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Shortwave Listening (SWL)


At our Caterham Radio (Amateur) Group where we set-up and run an
Amateur Radio Special Event Stations (SES) at RAF Kenley Airfield events.

Where we demonstrate operating our 'vintage' radio equipment talking to other Radio amateurs around the world.
We all started as a SWL.

As an introduction to Short Wave Listening (SWL) to be able to tune around and listen on the Broadcast bands (Frequencies)
LW(Long Wave) MW(Medium Wave) 520-1620 kHz SW(Short Wave) 1621-29999kHz
FM (VHF) 87.5-108MHz

Modulation modes FM, AM,
SSB(LSB/USB)Lower and Upper Sideband, CW(Morse Code)
or SSB/CW with BFO (Beat Frequency Oscillator)

G4APL has a portable transistor Radio that he sometimes uses to listen around the Short Wave Bands including the VHF Broadcast frequencies
.
Or you could connect remotely via the Internet to Short Wave Radios run by others.

It's not the same as using your own radio with a wire aerial (better reception) or the built in Whip Aerial that came with a Shortwave portable radio receiver.
Or course you may already have one in your home that covers some of the frequencies listed below.

You can also get the parts to build your own Software Designed Radio (SDR) as G4APL did as a self learning exercise. refer to the section Raspberry Pi SDR (Software Defined Receiver) Server

Amateur Radio Frequencies to get started try:-
1.800-2.000MHZ 160metres LSB Listen around 1.900MHz
3.500-3.800MHz 80metres LSB Listen around 3.700MHz
7.000-7.200MHz 40Metres LSB Listen around 7.070MHz

10.100-10.150MHz 30Metres USB
14.000-14.350MHz 20Metres USB Listen around 14.200MHz
18.068-18.168MHz 17Metres USB

21.000-21.450MHz 15Metres USB Listen around 21.250MHz
24.890-24.990MHz 12Metres USB
28.000-29.700MHz 10Metres USB Listen around 28.470MHz

VHF Frequencies (FM/USB)
50.000-52.200MHz 6Metres USB Listen around 50.175MHz
70.000-70.500MHz 4Metres FM Listen around 70.300MHz
144.000-146.000MHz 2Metres FM Listen around 145.500MHz

Reviewed 17.12.2021