[5] What radio accessories are especially useful for shortwave?
   
   Auxiliary Antennas - catch more of an incoming signal so that more
   stations may be heard. In most cases, many should be received using
   only the antenna supplied as standard equipment, but to receive more
   low-power and/or distant stations, a better (outdoor) one should be
   hooked up. Pre-selectors are inserted in-between to filter strong out-
   -of-band signals that might create interfering ghost signals. Antenna
   tuners are inserted to increase the efficiency of signal transfer to 
   the radio. Tunable loop antennas can do some pre-selection, and are a
   good compromise where space is limited: Sony's AN-LP1 tunable travel
   loop needs little space even when unfolded; fully-equipped loops are
   quite practical for use on RVs:  www.sfarc.org/artbellbrv.htm
   Firefly antenna for motorcycles:  www.firestik.com/Catalog/FL3-FL4.htm
   A no-frills, manually-tuned loop:  www.alexloop.com
   
   CB Splitter-Tuners - may improve efficiency of signal transfer from 
   your car's standard antenna:  www.firestik.com/Catalog/AR-1A.htm
   This is less noisy than pre-amps or boosters, but is viable only for
   SW reception. For optimal CB transmission, instal a CB antenna on a
   square metre (or more) of a metal roof using 50 ohm coaxial cable:
     http://support.radioshack.com/support_electronics/doc9/9146.htm
   Otherwise, instal a no-ground-plane antenna system:
              www.firestik.com/Tech_Docs/ngp-existing.htm

   Headsets - suppress ambient noise in a variety of ways:
        www.summitonline.com/giro/b49/audio-helmets/c1000003168/

   Listening Guides and Technical References - can provide information 
   on propagation of shortwave signals via the ionosphere, use of your
   equipment, stations & frequencies, etc. Especially recommended are:
 Mariners' Guide to Single Sideband,
   by F. Graves -         www.universal-radio.com/catalog/books/1046.html
 Guide to Emergency Survival Communications,
   by D. Ingram -         www.universal-radio.com/catalog/books/3691.html
 The World Traveler's Guide: Shortwave Listening On The Road,
   by A. Yoder  -         www.universal-radio.com/catalog/books/0361.html

   NiMH Batteries & (survival) Chargers - more useful than 'emergency
   radios' with generators or solar cells. (Serious survivalists should
   have these items separately anyway. Besides, no such radio lets you
   tune in relevant SSB transmissions during emergencies. Travelers may
   find one convenient, but should realise that $10 CAD can buy a smaller
   radio with similar shortwave performance: Coby CX-CB12, CX-18 etc.)

   Software - does many things from decoding digital signals to storing
   stations, frequencies and propagation times. Some radios can be
   operated over the internet. A few 'software defined radios' are even
   dependent on a computer in order to process analog signals, yet may
   run on 12 VDC for a degree of mobility with a netbook or notebook.

   The last but not least important accessory is Experience. Time spent
   working with a shortwave radio gives you more information to get the
   most out of it, such as the techniques that work best for it, and the
   optimal times for you to receive a station on a given frequency.
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