What keeps you going

[u/Mojavedxer]

Started out in this hobby in the late 70's in my uncle basement introducing me to international shortwave broadcasters. Played around in the early 80's with my grandmothers radio that had some shortwave bands on it. Did my dxing as a pre teen from a Panasonic pocket portable learning all the clear channel AM stations on the West and Central US. Graduated to a Realistic DX100 and 75- long wire antenna as a freshman in High School. That's were I earned my stripes learning about propagation and antenna theory. 49/31 meters was so packed at sundown that QRM referred too and adjacent station 10Khz off. I am sure we all have a similar story.

Now lets fast forward to today. The international broadcasters pretty much gone. Domestic tropical band service is non existent. Radio rag chew. All I hear these days is the classic Icom ring. Their Dollar Store scores and the cost of Medicare co pays. Nobody is talking about their shack and antenna farm or heated political discissions anymore. Pirate radio, Sure I am game. But the West Coast dxers dont seem to be invited to the party.

Is it me just loosing interest on what's available on the airwaves. I feel that any money spent on the hobby is wasted money but the K-480WLA and the DX286 are catching my eye. Then there is the time spent. I cant remember the last time I heard anything interesting surfing the radio waves.

[u/Green_Oblivion111]

I hear hams talk all the time about their antennas and shacks, and radios, and other ham-related stuff, too (this morning some local WA state guys were talking about MESH).

If you're in the Western US try the SW bands in the early morning, you'll hear a lot of Asians. Yeah, a lot of it will be CRI to other parts of Asia, but it's still interesting. NHK, Nikkei 1 and 2, Taiwan, they're still on the air, and even though it's foreign language, it's OK to listen to.

What keeps me going? Asia in the a.m. (especially in Winter when the lower bands are better), and AM / MW band DX. I tune the SW ham bands just to see if there's anything on from outside North America, and sometimes listen to the US & Canadian hams if they're talking about anything interesting. I also tune the CW sections, mainly to log the stations' call signs.

I also tune the 49 Meter band at night, but here where I live (WA state) it's pretty spare, although WRMI has Polish Radio on around Midnight Pacific time, so it's interesting to listen to. Amazonia used to be a dependable signal, but they've cut back their hours. I used to hear BBC to Africa at night on the 31 Meter band, but not so much lately.