Anyone into Shortwave Radio

kevhed72

I have dabbled with 2 handheld Tecsun radios in the past and they broke pretty quickly. Something about being able to pull in signals from far away and listen in to news, propaganda, and religious extremism interests me; not that I subscribe to the latter 2, but more along the lines of people slowing down to gape at a car wreck. This radio seems to be the ticket, although my research on tuners was very brief. Any else into shortwave?

mhardy6647

There's not much left to listen to and Mrs. H hates the static and noise -- and tuning -- so it's a bit of a clandestine activity... but, yeah, I loves me some DXing. Any band.
Just the thing for long, cold, dark winter nights.

Panasonic and Sony and Grundig (e.g.) all made nice statement multiband radios (mostly in the form of portables). The good SW portables and luggables still command outrageous prices - as you've certainly noticed.

I don't have a single good communications receiver* -- but I have a few OK ones. I quite like this lower-end, mid-60s National. Not to be confused with Panasonic's "National" brand of the 1960s; this is from National Radio Corp.



Although, truth be told, a dump-find "Grundig" (Eton) S350 is my de facto winter night AM and SW DXer.


(random internet photo of the same model)

I'd like to have a dual-conversion Hammerlund, I think. Something like this one from the early '60s would do just fine.


source: https://www.alliedcatalogs.com/flipbook/1962_allied_radio_catalog.html

but...



EDIT: Oh, I forgot to mention -- I'd be really tempted, in this day and age, to play with SDR (Software-defined radio), which is really radio, but basically receives the whole radio spectrum at once and the 'tuning' and detection and whatnot is done in silico (as they say).

__________________
* Well, I do have one. Kinda. Sorta.
Needs a little TLC.





This one's a National, too. Pride of Malden, MA

mhardy6647

Heck, as long as I am dreaming... I mean... it would be nice to have a Collins R-390 or R-390A
The CIA/NSA grade communications receiver.

I know several people who (each) have several of them.





Internet images.

kevhed72

Those Collins units command a huge price tag and look to be nearly indestructible. I just remembered I have the house wires to a huge aerial antenna in the attic, so if I score the Panasonic I will have some experimenting to do.

sucks2beme

Used to listen a lot in my youth. Had a realistic dx-150.
Had a Yaesu frg7 with a digital display adapter, and a
bunch of accessories I bought at an estate sale. That was a
serious unit, just never really got a great antenna setup.
Anymore, shortwave has emptied out. Not much going on.
Much like a police scanner. Police went trunked, then digital
Trunked, now they went to p25 phase II. In simple terms,
that made everything obsolete several times. And big $$$
to upgrade. You're looking at at leat $500 and over to listen
now in many cities. And if they go to encryption, forget it.
No way to listen. The local police and fire just converted over
here in May. So my scanner is sitting Ina box.good thing I
only paid $30 for it a couple years ago at an estate sale.

SCompRacer

When I was14, my first ever build was a Heathkit GR-64 shortwave radio. That was in the mid-sixties. It either didn't receive well or had a volume issue, so I had to troubleshoot. I remember touching or squeezing a ceramic disc capacitor and it started working properly. I stuck a small alligator clip on it until I received a replacement. I worked with my pops (plumbing), and he tossed some cash my way. IIRC, that was my first big expenditure...lol

I have this Northern Worldwide Multiband. Don't recall where I got it.

mhardy6647

There's about 97% of a Heathkit GR-74 down inna basement. Dump find (of course).
I cobbled up a set of tubes for it once, long ago. I might have even tried it with them installed. If I did, I tried once, unsuccessfully, and off to the darker, drearier reaches of the MA basement... only to be moved to NH... to occupy the same ecological niche.

I am getting the urge to take a census of multiband radios on the premises.
You have been warned!

kevhed72

The above pictured Panasonic went for 405 plus shipping.....gasp....way out of my price range.

mhardy6647

Price seems about right, maybe even a bit on the low side, after a quick perusal of eBAY.

You really might want to look for one of those little Grundig S350s I mentioned. Should be inexpensive, works pretty well, easy to use, and will likely hold up better (based solely on the one here) than what you've been using. No BFO nor product detector, so no good for SSB or CW, but fine for general SWL (and not bad for AM DX, with an external antenna connection), and decent for FM, too. Headphone output is stereo for FM (switchable), and it even has line-level stereo outputs, so it can be used as a multi-band tuner.

Speaking of multi-band tuners, a Fisher R-200B would be pretty darned cool. One of those'd be pricey, too, though.



source: https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Catalogs/Lafayette-Catalogs/Lafayette-1969-690.pdf


Random internet photo of an R-200B. I, sadly, don't have one.

Kex

I used to love SW radio, for things like the BBC World Service. Now I just use my  Music subscription to get any radio station I want. YMMV 🤷‍♂️

kevhed72

Well I went with a sensible purchase of a Grundig S350DL to see how much time I would spend dialing in stations on the deck.

