Home Emergency Communications Shortwave Frequency List: International Shortwave Radio Frequencies to Monitor

Shortwave Frequency List: International Shortwave Radio Frequencies to Monitor

Shortwave Radio

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

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).

Survival Book

Survival Book