Shortwave radio is the medium used by many
international broadcasters to transmit their programming to the World (world band radio).
Shortwave Radio is similar to the local Mediumwave (AM) stations you can hear nearby
except that shortwave signals travel globally.
Shortwave broadcasters are found in the 2.3Mhz to 30Mhz band of
the radio spectrum. Despite what some think, you don't need some sort of super radio to
hear these broadcasts from across the world. All you need is a normal radio which can also
receive the short-wave radio band. Such radios can be very cheap, but remember, you get
what you pay for.
To hear International Broadcasters you can just use the
telescopic antenna as are found on many FM radios. However for reception of more exotic
international broadcasts you should simply attach a length of wire to your radio's antenna
or antenna jack.
A frequently asked question is how you can understand
broadcasters from all over the world due to the multitude of languages. Well fear not. The
vast majority of international broadcasters have programmes in English, many extensively,
such as the voice of Russia (Russia's
government run short-wave broadcaster) which has a 24hr English Service.
What should I expect when listening to short-wave? Well the audio
isn't FM quality by any means, but don't let this put you off, as the programming more
than makes up for the audio shortcomings. In several cases short-wave audio is as good as,
if not better than Medium wave (AM) broadcasters (especially if you've listened to Virgin
1215 or Talk Radio in the UK!) On other occasions interference from other stations and not
varying signal strength can cause listening difficulties.
Unlike the FM radio band, the short-wave frequencies are not as
well ordered. For example, stations can only be heard on part of the short-wave band
during certain hours of the day so they must make regular frequency changes. This
inevitably causes frequency clashes and interference between stations. The good news is
that many International Broadcasters use several frequencies at once, to ensure at least
one or more frequencies are free from interference and have a strong signal.
Short-waves run around the earth in big hops being reflected by
the ionosphere and the ground. The reflectiveness of the waves is dependant on the
intensity of the solar energy radiation from the ultraviolet zone. In the day time the
reflection capacity of the ionosphere layer is higher than during the night. Higher
frequencies tend to travel better during the day while lower frequencies travel better at
night.
What countries will I be able to hear? Well take your pick.
Due to the way short-wave signals travel around the Earth, you may be able to hear a
station on the other side of the world, but are unable to hear a station well nearby. As
an unwritten rule though, more local stations, that is stations on the same continent as
yourself, are likely to bring in stronger, more stable signals. Most countries of any size
have a short-wave station, and the size of the station is often reflective of the wealth
of a nation, but not always. That is, stations in Europe are likely to have more extensive
broadcasts than say stations in Africa, which may be simply providing a domestic radio
service.
Government funded stations tend to be forced to have extensive
transmissions in the native language(s) of the country, which other language services
often come a more distant second in the priorities of broadcasting. Fear not though, as
English is the most favoured of languages, especially as it is regarded as the
international language. Obviously stations tend to broadcast languages to where that
language is spoken most, so English is broadcast most to North America, Europe, Oceania
and also to Africa. It will be more difficult to receive some English broadcasts outside
of these areas, but far from impossible. Some stations, such as BBC, Voice of Russia etc.
broadcast English to just about everywhere in the world. Other stations broadcast the
native language of their country in such a way, often to places where the audience for
that language must be very small, but their government sees it as a priority. So don't be
suprised to hear languages such as German in places like North America or even Africa.
As for programming of international broadcasts, well it contains
a very varied selection. News is often the most favourite. The news service can also alter
depending on where you listen. In the developed world, the news broadcast will be a mix of
international news and news from the broadcasting country. The mixture between the two can
vary dramatically. In poorer countries, where information is rather scarce, there are also
news broadcasts about the listener's area, such as Asia or Africa.
Other popular genres of programming include music. Short-wave is
not the best medium for music transmission, but is popular nonetheless. Classical music
seems to be quite prevalent on the schedules of several broadcasters, which can be
irritating if you are not a fan of the genre. Perhaps it reflects the average age of the
listener. More modern music can be heard too. Pop music features heavily in Radio Kuwait's
schedule, which is basically an ex-pat station. Traditional Folk music can often be found
from stations in Europe and parts of Asia, while ethnic and cultural music are often found
in broadcasts from the Middle East and Africa, although the language of the broadcast may
not necessarily be English.
Telephone Order Hotline (0845)
3306 406
email andrew@ogormans.co.uk
Airband Radios
