Communications: Voice, Radio and Data - Wanting To Buy a Short Wave Radio

I'm looking to purchase a shortwave radio but I'm not sure which one. Preferably one that's less than $100.
I've looked at what I could find on shortwave sites and I've read some reviews. But I'm still a bit confused.
I'd like one that will pick up police reports.
Basically I'd like one that I can use to be informed of what's going on in case of some kind of global emergency (if that makes any sense.) And to pick up broadcasts that aren't on the regular airwaves.
Thank you for any help on pointing me in the right direction.

You want two separate radios.

You want a shorwave to listen to the world broadcasters news broadcasts.
At that, they will be filtered somewhat as broaccast news tends to be. And ,the past decade or so, many of the international broadcasters have quit shortwave, in favor of satellite and internet broadcasting.

For the local police, fire, and EMS, toy want a VHF/UHF scanner. With that, an number of services have been going to trunked systems, and some even digital. You would need a more elaborate scanner to get trunkend. Most digital services are encrypted, so there is nothing to get them.

You may also want to check out HAM radio. Talk to fellow ham enthusiasts anywhere in the world.

Okay, thanks for your input.

Check out C. Crane. You can get a good radio for a modest price. But dont expect much reception on the built in antenna. For true short wave performance, plan on installing some kind of long wave outside the house.

I am going to add; a moden replacemnt for Shortwave, to get international news and such, is an FTA satellite system. You can also sometimes get news trucks with them, as well as lots of intersting stuff.

For the local police, fire, and EMS, toy want a VHF/UHF scanner. With that, an number of services have been going to trunked systems, and some even digital. You would need a more elaborate scanner to get trunkend.....

What do you mean by "trunked?"
"FTA satellite system", Do you mean like Sirius?

I'll look at Crane.

Thanks

Check out C. Crane. You can get a good radio for a modest price. But dont expect much reception on the built in antenna. For true short wave performance, plan on installing some kind of long wave outside the house.

I vaguely recall improving shortwave reception with the
following method:
Extend antenna from radio. Use a long extension cord
(unplugged at both ends), put the prong end contacting
with pressure, at both prongs, the thick part of the
antenna, and your shortwave reception may double if
the extension cord is laid flat on the floor, and extending the
appropriate compass direction.
If that works, you may want a real exterior shortwave
antenna if you did not get one already.

Try going to your local "rat shack". They can tell you what systems your local police and fire departments are operating. If you get an analog system and they are digital, all you have is a boat anchor. A few departments are all, or partially encrypted. If that's the case, you cant pick them up - period.

For shortwave, a radio tuning to at least 30 megahertz is needed. The ability to tune what is called single sideband ham stations is a plus.

You probably have a ham radio club or two in the area. They often have a hamfest (ham radio oriented flea market) at least once a year. You can get good deals and good advise on used equipment.

Trunked systems basically use a sucession of frequencies (usually in the 800 Mhz range), and computer systems intelligently manage use of them, rather than the users manually changing a few channels.

By FTA satellite I mean a satellite TV system which picks up feeds and international channels.