticated and yet — because your computer does much of the work — the cost isn't much higher than for buying a low-end portable.

My favorite of these computer/radio hybrids is from Ten-Tec. Read about it at radio.tentec.com/Amateur/Receivers/TT320.

Reluctant to spend much money on what may be a passing interest? Fortunately there are ways to ease into the hobby.

First, consider a book called "Passport to World Band Radio 2007." Besides offering an easy-to-understand introduction, you'll get honest reviews of every radio on the market. If you decide to buy a radio, the book has information about commercial shortwave broadcasters, including schedules and program guides.

You can find the book online at passband.com. You may also find a review — originally published in this column — on that site. It's a favorable review but, I promise, I have no financial interest in the book.

Several Web sites allow you to tune a remote shortwave receiver as if you were sitting at the controls. You can listen with your computer's speakers. Now that's real magic. Try these sites:

www.chilton.com/scripts/radio/R8-receiver

www.ralabs.com/webradio/

www.smeter.net/links/other-receivers.php