DX-394 Communications Receiver (200-0224) Typical Band Usage Faxback Doc. # 31326 Your DX-394 receiver is preset to cover the following bands: BAND FREQUENCY RANGE LW 150-509.9 kHz MW (AM) 510-1729.9 kHHz SW 1.73-29.9999 MHz Band (In Meters) Frequency Range 120............................2.300-2.495 MHz 90............................3.200-3.400 MHz 75............................3.900-4.000 MHz 60............................4.750-5.060 MHz 49............................5.950-6.200 MHz 41............................7.100-7.300 MHz 31............................9.500-9.900 MHz 25...........................11.650-12.050 MHz 21...........................13.600-13.800 MHz 19...........................15.100-15.600 MHz 16...........................17.550-17.900 MHz 13...........................21.450-21.850 MHz 11...........................25.670-26.100 MHz LISTENING HINTS Short wave listening is a hobby with millions of participants worldwide. It requires no special knowledge or skills, but your enjoyment increases as you gain experience and develop special listening techniques. The information is this section can help you make the most of you listening time. REFERENCE SOURCES Many books and magazines about short wave listening are available through your local library or newsstand. See sources such as "The World Radio Handbook," "Passport to World Band Radio," "Monitoring Times," and "Popular Communications." These publications can help you learn about the conditions that make long-distance reception possible and provide up-to-date listings for short wave broadcasts in English and other languages. BAND ALLOCATION Certain portions of the radio spectrum are set aside for specific purposes. NOTE: Bands are often referred to by wavelength. For example, the 19 meter band refers to the range of frequencies with waves about 19 meters long. Ham Frequencies Tuning to the ham radio frequencies can be interesting and helpful, because ham operators often communicate emergency information when other means of communication break down. Ham radio operators use the following bands. Portions of these bands are set aside for continuous wave (CW) Morse code communication or for single sideband (SSB) voice communication, as shown below. 160 meters: 1,800 - 2,000 kHz: CW, LSB 80 meters: 3.500 - 3.7500 MHz: CW 3.7500-4.000 MHz: LSB 40 meters: 7.0000 - 7.150 MHz: CW 7.150 - 7.300 MHz: LSB 20 meters: 14.000 - 14.150 MHz: CW 14.150 - 14.350 MHz: USB 17 meters: 18.068 - 18.110 MHz: CW 18.110 - 18.168 MHz: USB 15 meters: 21.000 - 21.200 MHz: CW 21.200 - 21.450 MHz: USB 12 meters: 24.890 - 24.930 MHz: CW 24.930 - 24.990 MHz: USB 10 meters: 28.000 - 28.300 MHz: CW 28.300 - 29.700 MHz: USB NOTE: These ranges are precisely observed everywhere in the world. Birdie Frequencies Every receiver has birdie frequencies. Birdies are operating frequencies created inside the receiver. These operating frequencies might interfere with broadcasts on the same frequencies. If you receive one of these frequencies, you hear only noise on that frequency. Here are the birdie frequencies to watch for on this receiver: 150 - 180 kHz in all modes. 451.5, 903, and 1354.5 kHz in the LSB and CW1 modes. 458.5, 917, and 1375.5 kHz in the USB and CW2 modes. International Broadcast Frequencies International Commercial Broadcasts are found in the following SW bands. These programs (often in English) usually contain news, commentaries, music, and special features reflecting the culture of the broadcasting country. You might find it easiest to hear these broadcasts between 6:00 PM and midnight (your time). NOTE: Use the AM mode to receive international short wave signals. Band Frequency (in meters) Range (in MHz) 120* 2.300 - 2.495 90* 3.200 - 3.400 75** 3.900 - 4.000 60* 4.750 - 5.060 49 5.950 - 6.200 41** 7.100 - 7.300 31 9.500 - 9.900 25 11.650 - 12.050 21 13.600 - 13.800 19 15.100 - 15.600 16 17.550 - 17.900 13 21.450 - 21.850 11 25.670 - 26.100 These bands are reserved for stations in tropical areas. Ham operators and international stations share 3.900 - 4.000 MHz and 7.100 - 7.300 MHz. Interference is heavy in this range. Aircraft Frequencies Most transmissions are in SSB, although you can still hear some AM transmissions. Aircraft on international routes sometimes use SW. Here are some ranges where you might hear aircraft communications. NOTE: Try to receive primarily in the USB mode, but you can try LSB and AM, also. 4.650 - 4.750 MHz 6.545 - 6.765 MHz 8.815 - 9.040 MHz 10.000 - 10.100 MHz 11.175 - 11.400 MHz 13.200 - 13.360 MHz 15.010 - 15.100 MHz 17.900 - 18.030 MHz Ships and Coastal Stations Most transmissions from ships and coastal stations are in USB and CW. You can hear these transmissions in the following bands. NOTE: Try to receive primarily in the USB mode, but you can try LSB and AM, also. 2.000 - 2.0 MHz 4.063 - 4.139 MHz 4.361 - 4.438 MHz 8.195 - 8.181 MHz 12.330 - 12.420 MHz 13.107 - 13.200 MHz 16.460 - 16.565 MHz The Coast Guard and small boats use this band, with 2.182 MHz set aside as the international distress and emergency channel. Time Standard Frequencies The following frequencies announce the exact time of day at specified intervals. WWV in Fort Collins, Colorado: 2.500 MHz 5.000 MHz 10.000 MHz 15.000 MHz 20.000 MHz CHU in Canada: 7.335 MHz VNG in Australia: 4.500 and 12.000 MHz Long Wave Band The 150-509.9 kHz range is known as the long wave band. Most stations in this range serve as beacons for aircraft and marine navigation by continuously transmitting their call letters. Through your local library, You can find books on air and marine navigation, which contain lists of the beacon stations and their locations. Reception for this range is best between 6:00 PM and midnight (your time). Some ships also use this range, with 500 kHz set aside as an international distress and emergency station, Most stations in this range use CW (Morse code), although some use AM voice transmission for weather broadcasts. FREQUENCY CONVERSION The tuning location of a station can be expressed in frequency (kHz or MHz) or in wavelength (meters). The following information can help you make the necessary conversions. To convert from MHz to kHz, multiply by 1,000. For example: 9.62 x 1,000 = 9,620 kHz To convert from kHz to MHz, divide by 1,000. For example: 2780 kHz/1000 = 2.78 MHz To convert from MHz to meters, divide 300 by the number of MHz. For example: 300/7.3 MHz = 41 meters (EB 3/29/96)