EndersShadow

Calling @CoolJazz

GlennDog

Hey Kev,

Here’s the latest c.crane catalog ....good company, good products

https://ccrane.com/catalog-request/?trk_msg=3D98H7PMSIB4J6639N88SOE180&trk_contact=VM3EFDUV5U5QD6KUPBB6A58QNK&trk_sid=M53UMKQGEGEMBTJIQLK18QPDAC&trk_link=VU3959VQTLCK7ABK63C8RVHBTS&utm_source=Listrak&utm_medium=Email&utm_term=New+Annual+Catalog&utm_campaign=New+Annual+Catalog+Is+Here!

davissgurban

SCompRacer wrote: »

When I was14, my first ever build was a Heathkit GR-64 shortwave radio. That was in the mid-sixties. It either didn't receive well or had a volume issue, so I had to troubleshoot. I remember touching or squeezing a ceramic disc capacitor and it started working properly. I stuck a small alligator clip on it until I received a replacement. I worked with my pops (plumbing), and he tossed some cash my way. IIRC, that was my first big expenditure...lol

I have this Northern Worldwide Multiband. Don't recall where I got it.

SCompRacer wrote: »

When I was14, my first ever build was a Heathkit GR-64 shortwave radio. That was in the mid-sixties. It either didn't receive well or had a volume issue, so I had to troubleshoot. I remember touching or squeezing a ceramic disc capacitor and it started working properly. I stuck a small alligator clip on it until I received a replacement. I worked with my pops (plumbing), and he tossed some cash my way. IIRC, that was my first big expenditure...lol

I have this Northern Worldwide Multiband. Don't recall where I got it.

just wow this is amazing i love it so much. Such a rare thing, and what a story it has, I am delighted

davissgurban

SCompRacer wrote: »

When I was14, my first ever build was a Heathkit GR-64 shortwave radio. That was in the mid-sixties. It either didn't receive well or had a volume issue, so I had to troubleshoot. I remember touching or squeezing a ceramic disc capacitor and it started working properly. I stuck a small alligator clip on it until I received a replacement. I worked with my pops (plumbing), and he tossed some cash my way. IIRC, that was my first big expenditure...lol

I have this Northern Worldwide Multiband. Don't recall where I got it.

SCompRacer wrote: »

When I was14, my first ever build was a Heathkit GR-64 shortwave radio. That was in the mid-sixties. It either didn't receive well or had a volume issue, so I had to troubleshoot. I remember touching or squeezing a ceramic disc capacitor and it started working properly. I stuck a small alligator clip on it until I received a replacement. I worked with my pops (plumbing), and he tossed some cash my way. IIRC, that was my first big expenditure...lol
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I have this Northern Worldwide Multiband. Don't recall where I got it.

I would really like to buy one, but I can't find it, maybe someone is selling it?

treitz3

EndersShadow wrote: »

Calling @CoolJazz

I believe he moved up North and changed his number. I have an email to contact him with, though. I will reach out to him.

Tom

SCompRacer

Here is a WWII fixer upper in MI. Was fungicide treated in 1945. 1.5-18MHz. 12-14v or 115v power. 95 bucks, facebook marketplace. No afil.

pitdogg2

Cool piece!

mhardy6647

SCompRacer wrote: »

Here is a WWII fixer upper in MI. Was fungicide treated in 1945. 1.5-18MHz. 12-14v or 115v power. 95 bucks, facebook marketplace. No afil.

I think it'll need to be retreated by now.

mhardy6647

davissgurban wrote: »

SCompRacer wrote: »

When I was14, my first ever build was a Heathkit GR-64 shortwave radio. That was in the mid-sixties. It either didn't receive well or had a volume issue, so I had to troubleshoot. I remember touching or squeezing a ceramic disc capacitor and it started working properly. I stuck a small alligator clip on it until I received a replacement. I worked with my pops (plumbing), and he tossed some cash my way. IIRC, that was my first big expenditure...lol

I have this Northern Worldwide Multiband. Don't recall where I got it.

SCompRacer wrote: »

When I was14, my first ever build was a Heathkit GR-64 shortwave radio. That was in the mid-sixties. It either didn't receive well or had a volume issue, so I had to troubleshoot. I remember touching or squeezing a ceramic disc capacitor and it started working properly. I stuck a small alligator clip on it until I received a replacement. I worked with my pops (plumbing), and he tossed some cash my way. IIRC, that was my first big expenditure...lol
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I have this Northern Worldwide Multiband. Don't recall where I got it.

I would really like to buy one, but I can't find it, maybe someone is selling it?

Looks like a Sangean OEM radio. EDIT: More that I look, I am leaning towards Tecsun as the OEM rather than Sangean.

Should be easy to find something similar or identical (although the brand name may vary) on eBAY -- did you look at C Crane's current offerings?

Emlyn

My dad (former intel officer) was really into radio communications when I was growing up and had a couple of Grundig models I was allowed to play around with. Pretty cool back then. He had postcards and stuff from all over the world. Must admit I haven't even thought of shortwave as a viable broadcasting thing for years. My dad still has his shortwave setup but he's more into internet now.