This article aims to explain how to begin listening to amateur radio operators in USB mode on the shortwave amateur radio bands.
The radio receiver must have SSB mode (single sideband) USB and LSB to listen to bands from 10 to 160 meters (1.8 MHz to 25 MHz)
You can buy a Xhdata D-808 https://www.xhdata.com.cn/products/d-808-radio?srsltid=AfmBOoqCbv-flSuvDBmvWr96xGU9BkMwvvat10OTh6vXu-4z5zISHRHY
Or a TECSUN PL-330 https://www.anon-co.com/product/tecsun-pl330-radio
If you have a computer and internet connection, you can use a WEB SDR or a KIWI SDR on the internet.
Exemple http://sdr.websdrmaasbree.nl:8902/
If you use a smartphone http://sdr.websdrmaasbree.nl:8902/m.html
Now you can listen to the amateur radio bands, and your goal is to listen to a maximum of DXCC entities (on amateur radio we don't say "country"). They are 340 DXCC entities.
https://www.arrl.org/files/file/DXCC/2022_DXCC_Current.pdf
For example, you listen to operator W1ABC look in the DXCC list; it's an amateur radio operator from USA
https://www.ng3k.com/Dxcc/dxcc.html
USA use many prefix like AA to AL, KA to KZ, NA to NZ and WA to WZ.
All Entities Sorted by Name
So you have listened to your first DXCC entity, bravo.
Buy a school notebook and get yourself a ballpoint pen.
Write the date and time of your listening, the callsign (example: K2ABC) of the operator you listen to; mode is LSB or USB, power is not necessary because you are SWL, the frequency = 28300 kHz. For the report, this is how you receive the operator; for example, 5/9 is a very good radio, and 9 is the force of the signal on your receiver. Remarks: Write the name of the DXCC entity. For K2ABC, it's the USA.
Bravo, you have listened to one DXCC entity.
The most simple way to find DXCC entities is to use a WEB cluster
Filters: Make a choice for PHONE and the band or bands you like to see which DXCC entities are spotted.
During daylight these bands 14, 18, 21, 24 and 28 are open for DX or local on 7 mHz
20 meter, 17 meter, 15 meter, 12 meter, and 11 meter. 7 mhz is 40 meter.
During the night, the best bands are 1.8, 3.5, 7 and 14 MHz.
160 meter, 80 meter, 40 meter and 20 meter.
The SW amateur radio bands
This is, I think, the most important to know to start to be an SWL (shortwave listener) of the amateur radio operators on SW bands.
To learn more, look at this article, please.
