Official short wave radio thread for radio geeks.

Years ago, I used to listen to SW for hours and hours daily. The weaker the station, the more I tried to listen to it. I used to listen in for the pirate stations or the long distance radio stations transmitting directly from their own transmitters and not from closer repeater transmitters. Besides Radio Canada International, I listened to listen to WRNO New Orleans (used to broadcast rock music), and AFRTS directly from their headquarters in California in the 19m band. I used a small Grundig Yacht Boy, and then switched to a Sony ICF SW-55.
What was your favourite station or passtime on shortwave? Any fancy equipment? Get any QSL cards? Build a home made antenna?

Cool! What model Yacht Boy did you have? YB400?

I've been SWLing for exactly 4 days now - beginning at 6pm (0000 UTC) when I get home, until I go to bed.

My "fancy equipment" consists of a Kchibo KK-9803 portable radio (which
I bought new in box for $15, including shipping from Hong Kong), and an
antenna I made this afternoon using an alligator clip, 30ft of wire,
and an old 3-prong fish hook I stole from a fishing lure. The
fish hook is currently embedded in one of the shingles near the peak
of my roof.

Gets better reception than I'd hoped!

I found Radio Marti
around 9520KHz this afternoon, and listened to it while doing my
yardwork. They had an assortment of Mariachi music playing when I
first tuned in, then a news/current events program. It was
interesting.

Apart from that, I've heard Voice of Croatia (9925KHz), China Radio
International (English, 11410KHz), a variety of Christian stations, and
the big one for me was finding NHK Radio Japan (11665KHz) - which I
have yet to find again

No QSL cards yet - not sure how actively I'll pursue them.

I'm looking into buying a more powerful radio in the fall, along with a decent antenna.

gEEkS.
WTF are they doing on the interweb/

Pffft. We invented it, to bring the rest of you up to our level!

I started listening to SW in the early 70's when I got a Candle brand radio with AM, FM and SW. I've been setting my clocks to WWV for years.