The Tuner LW (DV) parameter indicates the ability of the HiFi tuner to receive radio broadcasts in the long wave band. The international abbreviation for this band is LW, which stands for "Long Wave", while in the Czech environment the designation DV is used. A characteristic feature of long waves is their ability to propagate over extremely long distances, often thousands of kilometres, as the signal follows the curvature of the Earth's surface. Compared to the more common FM band (known in the Czech Republic as VHF), the sound quality of longwave is lower, the transmission is usually monophonic and the signal may be more susceptible to interference from electrical appliances. In the past, this band was used for nationwide coverage of one station's signal from a single powerful transmitter. Today, its commercial use for music broadcasting is on the decline, but it is still used for some specific, often news or information stations.