{"id":46561,"date":"2020-11-20T09:23:46","date_gmt":"2020-11-20T13:23:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=46561"},"modified":"2020-11-20T09:23:46","modified_gmt":"2020-11-20T13:23:46","slug":"the-best-radio-you-have-is-the-one-in-front-of-you","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2020\/11\/the-best-radio-you-have-is-the-one-in-front-of-you\/","title":{"rendered":"The best radio you have is the one in front of you"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

This autumn, I’ve received a number of emails from new readers who’ve dusted off the radio in their closet and decided to get back into shortwave radio listening and\/or ham radio.<\/p>\n

I can’t recall another time I’ve gotten so<\/em> many similar messages and I can only attribute it to the fact so many people across the globe are still having to social distance<\/a> due to the C-19 pandemic.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

There’s.a common theme in the messages I’ve been receiving from readers. Here’s an excerpt from the latest message (note that I removed the model name from this question because, frankly, it’s irrelevant<\/em>):<\/p>\n

“[My radio] seems to be in great working order. It’s been stored in a climate controlled environment and besides needing a little DeOxit on some of the pots, it works like new. I couldn’t be happier! My question to you is, this model is from the 1990s when I used to be hot and heavy into radio. I know technology has advanced by leaps and bounds since then, so as I get back into radio maybe I should invest in a newer model? What do you think or suggest?”<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

It’s true that radio technology has gone through a massive number of innovations since the 1990s. We’ve seen the advent of Software Defined Radios and portable receivers\/transceivers sporting DSP technology.\u00a0 Far be it from me to dissuade anyone<\/em> from acquiring new gear!<\/p>\n

With that said, I also believe that the best radio you have is the one in front of you. Period.<\/strong><\/p>\n

Listening is a skill<\/h1>\n

You can’t buy it. Whether you’re an SWL or ham radio operator, most of the time you’re on the air, you’re listening. And the best filter you have is the one in your head. I’ll quote from an article I posted many moons ago<\/a>:<\/p>\n

My good friend\u00a0Vlado (N3CZ)<\/a>\u00a0is a case in point: he is one of the most capable ham radio DXers I know. His extraordinary ability to pull intelligible conversations and CW (Morse code) out of the static, even in crowded radio conditions, is simply astounding. Vlado\u2019s main transceiver is nearly two decades old, and by no means a benchmark technically. If you ask Vlad if he uses filters and digital signal processing, he will wisely tell you, in his Macedonian accent: \u201cYour best filter is between your ears.\u201d<\/i><\/p>\n

The same goes for SWLing. I have spent enough time listening to shortwave and weak DX that I can now pull conversations out of the noise that my (non-radio) friends can barely detect. I\u2019m convinced this is healthy exercise for the old grey matter.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n

A seasoned radio enthusiast can grab any<\/em> radio and make the most of it.<\/p>\n

Imagine what Joe Walsh could do with a toy guitar…<\/h1>\n

Do you think the guitar<\/em> makes him one of the greatest guitarists of all time?<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

Many of the advances in technology over the past two or three decades has, of course, given us better tools for working weak signals. But more importantly, it’s brought down the price of performance<\/em>. I can invest $200 in an SDR that will perform as well as or better than multi thousand dollar benchmark receivers from the 1990s. So yes, in terms of equipment, it’s a brilliant time to be an SWL or ham radio operator.<\/p>\n

\"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

But at the end of the day, your skills are more important your gear<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

My advice?<\/h1>\n

\"\"<\/a>Make the most of the radio you have<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Challenge yourself to log a certain amount of DX with your radio<\/a>–try to work states, counties, provinces, regions, territories, or countries. Make your own goals!<\/p>\n

Take your radio to the field<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Experiment with antennas<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Get to know your radio so well you can use it blindfolded!<\/em><\/p>\n

If you still feel you want to invest more in your gear, go for it and don’t look back!<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n

