{"id":50891,"date":"2021-11-17T07:51:29","date_gmt":"2021-11-17T11:51:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/?p=50891"},"modified":"2021-11-17T07:52:15","modified_gmt":"2021-11-17T11:52:15","slug":"jock-explores-the-essential-listening-post","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/11\/jock-explores-the-essential-listening-post\/","title":{"rendered":"Jock explores “The Essential Listening Post”"},"content":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post<\/em>\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Jock Elliott<\/a>, who shares the following guest post:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\n

\"\"<\/a>The Essential Listening Post<\/h1>\n

By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM<\/strong><\/p>\n

Listening to shortwave radio (or any radio, for that matter) is just plain fun.<\/p>\n

So what do you need to get in on the fun?<\/p>\n

A radio. With today\u2019s crop of portable SW radios, many of which have search and store capabilities, a newbie SWL can get started quickly without a lot fuss and bother and no extra stuff. Just hit the search and store function (it has different names on different radios), let the search function do its thing, and step through the memories to see what\u2019s out there. If your radio doesn\u2019t have search and store, you can just tune around to see what\u2019s currently broadcasting or, if you have a computer or smart phone, use it to explore one of the online directories like https:\/\/shortwaveschedule.com\/<\/a><\/p>\n

What follow next are some things that I\u2019ve found increase my enjoyment of SWLing.<\/p>\n

A log book.<\/strong> I use a dirt-cheap student\u2019s composition book. I write down the date, the time, the frequency, and what I heard, including the identity of the station and some description of the content of what I heard. Sometimes I note programs I want to listen to in the future.<\/p>\n

A clock<\/strong>, set to Universal Coordinated Time (UTC, formerly Greenwich Mean Time, also known by the military as Zulu time). You want that because UTC is what all the shortwave station schedules are based on. Fortunately, many of the modern portables have a built-in clock. Just set it to UTC. You can hear the current UTC by listening to the time stations on 5, 10, 15, or 20 megaHertz. There is also a time station on 3330 kHz. (And there are other time signals out there, perhaps some of the commenters below will chime in with their frequencies.) Checking the time stations will also give you an idea which bands are offering the best propagation.<\/p>\n

An external antenna<\/strong>. While an external antenna is not a necessity (many portables offer worthy performance without one), but it is nice to have one available when signals are faint; it will boost the signals you can hear. Many portables, like my Tecsun PL-880 and CCrane Skywave SSB, come with a wire accessory antenna \u2013 usually around 20 feet long or so \u2013 that can be clipped to the whip antenna or plugged into a dedicated antenna socket. If your radio didn\u2019t come with an accessory antenna, you can quickly and cheaply create one. Start with 20 feet of insulated wire and attach an alligator clip to it. Next, clip the assembly to the whip antenna on your portable radio. That\u2019s it. If you can, run it around near the ceiling of the room on the tops of window frames and bookcases and see how it works. If you have the ability to feed it out a window to a tree or dangle it from a balcony, great, but remember to bring it in when foul weather threatens. Never, ever, place an antenna where it could fall on a power line or a power line could fall on it.<\/p>\n

An atlas<\/strong>. It gives me particular pleasure to listen to shortwave (or hams for that matter) and to consult an atlas to look at the country where the signal originates. If you have a smart phone or computer, you can use an online atlas, but I prefer a paper atlas.<\/p>\n

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

The next items are definitely in the \u201cluxury\u201d accessory category.<\/p>\n

If you can\u2019t get enough of radio monitoring and want to beyond shortwave into the VHF and UHF frequencies, a scanner<\/strong> can do just that. I\u2019ve had good luck with the relatively inexpensive Uniden BC125AT. It receives on analog frequencies and does a good job monitoring transportation frequencies, such as aircraft, maritime, and railroads.<\/p>\n

Perhaps the ultimate \u201cgoodie\u201d for radio listening is a digital signal processing (DSP) device<\/strong>. DSP units, in general, are expensive. Recently, I tested the BHI Compact In-Line Noise Eliminating Module<\/a> and I found that it works really well for reducing noise and making listening more enjoyable.<\/p>\n

Finally, many radio monitors sing the praises of small loop antennas<\/strong> for offering superb signal capture and improving the performance of their listening posts. I have no direct experience with them, (yet!) but there is a wealth of information about them here: https:\/\/wiki.radioreference.com\/index.php\/Loops<\/a><\/p>\n

