Still a SWL at heart

{caption:text=If you enjoy shortwave listening (and its modern-day equivalents) then you should pick up a copy of John Figliozzi’s The Worldwide Listening Guide.}

I recently received my copy of the 11th edition of The Worldwide Listening Guide by John A Figliozzi. I love this book!

I first learned of it in 2023 at the Dayton Hamvention, where I picked up a copy of the 10th edition. It’s a guide not too unlike the old WRTH books, providing program information and schedules for shows from all across the globe.

But unlike WRTH, The Worldwide Listening Guide gives equal footing to audio content in all forms—including podcasts, satellite, and streaming. As a longtime shortwave listener (or “SWLer”) I love this perspective because it recognizes a couple of fundamental truths:

First, “Broadcast” doesn’t mean only amplitude and frequency modulated (AM and FM) signals transmitted over medium wave (MW) and shortwave (SW) frequencies.

Second (and most importantly) broadcasting—and by extension, listening—isn’t dead. The joy I get from listening to programs originating halfway around the world is just as alive now as it was in the 1980s when I look at it through that lens.

My only gripe with The Worldwide Listening Guide is that the author numbers days of the week from 1 to 7, starting with Sunday. As someone who lives by ISO8601, where the calendar week begins on Monday, I find this frustrating and sometimes confusing.

If you once enjoyed shortwave listening but gave up on it because “there’s just nothing to listen to any more,” or if you enjoy streaming content from around the world but find it difficult (as I have) to keep track of what’s available (and from where and when) then please give The Worldwide Listening Guide a look.