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Shortwave Radio broadcasts are a great way to get a look at what’s going on around the world, and during times of crisis can play a vital role in your ability to gather intelligence and news from outside of your area. Generally, shortwave broadcasts can be found between 3–30 MHz.
Shortwave Listening: Tips on finding broadcasts.
When it comes to listening to shortwave broadcasts, it’s not going to be as easy or predictable as listening to local AM and FM broadcasts. Here are some things to keep in mind when trying to find shortwave stations.
- Shortwave Radio Stations do not generally operate 24/7 and where and when they operate could depend on the time of day and propagation.
- Invest in a good pair of head phones; headphones help you isolate sounds and can be a good way to hear weak stations.
- As a general rule of thumb, Shortwave reception is much better after the sun goes down. The best nighttime bands are from 5900-10000khz. During the day, the easiest frequencies are from 12000 to 22000.
- Most countries broadcast at least an hour of English-language broadcasts every day, some do a lot more.
General Shortwave Frequency Allocations
In the table below, we’ve expanded the normal band ranges to include those operating outside the bands — these are sometimes where you will find the most interesting content!
| Band | Frequency Range | Listening Notes |
|---|---|---|
| 120 meters | 2300–2495 MHz | Tropical Band; but the FCC allowed WWCR in Nashville, Tennessee to broadcast here. |
| 90 meters | 3200–3400 MHz | Tropical Band: used mainly by stations in the tropics. |
| 75 meters | 3900–4000 MHz | Shared with the US Ham Radio Bands. Restricted to 3950-4000 kHz in Europe, Africa and the Middle East. Best reception is at night. |
| 60 meters | 4750–5060 MHz | Tropical Band: Popular in Brazil. |
| 49 meters | 5900–6200 MHz | You will hear a good mix of broadcasts from around the globe. |
| 41 meters | 7200–7600 MHz | Shared with the US Ham Radio Bands. Restricted to 7300-7450 kHz in the Americas. |
| 31 meters | 9400–9900 MHz | One of the most heavily used bands. |
| 25 meters | 11600–12200 MHz | Best during the summer months. |
| 22 meters | 13570–13870 MHz | Used in Eurasia |
| 19 meters | 15100–15830 MHz | Best during the summer. mostly during daytime hours. |
| 16 meters | 17480–17900 MHz | Highest frequency band; common to find stations using it every day. |
| 15 meters | 18900–19020 MHz | Pretty much unused; rumors it may become a DRM band |
| 13 meters | 21450–21850 MHz | Active in the Asia-Pacific region. |
| 11 meters | 25600–26100 MHz | Not a lot of activity; sometimes used for local DRM broadcasting and you may hear some high-power pirate CB guys. |
English-Speaking Shortwave Broadcasts
If you are looking for counties that broadcast in English, these are going to be the best places to find them:
| Country: | Frequencies to Monitor: | |
