Author Topic: Shortwave radio (Read 2042 times)

Che Gookin · « **on:** September 24, 2009, 07:17:52 AM »

I've been home sick most of this week from some god awful respitory infection (swine flu or the black death, not sure which). To fill some of my downtime, and I have plenty of it, I've been using a website to learn morse code. My grandfather was a big radio buff back in the 1930s and had all his radio gear confiscated by the British Government at the start of WW2. That was the last he saw of it, but I have a few pleasant memories of spending time with my grandad learning about morse code and shortwave radios.

Sadly, most of these memories are gone now. To sort of touch base with those fonder moments I had with the irascible old coot I went out and bought one of those survival shortwave radio recievers. Oddly enough they were offered right next to some high powered rifle scopes. And this is China I'm talking about.. they don't even sell rifles here. But they do sell enough crap, electronically speaking, to run an entire insurgency if you have the know how.

I digress..

Does anyone know anything about shortwave radio?

Here is the one I bought:

I'm thinking if I get into this sort of thing I'll buy something a bit more powerful if I can afford it.

Anonymous · « **Reply #1 on:** September 24, 2009, 09:41:28 AM »

My grand mother had a large and powerful short wave receiver that I used to love fiddling with. You could run across some very interesting things. I onced picked up a Russian language speech where the speaker was going on about "Neexon"!

Che Gookin · « **Reply #2 on:** September 24, 2009, 10:23:06 AM »

I can't hear shit.. I did some googling and it appears that I'll need to build an antenna. I'm trying to figure out how I'll explain this to my neighboors.. probably just pass it off as a clothesline.

Anonymous · « **Reply #3 on:** September 24, 2009, 12:15:07 PM »

Quote from: "Che Gookin"

. probably just pass it off as a clothesline.

because there are soooo....sooooo soooooo many of those in china. when i went there....on some streets, the clothes blocked out daylight...it was like a twilight zone or some shit. every window of ever floor had some line with clothes on it....clothes drying ten stories tall. I can imagine though, that its actually more sanitary than a dryer. all that pollution, i doubt many living things could grow on those pollution-soaked clothes.

Che Gookin · « **Reply #4 on:** September 24, 2009, 12:50:20 PM »

Sweet, fellow China hand.. Where you be reppin' China wise?

Che Gookin · « **Reply #5 on:** September 24, 2009, 01:22:55 PM »

Woo hoo.. I think I just picked up the Voice of America.. not sure though.. it was pretty crappy sounding.. but it was in English.. could have been the BBC.. Definitely need to build a proper antenna.

try another castle · « **Reply #6 on:** September 25, 2009, 05:21:47 AM »

I've always wanted a short wave radio. The only one I ever had was the one you'd build from a radio shack kit. The one I tried as a kid I could never get to work. I tried one later on a lark and it was only some cheapo thing.

Actually, Im more interested in building a short wave radio as opposed to simply owning one, now that I think about it.

Che Gookin · « **Reply #7 on:** September 25, 2009, 06:28:49 AM »

http://http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/OSCAR

Oh man.. this looks awesome. I'd get the equipment I need for transmitting but I think the Chinese government would quite understand it when they pick me up for transmitting, "Oscar, Oscar, I herd u liek mudkipz, Come in Oscar.."

You can buy a cheap little thing for just a few dollars. I went and bought a roll of copper wire, an alligator clip, and a pair of wire clippers to try to improve my reception. Though as far as making one that sounds interesting as well. I bet making a small one wouldn't be all that difficult.

Che Gookin · « **Reply #8 on:** September 25, 2009, 07:04:49 AM »

http://http://www.nasa.gov/missions/shuttle/f_hamradio.html

Ok god damn it.. Now I'm hooked.

try another castle · « **Reply #9 on:** September 25, 2009, 07:09:37 AM »

If there were any doubt before, you are now officially a nerd. You like ham radios.

welcome to the fold.

Che Gookin · « **Reply #10 on:** September 25, 2009, 07:14:14 AM »

time to get drunk, get into a fight, fornicate with many women, and rape a shetland pony to shake this geekness.

try another castle · « **Reply #11 on:** September 25, 2009, 08:48:26 PM »

Just as long as you're not simultaneously having a conversation about whether Kirk or Picard was the better captain, you'll be fine.

Ponies like Kirk, I've heard.

Che Gookin · « **Reply #12 on:** September 26, 2009, 06:39:42 AM »

I just ordered this little number today. Cost me under fifty dollars us and I can run an antenna out to a tree and feed it into the unit rather than clipping it to the telescoping antenna.

SWL is an addicting hobby, I've already tried getting up stupid early to catch the BBC broadcast. Not going to bugger about with that again, no sir. I like my sleep more than I do listening to a bunch of limeys cunting about on the radio. I also picked up a soldering iron, solder, soldering paste, extra speaker, digital meter, and some other doo-dads to make a sound system for my bedroom so that I can make my entire building shake when I'm watching a movie (cough.. porn).

try another castle · « **Reply #13 on:** September 26, 2009, 07:05:28 AM »

holy shit. you are seriously fucking hooked.

awesome!

Che Gookin · « **Reply #14 on:** September 26, 2009, 11:20:53 AM »

A bit, yes.

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