Quick Start Guide to Shortwave Listening (SWLing)

So, now that you have a shortwave radio, understand universal time, how to read shortwave frequencies in kHz & MHz, and how to find a broadcasting schedule--it's time to get on the air. In fact, based on the previous sections you've read, you may have already hopped onto the bands and have found a good broadcast.  Below you'll find a Quick Guide to getting on the air.  You can print this page and keep the Guide by your radio for quick reference until you get the hang of SWLing. SWLing in four easy steps:

1 - Check UTC


Find out what time it is in World Time or Universal Time (UTC)

2 - Check Schedule


Check your shortwave broadcast schedule of choice and look up stations based on current UTC

The listing, whether online or in a book, will always give the following information:

  • broadcasting station name
  • days broadcasts are made
  • the target geographic area (dedicated shortwave listeners don't care where the target geographic area is, by the way; they try to hear it anyway!)
  • the broadcast content type
  • broadcast frequencies (larger stations may easily broadcast on three frequencies at once)

3 - Turn On & Tune In


Turn on your radio and go to the best broadcast frequency based on the time of day. As a general rule of thumb, lower frequencies are better at nighttime, higher frequencies in daytime.
  • On a digital radio, simply input the frequency on the radio keypad or tune up/down to the frequency. Every digital radio is different, so consult your owner's manual for instructions.
  • On an analog radio, make sure you have the appropriate shortwave frequency band selected, then tune to the station frequency. Since analog dials are not as accurate as digital tuners, you may need to search a bit to find the broadcast you seek.

4 - Listen


Congratulations! Now you're SWLing!

After you've been tuning in to the world bands for a while, you'll get to know different broadcasters. Unlike your local news media, shortwave news travels with you. That's the glory of shortwave radio. It doesn't care about borders.

If you've found this guide helpful, please consider bookmarking the site and coming back in the future. I would love your feedback, especially if it helps make my guide easier to understand. Also, consider a donation to our sister project, Ears To Our World (ETOW). ETOW is a project that distributes shortwave radios to classrooms in the developing world. Read more about this on the a ETOW web site. Donations can be made securely through PayPal in the sidebar.

Steps to SWLing

1. Get a Radio
2. Learn About World Time
3. Find a Station
4. Tune in

It's that simple!

Teach your kids about shortwave

Turning on a radio and tuning in the world is not only educational, it's fun and easy. SWLing has been a catalyst for many professional careers in international fields, such as journalism, social sciences, and diplomacy. When your children listen to shortwave and are exposed to languages, stories, music and news from around the world, it sparks their imaginations like no other medium.

SWLing is inexpensive, and--despite this online guide--ultimately doesn't require that you own a computer, have internet service, nor does it require monthly subscription fees of any sort. It is, perhaps, one of today's most cost-effective educational tools you can get for your family.

So are you ready? All you need to do is obtain a good shortwave radio and read this complete, concise, and free shortwave guide.

Radio Magazines

There are several magazines that provide schedules, product reviews, frequency lists, and other articles of interest for SWLing. Here is a list of these publications: