5 Things to Consider When Buying a Shortwave Radio (Part 2)

This is part 2 of a 5 part series dedicated to 5 things to consider when buying a shortwave radio.

2. Quality: There are many different shortwave receivers on the market. Not all of them were built to last and, in some extreme cases, even work properly right off the shelf. Avoiding being stuck with a lemon by making the effort to do some homework before making a purchase can greatly increase your chances of finding shortwave radio listening to be a rewarding hobby from the start. As most salespeople would agree, it is generally accepted that you get what you pay for. This is quite often the case but is not always true. The quality of a shortwave radio is ultimately dependent on the manufacturer and it stands to reason that there are many business models in existence that attempt to produce maximum financial gain from minimum input.

Talking to other shortwave hobbyists or doing some detective work on your own are good ways to learn about the pros and cons of different shortwave radio models, their reliability, as well as personal experiences with shortwave equipment dealers. Participating in radio related internet forum discussions or going to radio club meetings can be a way to educate yourself. Reviews can be a helpful way to become familiar with many of the available features of various shortwave radio models as well as the quirks or undesirable aspects of particular radio sets. However, it is important to understand that some reviewers might give an opinion regarding a product which is biased because of their own interest in somehow making a profit from your purchase. Therefore, taking in more than one or two reviews as well as talking to more experienced shortwave hobbyists is highly recommended as a means to gauge the quality of a particular shortwave radio set, manufacturer or distributor.

To continue reading about 5 Things to Consider When Buying a Shortwave Radio click here to skip to Part 3 - Functionality.

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