That will be all.<\/p>\n

-Thomas<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

This autumn, I’ve received a number of emails from new readers who’ve dusted off the radio in their closet and decided to get back into shortwave radio listening and\/or ham radio. I can’t recall another time I’ve gotten so many similar messages and I can only attribute it to the fact so many people across […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"font":"","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[545,3,305,43],"tags":[1481,4102,2828,1480,34,681],"class_list":["post-46561","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-ham-radio","category-news","category-nostalgia","category-shortwave-radio","tag-art-of-listening","tag-ham-radio","tag-listening-tips","tag-radio-listening","tag-shortwave","tag-vintage-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-c6Z","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":47950,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/02\/what-is-your-favorite-general-coverage-transceiver-for-shortwave-listening\/","url_meta":{"origin":46561,"position":0},"title":"What’s your favorite general coverage transceiver for shortwave listening?","author":"Thomas","date":"February 28, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Yesterday, at the (Virtual) 2021 Winter SWL Fest, I gave a presentation about QRP general coverage transceivers that I regularly use for shortwave broadcast listening (SWLing). My discussion was limited to QRP--or low-power--transceivers designed for portable use, but they only represent a small fraction of the new and used transceivers\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Kenwood-TS-590SG-e1614517402620.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Kenwood-TS-590SG-e1614517402620.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Kenwood-TS-590SG-e1614517402620.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/02\/Kenwood-TS-590SG-e1614517402620.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":50625,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/10\/ham-radio-workbench-episode-explores-diversity-reception\/","url_meta":{"origin":46561,"position":1},"title":"Ham Radio Workbench episode explores Diversity Reception","author":"Thomas","date":"October 23, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"I just finished listening to the most recent episode of the Ham Radio Workbench with John Fallows (VE6EY) as a guest. John is an SWL and Ham Radio operator and speaks at length about how he uses diversity reception to mitigate persistent local RFI (radio frequency interference). If you have\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Antennas"","block_context":{"text":"Antennas","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/antennas\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/SDRplay-RSPduo-Antenna-ports.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/SDRplay-RSPduo-Antenna-ports.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/SDRplay-RSPduo-Antenna-ports.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/05\/SDRplay-RSPduo-Antenna-ports.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":13548,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/06\/lewis-bush-seeking-london-radio-listening-posts\/","url_meta":{"origin":46561,"position":2},"title":"Lewis Bush seeks London radio listening posts","author":"Thomas","date":"June 11, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"Photographer, Lewis Bush, is seeking ham radio stations and shortwave listening posts in the London, England area. Lewis writes to the SWLing Post: I'm working on a project which involves trying to locate and map possible broadcast sites for numbers stations (confirmed, suspected, and some highly unlikely) for an eventual\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Art"","block_context":{"text":"Art","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/art-2\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"Crosley-Dial-BlackAndWhite","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Crosley-Dial-BlackAndWhite.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Crosley-Dial-BlackAndWhite.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Crosley-Dial-BlackAndWhite.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/06\/Crosley-Dial-BlackAndWhite.jpg?resize=700%2C400 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":16752,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2016\/01\/maritime-emergency-ham-radio-recording\/","url_meta":{"origin":46561,"position":3},"title":"Maritime emergency ham radio recording","author":"Thomas","date":"January 18, 2016","format":false,"excerpt":"An SWLing Post reader recently sent me the following YouTube video--a recording\u00a0Hanz (W1JSB) made on the 20 meter ham band several years ago.\u00a0Here's his description from YouTube: Several years ago I was tuning around the 20 meter amateur radio band and heard this lively, engaging, and impressive exchange on the\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Ham Radio"","block_context":{"text":"Ham Radio","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/ham-radio\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"maritime-exchange","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/maritime-exchange.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/maritime-exchange.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2016\/01\/maritime-exchange.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":14998,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2015\/10\/share-a-photo-of-your-shack-or-listening-post-for-a-chance-to-win-a-grundig-g2\/","url_meta":{"origin":46561,"position":4},"title":"Share a photo of your shack or listening post for a chance to win a Grundig G2","author":"Thomas","date":"October 3, 2015","format":false,"excerpt":"[UPDATE: We have a winner! If you didn't win, fear not! Follow this link for future contests.] Want\u00a0to share your shack or listening post with the world on the SWLing Post?\u00a0Want a chance to win a Grundig G2? If so, keep reading...! This month, we'll be\u00a0collecting photos of our readers'\u00a0listening\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Contests"","block_context":{"text":"Contests","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/contests\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"The listening post and ham radio shack of Giuseppe Morl\u00e8 (IZ0GZW) from Ponza Island, Italy.","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Shack-listen-and-qrp-iz0gzw-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Shack-listen-and-qrp-iz0gzw-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/Shack-listen-and-qrp-iz0gzw-1024x768.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":47137,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/01\/patrick-asks-was-james-bond-a-ham-radio-operator-and-shortwave-listener\/","url_meta":{"origin":46561,"position":5},"title":"Patrick asks: “Was James Bond a ham radio operator and shortwave listener?”","author":"Thomas","date":"January 2, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Patrick, who writes: Many of us have more time during the holiday season to watch good old movies on either streaming services or just old-time DVD. My favourite pastime is to watch James Bond movies, based on the books by Ian Fleming. The iconic\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Fullscreen-capture-4182017-123643-PM.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Fullscreen-capture-4182017-123643-PM.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Fullscreen-capture-4182017-123643-PM.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/04\/Fullscreen-capture-4182017-123643-PM.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46561","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=46561"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/46561\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=46561"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=46561"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=46561"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}