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Any shortwave enthusiasts here?

Navy Chief

Navy Chief

Senior Member
I am thinking about buying a shortwave receiver to take with me, when we move to Costa Rica next Summer. Would appreciate advice on which way to go: old or new receiver? Brand?

As a kid, I had an old WW2 Hallicrafter. Wish I still had it. Heavy as all heck, but great radio. There are plenty of radios available nowadays: tube and digital. But which is best?

Also, am considering going for a Ham license. I understand the regulations have lessened....as morse code knowledge for the exam is no longer required? Thanks, NC
 
I was for 20 years a amateur radioman, my last licence was CX2AAA (in my country starts with CX or CW, in U.S. starts with N#... and ends with W#...), but I do not radio any more, because there is not much more interest, to day internet cover all social activities. I am 37 years old and I miss the CW era (Morse) which allowed me to make contacts with other stations in opossite site in the world.

So U first need to know "wich the requirements are for" is not the same if u want close contact (2 or 3 miles) I recomend VHF Band FM modulation . Very close contact UHF and long ranges for make contact with other countries HF but in upsideband or lowsideband modulation.

If u need a amateur radio licence in mostly cases (specialy in Latin America) u have start a process not so easy. but if u want family contact u may pay for local VHF frecuency (comertial use).
 
hawkeye52 said:
Chief, I have my grandfather's Hallicrafters S-40A. And it still works!

- H52
Click to expand...

I have a Panasonic RF-4900 Shortwave. I used to have a Hallicrafters Shortwave set too but I cannot remember what model. Hallicrafters were considered a very good product when I got mine years ago... and still are, if you can find one. Hang on to yours, Chief.

I remember back in the good ol' days of amateur radio, in order to get a "Technician Class License" you had to pass a code test, as well as know basic electronic principles and rules for amateur radio operation. These days you no longer need the code bit, and the license is a lot easier to obtain.

BB686:USA-flag:
 
Blackbird686 said:
I have a Panasonic RF-4900 Shortwave. I used to have a Hallicrafters Shortwave set too but I cannot remember what model. Hallicrafters were considered a very good product when I got mine years ago... and still are, if you can find one. Hang on to yours, Chief.

I remember back in the good ol' days of amateur radio, in order to get a "Technician Class License" you had to pass a code test, as well as know basic electronic principles and rules for amateur radio operation. These days you no longer need the code bit, and the license is a lot easier to obtain.

BB686:USA-flag:
Click to expand...

Well, I no longer have a shortwave radio. I WISH I still had that Hallicrafter. I like the Zenith Transoceanic, and will probably get one. The WW2 Hallicrafter is a anchor, and most likely would not survive shipping to CR. NC
 
Used to be big into radio listening. Had many older tube sets and newer digital ones. Digital sets have many features, programmable, hook into a computer and such. But one thing to know, the antenna is the key. The greatest radio in the world is useless without being able to receive a signal. Radio is not as popular today as it was with the internet, smart phones, satellites.
 
well my radio is gone, lol
a friend of mine who is a ham radio operater who has a whole room of radios came by yesterday and seen my radio which i just pulled out of the closet. he offered me $250 and without blinking an eye I said sold, hehehe.

I have an atenna tuner and once in the past I took my transalantic 7000 and with a piece of wire tied to a tree and to the tuner and was listening to africa and other places in the world.
 
This thread has brought back some fond memories of the late 1950's-early 1960's when my Dad was involved in the Ham hobby. He built a "radio shack" in one corner of our garage and my grandfather helped him put up a 60 Ft' mast for an antenna. Dad was a radioman on the Bremerton back in the early 1950's so it was no surprise that he used a Collins MBF Transciever that he had converted to a 10 meter along with another matching Collins done up at 6 meters. I can remember sitting out there in the garage on those summer nights when my Dad was home listening to guys in Europe or all the way across the country and he would have me write down the other guys contact information so we could exchange what were called "CQ" cards. Dad had a corkboard panel hung on the wall behind his radio gear that had many CQ cards tacked up on it to show off all the distant contacts we had. One of the few good memories I have of those times in my life....
 
I just bought a 1953 Hallicrafter, Model 38C from an antique radio dealer on the net. It will arrive this Friday! Now need to figure out an indoor antenna for now.... NC
 
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