Some problems facing low interest in shortwave:
-A lack of available shortwave radios to the average Joe (good quality with SSB and an external antenna jack).
-Radios are expensive.
-People are inundated with entertainment available at their fingertips online.
Possible solutions:
(Is anybody familiar with the Make phenomenon? There's even a magazine that tells how to make things.
http://makezine.com/ )
-Somebody could write an article on how to make your own shortwave receiver that receives 6850-7000 kHz by using an arduino or Raspberry Pi.
-Spread pirate radio propaganda like videos on youtube about the risks that people take and the extremes they will endure to hijack the airwaves. Have people's faces blurred or wear masks and stuff to get the point across that this is serious (therefore cool).
-Put old-school radio content on the pirate shows that don't have anything to do with music but are still entertaining. Stories, funny skits, secret codes where you have to catch each broadcast in order to get the next clue on how to decipher it. SSTV is really cool, integrate this into the secret code content. QSL cards are totally cool too, especially physical ones sent in the mail. There's nothing like collecting something. E-QSLs aren't the same as a physical QSL. I think physical stuff is lacking in this electronic age. I think teens would eat it up. Especially if the QSL art is like Mad magazine stuff.
Then once you have ample following, pay for some time on an existing broadcaster to send it to the US all legit. That will bring in more lazy/casual listeners that have been on the fringes because they are lazy and don't want to try hard to catch the weaker pirate signals.
An outline:
1.Get people SW radios
2. Use pirate stations as the gateway drug
3. Then once you have a market you get money from advertisers (which will make it suck)
4. Use money to legally broadcast to USA
5. Watch it slowly die.
(Think of it as a cycle of bringing something from the underground to the surface and mainstream with the end product not resembling the beginning product. But before you get all mainstream, you have something cool for a while. Much like MTV now which I hear is lame. )
PS the religious stations are like mariachi on FM. Good reception but not really wanted.
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) With new cars these days, they almost all have USB power jacks and AUX-in ports. Then you can drive around and park for best reception with your random wire.
And shirts for the forum! and hats! STICKERS!!!