SWLing

I’ve been a fan of SWL (shortwave listening) to cross continent broadcast since my early secondary school years. I listen to the BBC world service, Voice of America, Radio Japan and other international broadcasts from my dad’s old Philips cassette recorder which has 2 shortwave bands.

Back then without the internet, shortwave was a cost and time effective way to get updates on the latest happenings and discovery on the planet around the clock. Even today with advanced communications technology like Wifi, cellphones and PDAs, many still rely on shortwave for their information and communications need especially in 3rd world counties where many still don’t have access to even a phone line.

Even for us blessed with cellphones and internet access, shortwave might be the only means for situation updates and communications with other part of the world if our land is struck in war or natural disasters. Events like the 2004 Dec 26th tsunami, last month’s hurricane disaster over New Orleans to the recent earthquake in Pakistan, people can depend on shortwave during such emergencies when power line, phone lines and communications network are cut off to contact and receive information from the outside world.

Shortwave isn’t very popular in Malaysia. I tried looking for clubs and communities for shortwave listeners and even amateur radio hobbyist without success. These are links to some ham radio (amateur radio) clubs in Penang, Sabah and Sarawak but the links are outdated. However I found Asiawaves.net. Asiawaves.net is rich with a list of available FM, MW, & SW Radio and TV Broadcasting in South and South-East Asia.

Asiawaves.net is relatively new it seems. There’s a forum there but it’s in trial and there aren’t many members. If you are interested, why not go to the Asiawaves.net forums and sign-up? I believe we can build a community of Malaysian or even Asean SWL and DX enthusiast there.