|---|---|---|
| ALBANIA | 6115, 7425, 7450, 7465 | |
| ARGENTINA | 9690, 11710, 15345 | |
| AUSTRALIA | 2310, 2325, 2485, 4835, 4910, 5025, 5995, 6020, 6080, 7240, 9475, 9560, 9580, 9590, 9660, 9710, 11650, 11880, 12080, 13630, 13670, 15160, 15230, 15240, 15515, 17715, 17750, 17775, 17785, 17795, 21725 | |
| AUSTRIA | 5945, 6155, 7325, 9870, 13675, 13730 | |
| BAHRAIN | 6010 | |
| BANGLADESH | 7185 | |
| BELARUS | 7360, 7390, 7420 | |
| BULGARIA | 7400, 9400, 9500, 9700, 11700, 11900, 15700 | |
| CANADA RCI | 9610, 9755, 9770, 13650, 15365, 17740 | |
| CANADA CBC | 6160, 9625 | |
| CHINA | 5960, 5990, 6005, 6020, 6040, 6080, 6115, 6190, 7285, 9570, 9580, 9690, 9730, 9785, 9790, 9870, 11885, 11900, 11970, 13675, 13740, 15230, 15240 | |
| CROATIA | 7285, 9470, 11690 | |
| CUBA | 6000, 6060, 6180, 6300, 9505, 9550, 11760 | |
| CZECH REP | 5930, 6200, 7345, 7385, 9400, 9430, 9435, 9890, 9955, 11600, 13580, 15710 | |
| ECUADOR | 6050, 7385, 9745, 11700 | |
| EGYPT | 4680, 7270, 9990, 11885, 15375, 17835 | |
| ETHIOPIA | 7165, 9560v | |
| FRANCE | 5920, 7315, 9720, 9765, 9805, 9865, 11615, 11725, 13680, 11995, 15160, 15275, 15605, 21620 | |
| GERMANY | 5905, 6140, 6180, 7225, 7240, 7280, 7285, 9565, 9735, 9755, 11690, 12045, 15275 | |
| GHANA | 4915 | |
| GREECE | 7475, 9420, 9935, 12105, 15630, 17525 | |
| GUYANA | 3291, 5950 | |
| HUNGARY | 5980, 6025, 6035, 9525 | |
| INDIA | 7410, 9425, 9445, 9690, 9705, 9910, 9950, 11620, 11645, 11715, 11935, 13605, 13710, 15020, 15075, 15155, 15235, 17510, 17670, 17800, 17895 | |
| INDONESIA | 9525v, 11785, 15150v | |
| IRAN | 6010, 6120, 6250, 7160, 7320, 7330, 9855, 11695, 15460, 17660 | |
| ISRAEL | 6280, 6985, 7545, 9345, 15640, 15760, 17535, 17600 | |
| ITALY | 5965, 6010, 6035, 6090, 6120, 7170, 9760, 11800 | |
| JAPAN | 5975, 6110, 6120, 6145, 7230, 9505, 9535, 9875, 11690, 11695, 11715, 11730, 11740, 11935, 11970, 13650, 15195, 15355, 17685, 17810, 17825, 17845, 17870, 21610, 21670 | |
| JORDAN | 11690 | |
| KOREA, N | 3560, 4405, 6185, 6285, 7570, 9325, 9335, 9345, 9730, 9850, 9975, 9990, 11535, 11545, 11710, 11735, 12015, 13650, 13760, 15100, 15180 | |
| KOREA, S | 7275, 9560, 9570, 9640, 9650, 9770, 15575 | |
| LAOS | 7145 | |
| LIBERIA | 4760, 5470, 9525 | |
| LIBYA | 7320, 17725, 21695 | |
| LITHUANIA | 7325, 9710, 9875 | |
| MALAYSIA | 7295, 9750, 15295 | |
| MEXICO | 6185 | |
| MOLDOVA | 6235 | |
| MONGOLIA | 12085 | |
| MYANMAR | 5986 | |
| NEPAL | 5005 | |
| NETHERLANDS | 6020, 6040, 6165, 7120, 9345, 9795, 9895, 11655, 11675, 12065, 12080, 15315, 15525, 15595, 17725, 17810 | |
| NEW ZEALAND | 3935, 5950, 9765, 9870, 11725, 13840, 15720, 17675 | |
| NIGERIA | 7255, 7275, 7380, 15120 | |
| OMAN | 15140 | |
| PAKISTAN | 6215, 7530, 11570, 15100, 17835 | |
| PAPUA NEW GUINEA | 3385, 4960, 7120 | |
| PHILIPPINES | 11720, 11885, 15190, 15270, 17665, 17720 | |
| POLAND | 7130, 9525 | |
