In July 1923, less than three years after Westinghouse station KDKA signed on, company engineer Frank Conrad began regular simulcasting of its programmes on a frequency in the newly-discovered shortwave range. It was an important event in a technological revolution that would make dependable worldwide radio communication possible for the first time. In subsequent years, countless stations in practically all countries followed suit, taking to shortwave to extend reception domestically or reach audiences thousands of miles away. Shortwave broadcasting would also have an important role in World War II and in the Cold War. In this, his fourth book on shortwave broadcast history, the author revisits the period of his earlier work, On the Short Waves, 1923-1945, and focuses on the stations that were on the air in those early days. The year-by-year account chronicles the birth and operation of the large international broadcasters, as well as the numerous smaller stations that were a great attraction to the DXers, or long-distance radio enthusiasts, of the time. With more than 100 illustrations and extensive notes, bibliography and index, the book is also a valuable starting point for further study and research.

As radio developed in the early 1920s, the focus for most people was the AM band and stations such as KDKA, the first broadcast station. There was, however, another broadcast method that was popular among many early enthusiasts - shortwave radio. As is true today, the transmission of news and entertainment programs over shortwave frequencies permitted reception over great distances. For many in America and beyond, shortwave was an exciting aspect of the new medium. Some still tune the shortwave bands to enjoy the programming. Others pursue broadcasts for the thrill of the hunt. This book fully covers shortwave broadcasting from its beginning through World War II. A technical history examining the medium's development and use tells the story of a listener community that spanned the globe. Included are overviews of the primary shortwave stations operating worldwide in the 1930s, along with clubs and competitions, publications and prizes. A rich collection of illustrations includes many QSLs, the cards that stations sent to acknowledge receipt of their transmissions and that are much prized by long-distance collectors.

Shortwave broadcasting originated in the 1920s, when stations used the new technology to increase their range in order to serve foreign audiences and reach parts of their own country that could not easily be covered by regular AM stations. The early days of shortwave radio were covered in On the Short Waves, 1923-1945: Broadcast Listening in the Pioneer Days of Radio, published by McFarland in 1999. This book picks up the story after World War II, focusing on the stations themselves and the environment in which they operated. A companion volume, Listening on the Short Waves, 1945 to Today, focuses on the shortwave listening community.] The heart of the book is a detailed, year-by-year account of the shortwave bands in each year from 1945 to the present. It reviews what American listeners were hearing on the international and domestic shortwave bands, describes the arrivals and departures of stations, and recounts important shortwave events. The book also introduces readers to the several categories of broadcasters--international, domestic, religious, clandestine and pirate--and to private shortwave broadcasting in the United States. It explains the impact of relay stations, frequency management, and jamming, and describes promising shortwave technologies. It also addresses the considerable changes in, and challenges to, shortwave broadcasting since the end of the cold war. The book is richly illustrated and indexed, and features a bibliography and extensive notes to facilitate further reading or research.

The discovery and development of shortwave technology during the 1920s and 1930s permitted radio stations throughout the world to transmit their programs over long distances, even worldwide, for the first time, and the thrill of hearing broadcasts from faraway places produced a dedicated American audience. Developments in shortwave broadcasting and shortwave listening from their inception through the war years were covered in On the Short Waves, 1923-1945: Broadcast Listening in the Pioneer Days of Radio, published by McFarland in 1999. This book picks up the story in 1945, describing the resumption of organized shortwave listening after the war and its development in the years since. The companion volume, Broadcasting on the Short Waves, 1945 to Today, focuses on the world's shortwave stations. Written from the standpoint of the serious shortwave enthusiast, this book begins with an examination of the broader shortwave listening audience. It then presents in detail the histories of the major North American shortwave clubs and reviews the professional and listener-generated shortwave literature of the era. It also covers the DX programs and other listening fare to which shortwave listeners were most attracted and the QSL-cards they sought as confirmation of their reception. The book presents a chronology of the shortwave receivers available and discusses how changes in receiver technology impacted the listening experience. It also addresses the important role that computers have played in the shortwave listening of recent decades. The book is richly illustrated and indexed, and features extensive notes to facilitate further reading or research.