Eton G5 operation manual Introduction to Shortwave, What is SHORTWAVE?, What are Shortwave BANDS?

G5 OPERATION MANUAL

16INTRODUCTION TO SHORTWAVE

SW BANDS, SSB AND OTHER SHORTWAVE HELP NEED HELP? CONTACT US.

Eton Corporation

1015 Corporation Way

Palo Alto, CA 94030

USA

U.S. States: 1-800-872-2228

Canada: 1-800-637-1648

Worldwide: 650-903-3866

www.etoncorp.com

Hours of Operation: M-F,8:30-4, Pacific Time.

WHAT IS SHORTWAVE?

Shortwave is a broadcast frequency range that allows stations to be heard over vast distances,usually thousands of miles.You’ll hear news and information,as well as culturally oriented programming,including music. Some programming is biased or propagandized.

Misconceptions: Note that shortwave has nothing to do with picking up far away AM and FM stations or picking up local two-way commu- nications such as police, fire, ambulance,local airport traffic and marine harbor traffic. For example,it is not possible to hear Los Angeles’ AM and FM stations in New York City. Local two-way communications does not take place on shortwave,but rather on VHF and UHF frequencies, requiring the use of a VHF/UHF scanner to hear them.

INTRODUCTION TO SHORTWAVE continued

WHAT ARE SHORTWAVE BANDS?

The key to enjoying shortwave is understanding ‘bands’. If you have ever listened to AM or FM radio, then you already know what a band is. In North America, the AM band is a frequency range stretching from 530 to 1710 kilohertz; the FM band is 88-108 megahertz. A band is a frequency range in which stations are located. To find AM or FM stations you tune around with the tuning buttons (or the tuning knob on an analog radio) until you find a station you like. Shortwave is similar and the shortwave bands have names like 25 meters, 31 meters, 49 meters, etc. These are abbreviated 25m, 31m and 49m. Just like in AM and FM radio, one simply gets into the shortwave band and tunes around, looking for stations.

Each band representsa frequency range,as shown in the accompanying band chart. For example, the 19 meter shortwave band encompasses the frequency range of about 15100 to 15600 kilohertz. Since some radios show frequency in megahertz (mHz) and some in kilohertz (kHz), both are shown here. Look at your radio’s tuning scale or its digital display to determine which frequency designation it uses in shortwave. On some shortwave radios these frequencies will look like 15100 kHz, 15105 kHz or 15110 kHz and on other radios they might look like 15.1 mHz, 15.105 mHz or 15.11 mHz. The exact range of a band may be slightly different in one band chart or another and may even vary slightly from one radio to another.This is perfectly OK. On some radios the band names, e.g. 19 meters, are clearly marked, on others they are not marked at all. If it is not apparent how to get into a band on your radio, consult the owner’s manual.

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