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Comment by LeoPanthera | Hacker News Reader

I have often thought that we may regret abandoning the shortwave band for broadcasting in the future. Being able to transmit over the horizon without the requirement to launch something into space is quite the boon, and may suddenly become more useful than we think should spacefaring nations decide to declare war on each other.

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There's still quite a bit on shortwave. BBC World Service is pretty much everywhere, and Radio Habana, Radio Romania, and a slew of other services are still kicking. For SHTF purposes, a good shortwave receiver and a longwire will run you maybe $100 - $150 USD and can be had for less if you buy used.

> BBC World Service is pretty much everywhere

That's really not true. They still broadcast shortwave only to Africa and some parts of Asia: https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/articles/2x9tqt6mc05vB2S37j...

Everywhere else it has been replaced with the internet and satellite broadcasts.

I've been a shortwave listener since the 1980s and it's definitely slim pickings now. Internet radio, then podcasts, have killed shortwave.

I can imagine aside from truckers nobody uses citizens band

On a lark, I watched Smokey and the Bandit for the first time in decades, and watching them on the CB was such an odd bit of nostalgia. The original group chat

It's funny how well that movie held up over time. I'm glad you brought it up, thanks. I miss the whip antennae and tennis balls on trucks for some reason. It made everything look like a toy truck to me.

Seems like the only ones left are localized first responders, and then it takes a running leap into doomsday preppers and conspiracy types. Maybe you might here the rare "CQ, this is W-9 GFO here. Come back? Copy, W-9 GFO. K-4 WLD here."

You must have a lousy antenna, or live in a noisy location.

My little homebrew shortwave radio has 8 bands and they are usually full of stations. Mainly Chinese though.

>Mainly Chinese though.

So... not BBC.

BBC is easy to hear, likewise Radio New Zealand and others.

Many western stations transmit programs intended for listeners overseas, and of course they speak in Chinese, Arabic, and other languages.

Why wouldn't the BBC transmit Chinese based programs?

To elaborate, on the east coast US, using portables such as the Sony SW-55 and the Sangean 909-X, listening in daytime and nighttime, in the past month or so I'd find at best one or two stations broadcasting in English. This was hardly the case 20+ years ago.

Have you listened to shortwave recently? The bands are pretty much full. Mostly Chinese stations though.

Who abandoned it? I hear plenty.

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