Ham Radio → Re: Shortwave for dummies needed here...

A few specific things to try and see how you are doing...

2.5, 5, 10, 15, 20 Mhz. That's WWV out of Colorado, you should be able to pick up one of them at most any time, that should tell you around where to look. »www.nist.gov/physlab/div ··· /wwv.cfm

Armed Forces Radio... always Upper Side Band, they come in out of Key West, you should be able to get them in Florida pretty well. »myafn.dodmedia.osd.mil/S ··· ave.aspx

As was said above, Australia and Germany have two pretty broad networks of transmitters. I've confirmed Austraiia and Africa on nothing more than a 50' long wire for an antenna. Radio Havana is always loud here in Atlanta.

Good luck!

Also for now try plugging in the Power supply, I hear it does better with that than the internal 3v of battery. I have the same radio and it does Ok on SW when outside on the whip.

If you use the Antenna connection, make sure the antenna is on the TIP and you find a ground on the ring side.

Also, Unhook it from the Loop, it more than likely nulls out signals you receive. Better to just have the antenna running around.

Try to get wire outside too if you can.

That's one I was trying to pick up, but my radio doesn't have Upper Side Band.... just SSB.... Unless there is something I am not doing right...

SSB = Single Side Band which is either USB (Upper Side Band) or LSB (Lower Side Band). At least in the amateur bands, we transmit on USB or LSB to represent SSB. I don't know what specific shortwave stations might use, but USB = SSB in the amateur world.

So with an SSB capable receiver, I should be able to pick up a USB transmission....

I sooooooooooooo need to get my head in the books to get my Tech ticket.... but my AABC TBT comes first.... (for work)

In my (amateur) world, SSB is generic for either USB or LSB. I don't know on a SW receiver how/if it distinguishes or if it has to. I'm hoping one of the folks here that is a SWL listening can give you a definitive answer.

For Amateur, the generally accepted "standard" is Lower Sideband (LSB) on 7MHz and below, and Upper Sideband (USB) on 14MHz and above.
The Military uses Upper Sideband (USB) almost exclusively.
If the radio has a separate BFO (Beat Frequency Oscillator), then by using that, you should be able to select the sideband of interest.