Listening on the Short Waves, 1945 to Today

The discovery and development of shortwave technology during the 1920s and 1930s permitted radio stations worldwide to transmit their programs over long distances for the first time, and the thrill of hearing faraway broadcasts produced a dedicated American audience. Developments in shortwave radio from its inception through the war years were covered in the author’s On the Short Waves, 1923–1945: Broadcast Listening in the Pioneer Days of Radio (McFarland, 1999; paperback 2007). This book picks up the story in 1945, with the postwar resumption of organized shortwave listening. The companion volume, Broadcasting on the Short Waves, 1945 to Today (McFarland, 2008), focuses on the world’s shortwave stations. All three volumes are richly illustrated and indexed, and feature extensive notes.

Jerome S. Berg, an attorney, was the court administrator for the Massachusetts District Court system until his retirement. A shortwave listener for more than half a century, he is a member of the executive council of the North American Shortwave Association and chair of the Committee to Preserve Radio Verifications.

Jerome S. Berg
Format: softcover (7 x 10)
Pages: 423
Bibliographic Info: 120 photos, notes, bibliography, index
Copyright Date: 2010 [2008]
pISBN: 978-0-7864-6077-9
Imprint: McFarland

Preface      1

Titles, Abbreviations and Acronyms      5

1. Prelude to 1945      9

2. The Shortwave Audience      16

3. Clubs      36

4. Literature      137

5. Listener Programs      239

6. Receivers      269

7. QSLing      330

8. Computers      363

9. Conclusion      375

Chapter Notes      381

Selected Bibliography      399

Index      405

“extensive collection…recommended”—Choice; “terrific and highly recommended…should be in every radio listener’s library…an amazing excursion into the very early days of shortwave broadcasting development…a historical masterpiece…‘must read’”—The NASWA Journal; “well-written, authoritative…Berg is, without a doubt, one of the foremost historians of shortwave radio broadcasting and listening…completely encapsulates early shortwave broadcasting history”—The SWLing Post; “detailed…richly illustrated…extensive notes”—Listening In; “invaluable”—Communication Booknotes Quarterly; “meticulous, first-rate…will be valued by shortwave enthusiasts and included in radio reference collections throughout the radio world…highly recommend”—The AWA Journal; “enjoyable reading…a major contribution to the history and sociology of modern technology”—Antique Radio Classified; “extraordinary…deserving of the highest praise! If the Listening book brought on waves of nostalgia the Broadcasting book created a tsunami! Fantabulistic!”—Popular Communications; “this is the first scholarly yet easily written coverage of how people have organized themselves to ‘listen’ to short wave radio”—Radio Heritage Foundation; “remarkable…fascinating…a must…monumental…has set a standard of excellence…worthy of attention by all international radio monitors…recommend[ed]”—Wavescan; “excellent historical chronology”—Radio World; “nearly 1200 combined pages and extensive notes make the ‘Shortwave Radio Trilogy’ of U.S. radio listener and historian Jerry Berg a vitrual encyclopedia of the global shortwave radio scene since 1923…and it’s not just incredibly well researched text, it’s carefully chosen images of the broadcasters, the stations, the equipment and the art work of these pioneer radio days. This is an absolute must read for any radio fan, and any student of the broadcasting media.”—Radio Heritage Foundation; “terrific”—Australian DX News; “most authoritative history…detailed…destined to become the definitive history of shortwave broadcasting and listening”—Andy Sennett, Radio Netherlands; “excellent”—New Zealand DX Times; “interesting”—Contact Magazine; “it is clearly the reference that will be used for generations to come”—Passport to World Band Radio; “amazingly detailed…well researched…reader will be fascinated”—Monitoring Times.