Shortwave Radios Frequently Asked Questions

General Questions

What are birdies?
I am getting interference with my signal; what could be causing it?
My radio cannot get some AM stations; why?
How do I improve low frequency reception between 150 and 340 MHz?

Specific Radios

200-0204 DX-300: What is the frequency range on each band?
200-0212 DX-375: How do I connect an external antenna?
200-0212 DX-375: What speakers can you use with this radio?
200-0212 DX-375: What DC adapter does this use?
200-0214 DX-390: What is the correct adapter?
200-0219 DX-392: What is the plug size on the power adapter?
200-0219 DX-392: How do I connect the shortwave antenna kit (Cat. No. 278-758) to this radio?
200-0219 DX-392: How do you turn the alarm off?
200-0219 DX-392: The instructions say to ground the receiver but there is no ground screw on this unit.
200-0219 DX-392: How do I turn off the beep when changing frequencies?
200-0219 DX-392: The AM external antenna is not working when it is plugged in.
200-0221 DX-440: How do I change the time format from 24 hour to 12 hour format?
200-0224 DX-394: Is it proper when tuning down from 28 MHz for this item to skip down to 26 MHz (skipping over 27 MHz)?
200-0224 DX-394: Is it normal for the frequency to be off a bit? For example, 5696 comes in on about 5695.
200-0224/A/B DX-394: Is there any difference between these three radios?
200-0225 DX-395: Does this radio have a lock feature?
200-0227 DX-397: Is this a digitally-tuned radio?
200-0228 DX-398: In manual tuning, why do you have to turn the knob a lot to change the frequency in Lower side band?
200-0228 DX-398: How do I set priority on a SW station?
200-0228 DX-398: How do I connect a 140-1115 to turn on for a timed recording?
200-0228 DX-398: What are the holes on the bottom for? What are the Reset/Data In A/Data In B hole(s) for?
200-0228 DX-398: Is there a data interface cable and how do I get one?
200-0228, 200-0214 DX-398, DX-290: What is the sensitivity difference between these units?
200-0228, 200-0219 DX-398, DX-392: What is the step rate on both radios for SW?

General Questions

Product: Scanners
Question: What are birdies?
Answer: Birdies are the products of internally generated signals that make some frequencies difficult or impossible to receive. If you program a birdie frequency, you hear only noise on that frequency. The most common birdies to watch for are:
  • 450 kHz
  • 3,844 kHz
  • 9,000 kHz
  • 10,250 kHz
  • 18,000 kHz
  • 20,490 kHz
  • 21,835 kHz
  • 21,868 kHz
  
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Product: Scanners
Question: I am getting interference with my signal; what could be causing it?
Answer: Interference from devices such as dimmer switches and motors and atmospheric conditions can disrupt shortwave listening. You can minimize interference by moving the receiver away from the source of noise, or turning off the offending device. Shortwave stations sometimes change their operating frequency to avoid interfering with other stations, to improve reception during different seasons, or to take advantage of signal propagation changes due to sun spots. For this reason, a given station might not be found on the frequency listed in memory. Reception of these stations can also be affected by rapid changes in the ionosphere. Sometimes the station you are listening to might fade out in the ionosphere. Sometimes the station you are listening to might fade out completely. These occurrences are normal shortwave listening conditions.
  
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Product: Scanners
Question: My radio cannot get some AM stations; why?
Answer: This is normal; the station may be too weak.
  
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Product: Scanners
Question: How do I improve low frequency reception between 150 and 340 MHz?
Answer: This falls into the Longwave Band. The reception in this band is better at night; we suggest that you try using radio after sunset.
  
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Specific Scanner Radios

Product: DX-300 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0204
Question: What is the frequency range on each band?
Answer: The frequency coverage is:
  • FM ................ from 10 KHz - 30 MHz
  • AM ................ 100 KHz to 28.1 MHz
  • SSB ............... 100 KHz to 28.1 MHz
  
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Product: DX-375 AM/FM/SW Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0212
Question: How do I connect an external antenna?
Answer: You can connect the 278-1374 Antenna Extender to the telescoping antenna.
  
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Product: DX-375 AM/FM/SW Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0212
Question: What speakers can you use with this radio?
Answer: You can use standard amplified portable and computer speakers (such as 40-1404, 40-1405, 40-1406, 40-1407, 40-1408 and 40-1409) or you can use a 1/8" to 2 RCA Plug Adapter (Cat. No. 274-889) and standard Stereo A/V cables (Cat. No. 42-2605) to connect the headphones jack to an amplifier/receiver.
  
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Product: DX-375 AM/FM/SW Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0212
Question: What DC adapter does this use?
Answer: This uses the 273-1810 DC adapter and 273-1667 AC adapter.
  
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Product: DX-390 AM/FM/SW Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0214
Question: What is the correct adapter? The manual says to use 273-1650 but that's only 300 mA and this radio requires 400 mA.
Answer: The manual is incorrect.  The correct adapter to use with this radio is the 273-1667, which comes with your choice of plugs.
  
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Product: DX-392 AM/FM/SW Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0219
Question: What is the plug size on the power adapter?
Answer: The plug size is 3.5 mm.
  
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Product: DX-392 AM/FM/SW Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0219
Question: How do I connect the shortwave antenna kit (Cat. No. 278-758) to this radio?
Answer: You need to connect an 1/8" mono phone plug (Cat. No. 274-868) to the antenna wire.
  
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Product: DX-392 AM/FM/SW Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0219
Question: How do you turn the alarm off?
Answer: To turn off the alarm, press Standby; then, while Standby flashes, press 'C'.
  
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Product: DX-392 AM/FM/SW Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0219
Question: The instructions say to ground the receiver but there is no ground screw on this unit.
Answer: In this case, you would need to ground the cable instead of both the cable and the receiver.
  
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Product: DX-392 AM/FM/SW Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0219
Question: How do I turn off the beep when changing frequencies?
Answer: This is not an option; the beep cannot be turned off.
  
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Product: DX-392 AM/FM/SW Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0219
Question: The AM external antenna is not working when it is plugged in.
Answer: Be sure that the adapter tip and ring are not wired in reverse.
  
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Product: DX-440 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0221
Question: How do I change the time format from 24 hour to 12 hour format?
Answer: The display will show the time in a 24 hour mode except when you are tuning a station or performing some other operation. The radio uses the 24 hour mode because most shortwave stations schedule their broadcast on the basis of Greenwich Mean Time which is a 24 hour clock.
  
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Product: DX-394 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0224
Question: Is it proper when tuning down from 28 MHz for this item to skip down to 26 MHz (skipping over 27 MHz)?
Answer: Yes, this unit skips the CB band.
  
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Product: DX-394 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0224
Question: Is it normal for the frequency to be off a bit? For example, 5696 comes in on about 5695.
Answer: Yes, this is normal due to the frequency step rate.
  
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Product: DX-394 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0224 200-0224A 200-0224B
Question: Is there any difference between these three radios?
Answer: No.
  
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Product: DX-395 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0225
Question: Does this radio have a lock feature?
Answer: Yes; there is a switch on the bottom of the unit.
  
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Product: DX-397 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0227
Question: Is this a digitally-tuned radio?
Answer: No, it uses analog tuning.
  
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Product: DX-398 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0228
Question: In manual tuning, why do you have to turn the knob a lot to change the frequency in Lower side band?
Answer: The lower band frequency step is in small increments so the knob must be rotated more.
  
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Product: DX-398 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0228
Question: How do I use Priority for Shortwave stations?
Answer: You can store one station as the priority station, then quickly recall it as shown below:
  1. Tune to the page you stored your favorite SW station according to the steps in page 20 "Tuning Preprogrammed Shortwave Stations".
  2. Press M/MEM to first store the page which contains the desired station.
    Note: Unlike FM/MW/LW bands which store desired station in a memory location, the SW band stores a page which contains 9 stations in a memory location.
  3. Press PRIORITY to store the page with desired station in the priority location.
    Note: If you previously stored a priority station, pressing PRIORITY replaces it.
  4. Press PRIORITY to tune to the priority page first. The receiver tunes to the desired page and then to the strongest frequency among the 9 preset stations.
    Note: The strongest frequency might not be the same as the desired frequency.
  5. Press the memory location number where you stored that station in Step 1 to tune to the priority station.
  
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Product: DX-398 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0228
Question: Connecting a 200-0228 / 420-2611 to 140-1115 will not turn on a timed-recording. How do I do this?
Answer: The tip on the cord is wrong.  It needs to be removed and a different tip with the opposite polarity from the 420-2611 soldered on. This will make the recorder turn on at the time specified.
  
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Product: DX-398 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0228
Question: What are the holes on the bottom for? What is the Reset/Data In A/Data In B hole(s) for?
Answer: The DX-398 All-Band Short-wave Receiver (200-0228) has on three holes on the bottom. The Reset hole is to reset the unit; however, the other two holes (Data In A and Data In B) were intended for a computer uplink cable. Unfortunately, we do not carry a cable for this unit.
  
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Product: DX-398 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0228
Question: Is there a data interface cable and how do I get one?
Answer: There is not a data interface cable available at this time.
  
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Product: DX-398 Receiver, DX-390 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0228 / 200-0214
Question: What is the sensitivity difference between these units?
Answer: The 200-0228 & 200-0214 are about equal in sensitivity; however, the 200-0228 will pick up lower frequencies than the 200-0214.
  
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Product: DX-398 Receiver, DX-392 Receiver Cat. No.: 200-0228, 200-0219
Question: What is the shortwave step rate on both radios?
Answer: The 20-228 has 306 presets, USB/LSB.  The step rates are shown below:
FM .1 MHz / .05 MHz
LW 9 kHz / 1 kHz
MW 9 kHz / 10 kHz / 1 kHz
SW 5 kHz / 1 kHz
AM/USB/LSB 1 kHz / 40 Hz

The 200-0219 uses rotary tuning and does not have a step rate.
  
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