| ROMANIA | 6055, 6115, 6150, 7105, 7145, 7180, 9515, 9610, 9640, 9690, 9755, 11895, 15105, 15135, 17745 | |
| RUSSIA | 6240, 7150, 7250, 7350, 9840, 12010, 12030, 13665, 15425 | |
| SENEGAL | 12000 | |
| SERBIA | 6100 | |
| SINGAPORE | 6080, 6150 | |
| SLOVAKIA | 7230, 9440 | |
| SOLOMON IS. | 5020, 9545 | |
| S AFRICA | 3345, 7240, 7390, 9685, 15235, 15255, 17770 | |
| SPAIN | 6055, 6125, 9680, 11625, 11680 | |
| SRI LANKA | 6005, 9770, 11905, 15745 | |
| SUDAN | 4750, 7280, 9525, 9660, 9840, 13720 | |
| SURINAME | 4990 | |
| SWEDEN | 6010, 7420, 11550, 15240 | |
| SYRIA | 9330, 12085, 13610 | |
| TAIWAN | 5950, 7130, 7445, 9355, 9680, 9785, 11550, 11850, 1995, 15215, 15465 | |
| TAJIKISTAN | 7245 | |
| THAILAND | 5890, 9535, 9680, 9725, 9805, 9810, 13770 | |
| TIBET | 4820, 4905, 5935, 6050, 7170, 7240, 9490 | |
| TURKEY | 5960, 6020, 6055, 7240, 9525, 11735, 12035 | |
| TURKMENISTAN | 4930, 5015 | |
| UGANDA | 4976, 5026 | |
| UKRAINE | 5820, 5830, 9925 | |
| U K | 5875, 5975, 6005, 6040, 6130, 6195, 7130, 7160, 7320, 9410, 9480, 9660, 9740, 9750, 11675, 11750, 11765, 11920, 12095, 15105, 15285, 15360, 15400, 15575, 17640, 17830, 17885, 21470 | |
| UNITED NATIONS | 9565, 17810 | |
| USA – ALASKA |
6150, 6950, 7355, 9920 | |
| USA AFRTS | 4319-USB, 5446.5-USB, 5765-USB, 6350-USB, 7811.5-USB, 10320-USB, 12133.5-USB, 12759-USB, 13362-USB | |
| USA VOA | 4930, 4960, 5960, 6080, 6105, 6110, 7125, 7175, 7205, 7405, 9645, 9760, 9785, 9885, 11655, 11885, 11890, 11975, 12015, 12150, 13600, 13640, 13710, 13735, 13755, 15150, 15185, 15205, 15290, 15445, 15580, 17640, 17715, 17730, 17895 | |
| USA KAIJ | 5755, 9480 | |
| USA WBCQ | 5110-LSB, 7415, 9330-LSB, 18910-LSB | |
| USA WEWN | 5810, 5850, 7560, 7570, 9450, 9955, 9975, 15785, 17595 | |
| USA WRMI | 7385, 9955 | |
| USA WWCR | 3215, 5070, 7465, 9985, 12160, 15825 | |
| VANUATU | 3945, 7260 | |
| VATICAN | 4005, 5885, 6185, 7250, 7305, 7360, 7365, 9310, 9610, 9635, 9645, 9660, 9755, 11625, 11740, 11850, 13765, 15595 | |
| VIETNAM | 6175, 7285, 9840, 12020 | |
| YEMEN | 9780 | |
| ZAMBIA | 4910, 5915, 6165 | |
| ZANZIBAR | 11735 | |
How to listen to these stations:
Since this site is dedicated to survival and preparedness, we generally recommend buying a radio that can both receive and transmit. There is a community of Shortwave listeners who buy radios that are receive only, but in my opinion I wouldn’t want to limit my options during times of crisis so in my opinion I would buy a good All-Band HF Radio.
Suggested Radios: Transceiver/Receiver
- Budget Friendly Radio: The Yaesu FT-891
- Our Favorite Starter Radio: The Icom IC-718 All-Band HF Radio
- It Doesn’t Get Any Better: The Icom IC-7610
Suggested Radios: Transceiver/Receiver
If you are dead set against buying a Transceiver style radio, or really on a strict budget and just want to get something to start listening then here are a few decent SW Radios (I warn you though to are going to hear a fraction of what is out there on these).
