This publication complements the series of articles “What is heard on the radio?” With the topic of shortwave broadcasting.

The mass radio amateur movement in our country began with the assembly of the simplest radio receivers to listen to broadcasts of radio stations. For the first time, the design of the detector receiver was published in the magazine Radio Amateur, No. 7, 1924. Mass radio broadcasting in the USSR began in 1922 at a wavelength of three thousand meters (frequency 100 kHz, DV range) with a 12 kW radio transmitter . Comintern (call sign RDW). Broadcasting gradually covers the MW range, and then in the late 20s and early 30s, broadcasting on HF, including foreign languages ​​( broadcasting ), begins to develop.

The KV broadcasting reached its heyday during the Cold War as one of the most effective tools of ideological struggle and propaganda. After the fall of the “iron curtain”, Russian-language broadcasting on KV mostly has a news, cultural and preaching character.

The regulation of international broadcasting on HF is handled by a non-governmental, non-profit association HFCC . Twice a year, HFCC conferences approve the allocation of frequencies and broadcast times. Databases are available for download from the site. To the existing database there is an interactive access . Since 31.03.2019 the summer season A19 has come. The winter season B19 will begin on 10/27/2019 and will continue until 03/29/2020.
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Listen to the radio ...

In Perm, the choice of radio programs for listening in the HF band is not rich. In the daytime, on all broadcasting bands of short waves, you can receive no more than two or three, and in the dark - a dozen radio stations in the summer or a couple of dozen in the winter.

For the reception, I use enough "budget" equipment:

1. Broadcast radio Tecsun PL-380.
2. Coherent radio receiver SoftRock Ensemble II RX and HDSDR v.2.70


In the photo above, the Tecsun PL-380 is tuned to a frequency of 11875 kHz (range 25 m). Broadcasting is conducted in Russian. Subject of the program: Chinese culture. From the HFCC DB in text format, we learn that this is China International Radio, the transmitter is located in Urumqi, the transmitter power is 500 kW, and the antenna radiates in an azimuth of 308 degrees.

We configure SoftRock Ensemble II RX and HDSDR v.2.70 at a frequency of 11875 kHz:


Using the FreqMgr button, we enter the Frequency Manager and find a radio station in the EiBi database:

... and turn it into a hobby, sport or collection

According to the HFCC, their database contains data on 85% of international broadcasting on HF, and the 15% not covered include local broadcasting in countries in Africa and Latin America, which do not require international regulation. This does not always suit the radio enthusiasts, and they release their own, augmented, databases. The EiBi database is one of them.

Reception of broadcast radio signals is called DXing . The essence of the phenomenon : the radio listener sends a report on the received program to the radio station, and the administration of the radio station in response sends a receipt card (QSL) to confirm that the radio listener has received the signal of this radio station. An example of a QSL card can be found here .

Editorial offices consider reports as an important element of feedback. For example, several years ago, I learned from an interview with the editor of the Russian Broadcasting Service of the International Radio of Taiwan that they had the feeling of “communicating to emptiness” during the first two weeks of broadcasting in Russian until they received a report from a radio amateur from Russia. Since then, the Russian Broadcasting Editorial Office RTI has been trying to send QSL to everyone who wrote.

The “threshold of entry” in DXing is low: it is enough to have a broadcast receiver. Enthusiasts communicate at forums and conferences where they exchange information about radio stations received, QSL bureau addresses, and broadcast announcements. Also enthusiasts regularly issue thematic directories and newsletters. As an example of a DX-club, you can use the Novosibirsk DX site .

Brief summary

Receiving broadcasts of radio stations has been and remains an important direction of the amateur radio movement. In today's world, broadcasting on HF serves not so much ideology as the goals of the dialogue of cultures.

Passion for receiving broadcasts does not require serious financial investments, obtaining licenses and confirming qualifications.

The author of the publication is not an enthusiast of DXing, but actively supports everything that brings people together and promotes dialogue between them.