What Is World Band Radio?
World band radio, also known as short wave, is radio that is broadcast on frequencies of 1700 kHz to 30 MHz. These signals can travel great distances, giving listeners the opportunity to tune in to stations from around the globe. Many countries maintain a national news service that broadcasts on world band.InformationMany countries broadcast news and other programming in English, or other widely spoken languages. This allows listeners to get a different perspective on the news than they normally get just by listening to the media in their own country.PortabilityMost world band radios are small enough to be portable, and use batteries. This means that news and information are accessible literally anywhere. There are even models of radios that use a hand crank for power if batteries are not available.Music and CultureIn addition to news, many stations broadcast local styles of music and cultural events such as plays or concerts. The world band listener can hear styles of music that they
Shortwave listening (abbreviated as SWLing) is the hobby of listening to shortwave radio broadcasts located on frequencies between 1700 kHz and 30 MHz. Listeners range from casual users seeking international news and entertainment programming to hobbyists immersed in the technical aspects of radio reception and DXing. In some developing countries, shortwave listening enables remote communities to obtain regional programming traditionally provided by local medium wave broadcasters. Some estimates have placed the number of shortwave listeners worldwide in the millions. The practice of long distance radio listening began in the 1920s when shortwave broadcasters were first established in the US and Europe. Audiences discovered that international programming was available on the shortwave bands of many consumer radio receivers, and a number of magazines and listener clubs catering to the practice arose as a result. Shortwave listening was especially popular during times of international con
