A radio wave receiver includes a radio wave reception processor and a processor. The radio wave reception processor receives radio waves and obtains signals transmitted from positioning satellites. The processor sets reception start timing of the radio wave and controls the radio wave reception processor to start reception. The radio wave reception processor performs acquiring operation to acquire transmission signals from a number of positioning satellites necessary for computing a present position. After the acquiring operation, the radio wave reception processor obtains signals necessary for computing the present position from the acquired transmission signals in an obtaining time from an obtaining start timing to an obtaining end timing determined depending on a format according to the positioning satellite. The processor sets the reception start timing so that certain reception conditions are satisfied.