Now it\u2019s your turn: what, in your opinion, is essential for your listening post? Please comment!<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Jock Elliott, who shares the following guest post: The Essential Listening Post By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM Listening to shortwave radio (or any radio, for that matter) is just plain fun. So what do you need to get in on the fun? A radio. With today\u2019s crop of portable SW radios, many of […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","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":[4199,3194,627,2262,3,3196,26,43],"tags":[1643,4302,4342,9323,2258,756,4082],"class_list":["post-50891","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-accessories","category-guest-posts","category-how-to","category-listener-posts","category-news","category-portable-radio","category-radios","category-shortwave-radio","tag-antennas","tag-bhi-compact-in-line-noise-elimination-module","tag-guest-posts","tag-jock-elliott-kb2gom","tag-listening-post","tag-listening-posts","tag-shortwave-radio"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/pn3uc-deP","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":54111,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/09\/the-passing-of-a-compassionate-shortwave-listener-agnes-joan-negra\/","url_meta":{"origin":50891,"position":0},"title":"The passing of a compassionate shortwave listener, Agnes Joan Negra","author":"Jock Elliott","date":"September 20, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM I just received this: Dear Jock: It is with a heavy heart that I must report that 102 year old, Agnes Joan Negra passed away last Friday, peacefully, and at home. She went into Hospice care about three weeks ago. We had a private funeral for\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Guest Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Guest Posts","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/guest-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/09\/waves-of-hope.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200},"classes":[]},{"id":62590,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2025\/04\/the-great-ats-radio-challenge\/","url_meta":{"origin":50891,"position":1},"title":"The Great ATS Radio Challenge","author":"Jock Elliott","date":"April 16, 2025","format":false,"excerpt":"By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM Here is an idea thought up by a radio pal of mine, Andy, W2SRA. It\u2019s an exercise to get us operating our portable mutliband radios from manufacturers such as Grundig, Sony, XHDATA, Tecsun, Sangean, and so on. If you own a digital multiband radio that has\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ATS-challenge-001-001-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ATS-challenge-001-001-1024x768.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/04\/ATS-challenge-001-001-1024x768.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":49872,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2021\/08\/jock-discovers-the-joys-of-ats-tuning-with-the-c-crane-cc-skywave-ssb\/","url_meta":{"origin":50891,"position":2},"title":"Jock discovers the joys of ATS tuning with the C.Crane CC Skywave SSB","author":"Thomas","date":"August 4, 2021","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post contributor, Jock Elliott (KB2GOM), who shares the following guest post: Really cool trick the CCrane Skywave SSB will do -- the \"radio butler\"? To paraphrase Ratty from Wind in the Willows: \" \u201cBelieve me, my young friend, there is nothing\u2013absolutely nothing\u2013half so much worth doing\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/CC-Skywave-SSB-Field-e1540119640212.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/CC-Skywave-SSB-Field-e1540119640212.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/CC-Skywave-SSB-Field-e1540119640212.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/10\/CC-Skywave-SSB-Field-e1540119640212.jpg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":53468,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/07\/what-is-it-about-swling-that-keeps-you-coming-back-a-reader-participation-post\/","url_meta":{"origin":50891,"position":3},"title":"What is it about SWLing that keeps you coming back? 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First, I think Treasure Island ruined me as a\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Listener Posts"","block_context":{"text":"Listener Posts","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/listener-posts\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/MFJ-1045C-003-002-1024x627.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/MFJ-1045C-003-002-1024x627.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2022\/07\/MFJ-1045C-003-002-1024x627.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52415,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/04\/guest-post-everyone-should-have-a-crisis-radio\/","url_meta":{"origin":50891,"position":4},"title":"Guest Post: Everyone should have a “Crisis Radio”","author":"Thomas","date":"April 10, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to SWLing Post\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Jock Elliott, who shares the following guest post: The Crisis Radio By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM Sooner or later, it will happen to you. What\u2019s \u2018it\u2019? Short answer: a crisis. It could be as simple as you wake in the morning to find the power is out;\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "AM"","block_context":{"text":"AM","link":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/category\/am\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/CC-Skywave-SSB-Midwinter-Antarctica-Broadcast.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/CC-Skywave-SSB-Midwinter-Antarctica-Broadcast.jpeg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/CC-Skywave-SSB-Midwinter-Antarctica-Broadcast.jpeg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/swling.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2018\/06\/CC-Skywave-SSB-Midwinter-Antarctica-Broadcast.jpeg?resize=700%2C400&ssl=1 2x"},"classes":[]},{"id":52181,"url":"https:\/\/swling.com\/blog\/2022\/03\/its-magic-but-its-real-the-joys-of-listening-to-the-ham-bands\/","url_meta":{"origin":50891,"position":5},"title":"“It\u2019s magic, but it\u2019s real”: The joys of listening to the ham bands","author":"Thomas","date":"March 13, 2022","format":false,"excerpt":"Many thanks to\u00a0SWLing Post\u00a0contributor,\u00a0Jock Elliott, who shares the following guest post: The joys of listening to the ham bands By Jock Elliott, KB2GOM \u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u00a0\u201cIt\u2019s magic, but it\u2019s real.\u201d That statement was uttered recently by an amateur radio operator \u2013 a ham \u2013 from South Carolina. 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