Robot Check. Enter the characters you see below. Sorry, we just need to make sure youre not a robot. For best results, please make sure your browser is accepting cookies. Shortwave And Ham Radio Bands. My grandfathers old TRANS OCEANIC shortwave radio with tubes still works greatShortwave Radio and HAM Radio listening can be an enjoyable hobby even while only listening to communications from near and afar over the airwaves. Not only is shortwave radio listening a hobby for some, it can also provide information input during a time of disaster. While transmitting requires a license, listening is free. The span of frequencies which are used for shortwave broadcasts and for HAM radio are split into bands. Theyre sometimes referred to as meter bands, as in the 4. The following is a list of the various x meter bands, their associated frequencies, and a general description of what you might hear. Depending on your specific shortwave radio, you will be able to receive local and international broadcasts as well as some or all of the amateur radio Ham radio bands. The allocated frequency bands generally have their own characteristics regarding the best time of day for reception day or night. Your shortwave radio might already list some of these bands on the front panel or listed in its manual. The information is also readily available on the internet from many sources. By the way, the bands themselves usually represented in meters is the result of the width crest to crest of the signals wavelength. Picture a sine wave. For example the 3. Download andor print your own copy Shortwave and Amateur Ham Radio METER BANDSMeter. Band. Frequencyk. HzCondition. Comments. Night. Mainly used locally in tropical regions. Also used by government in North America. Manufacturer Free Service Manuals. NelsonRoss Electronics Inc. PSA 012 Service and User Manual. This review was compiled independently. The Medium Wave Circle and Radio Netherlands has no financial connection with Sony, the manufacturer of this receiver. Night. Mainly used locally in tropical regions. Used by various agencies of U. S. government. 80. Night. Amateur Ham radio band. LSB voice and CW Morse code mode. Night. Mainly used in Eastern Hemisphere. Mainly Europe, Africa. Night. Mainly used locally in tropical regions. Best reception during Fall and Winter. Night. Popular band for nighttime broadcasting. The best overall nighttime band for Intl broadcasting. Night Day. Intl Broadcast, except North South Americawhich is reserved for Amateur radio. Night Day. Amateur Ham radio band. LSB voice and CW Morse code mode. Night Day. Most Popular Intl broadcasting band. Best mid afternoon to mid morning. Mostly Day. Popular Intl band for daytime broadcasting. Good any time of day. Mostly Day. Intl broadcasting. Not heavily used. Mostly Day. Amateur Ham radio band Popular long distance DXUSB voice and CW Morse code mode. Mostly Day. Intl broadcasting. The best overall daytime band for Intl broadcasting. Day. Amateur Ham radio band. USB voice and CW Morse code mode. Day. Intl broadcasting. Day. Amateur Ham radio band. USB voice and CW Morse code mode. Day. Intl broadcasting. Seldom used. 12. 24. Day. Amateur Ham radio band. USB voice and CW Morse code mode, Best during sunspots. Day. Intl broadcasting. Seldom used. 10. 28. Day. Amateur Ham radio band. USB voice and CW Morse code mode, Best during sunspots. Most popular portable shortwave radio, Sony ICF SW7. GRI have one of these To add one thing If you want to get a radio and listen to the amateur bands, mostly all of HAMs use USB Upper Side Band or LSB Lower Side Band. Mostly all listening short wave commercial radios dont have SSB Single Side Band capabilities and will only receive AM broadcast Amplitude Modulation on 1. Listening to either USB or LSB on a receiver that only has AM will sound something like a muffled noise. Mostly all short wave broadcast stations are high power and transmit AM. AM transmissions take 3. X the power of either a LSB or USB transmission to reach the same distance, thus ham radio operators mostly use this mode. So if youre looking for a shortwave radio, its best if it also receives SSB Single Side Band.