Choosing a Shortwave Radio

Choosing a shortwave radio can seem overwhelming. Technical specifications for shortwave radio sets confuse newcomers to the hobby, and it’s easy to buy a shortwave radio that doesn’t meet your needs. However, with a basic understanding of the different types of shortwave radios, you'll have no problem choosing the right shortwave radio for you.

Your reasons for listening to shortwave radio determine, in part, whether you choose a Sony shortwave radio, a Grundig shortwave radio or a Kenwood.

 

You may want to tune into the hundreds of foreign shortwave stations for news and music. Or perhaps you want to listen in on the CB and ham radio operators. Some shortwave hobbyists enjoy the challenge of tuning into very faint shortwave radio signals and, consequently, require radios with high-end receivers and external antennas.

 

The following are a few factors that you should keep in mind when choosing a shortwave radio.

Portability is a factor when choosing a shortwave radio. Do you want a small radio you can easily pack when camping or traveling?

 

Portable shortwave radios are convenient but often lack the power and capabilities of a tabletop shortwave radio. Tabletop shortwave radios are larger, heavy and certainly not designed to be thrown into a suitcase.

Many ham shortwave hobbyists choose not to choose and own both portable and tabletop radios.

Shortwave frequencies range from 2,300 to 26,100 kHz, but shortwave radios vary in their coverage. The wider the coverage range, the more stations you can receive. The minimum frequency range you should consider when choosing a shortwave radio is 5730 to 21850 kHz.

SSB, or single side band, frequencies are used by CB ham operators and are included on many shortwave radios. Shortwave hobbyists can also tune into naval and shipping transmissions, military frequencies and aviation transmissions.

A digital frequency tuner is preferable to the dial tuners seen on some shortwave radios. Digital tuners allow users to tune into shortwave signals with much greater accuracy.

Portable shortwave radios come with built-in antenna, which are okay for listening to the big international stations but may not be able to detect weaker signals. Built-in antennas have another drawback: they don’t work well in steel frame buildings.

Tabletop shortwave radios have jacks for external antennas. External antennas provide much better reception than a built-in model. Some portable shortwave radios include both a built-in antenna and an external antenna jack.

Shortwave radios come with a wide variety of features that, while not essential, can add to your listening pleasure. Here are a few options to consider:

The shortwave radio market is dominated by brands such as Sony, Kenwood, Grundig, Cobra and Galaxy. Portable Sony shortwave radios average $150, a price matched by Grundig shortwave radios.

Tabletop shortwave radios average from $200 to $300 to models that cost several thousand dollars. Some, such as Galaxy radio’s CB / Ham shortwave systems allow you to transmit on CB frequencies as well as receive signals. Cobra radios' CB/Ham shortwave model also has this capability.

Several brands also offer emergency shortwave radios that can be charged with a hand crank. Although their use as hobby radios is limited, an emergency shortwave radio is a valuable resource if you live in a disaster-prone area.