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Crash course in SSB?

S

steved

Member
Feb 4, 2008
97
7
18
I just picked up a DX 959, had it aligned and tuned. My first SSB radio.

The Galaxy manual is lacking much detail in SSB operation. A lot of these manufacturers need to take a course in technical writing...and provide better manuals for their junk.

As I understand it, its as simple as flip to either USB or LSB, then use the clarifier to fine tune to a clear signal?
 

"As I understand it, its as simple as flip to either USB or LSB, then use the clarifier to fine tune to a clear signal?"

thats what i did/tried . but then again i gave up on ssb cause i never herd anyone , so theyre may be more to it than that . lol . it could have been that used export i had also . seems like as popular as ssb seems on the forums i would have herd someone sometime . if i was setting up a base id want ssb cause i could pay more attention to finding a signal , not having to pay so much attention to driving and such .
 
I've heard people...last Thursday EVERY channel was hopping here in PA, all 120 channels had some chatter. Its been a while since I've heard that much chatter...

The only thing I've seen is when driving, it might be a PITA to talk, adjust the clarifier, talk, adjust the clarifier, talk, adjust, talk, adjust...might be a sport where you sit and do your thing??
 
The biggest problem with SSB and CB radios is that the transmit and receive frequencies seldom 'track' each other, or coincide. That means that you tend to 'skootch' up/down the band trying to follow the other guy (or he does the same thing with you?). The solution to that is that everybody's radio is set up exactly the same as far as frequency control is concerned (yeah, right), or, don't move the transmitter's frequency, only the receiver's (RIT/Clarifier). Being 'on' the other guy's frequency is much more exacting than with AM, a SSB signal just isn't as 'wide', sort of. That also means that listening/talking to more than one person at a time can be very clarifier 'intensive', a never take your hand off of it thingy.
All this takes time to develop the 'skill' to to do, no way around learning 'new' habits. Doing that learning while mobile is going to be more difficult than when sitting still, naturally. But, once you get the 'hang' of it, it isn't bad at all. Considering all the different radios, how they might be 'modded', etc, there's probably no -one- way to do all this. Difficult? Only if you learned some other method before messing with SSB. Still, ain't no step for a stepper (once you learn all this $#^+)!
- 'Doc
 
first off , a good alighnment is a plus concerning SSB , also open clarifier for RX/TX can be a plus , a lot of solid SSB'ers wouldn't have it any other way. I personally find that there really isn't a center slot on SSB concerning thousands of radios out there on any given channel , but there is close enough ballpark where , if your radio is alighned as good as it gets , you really shouldn't have much of a problem at all.

This is why there are life time AM'ers , they never wanted to make the change to what is a truly better way of communcation , less noise and more power and further talking capabilities. Why ? because they simply would get lost in there clarifiers and it was to much of a hassle for them.

Yo can be a few Khz's off on AM and I doubt the person on the other end would even know the differents and visa versa , that won't work on SSB. And most true to there school SSB'ers would surely let you know , they are more perfectionists then most , they know there radios are on freq and they don't want to touch there clarifiers but they would be the first to tell you that you were off freq and should go see the radio doctor to make it right. Like Ham radio operators , there seems to be a SSB'ers type of attitutde that goes with it .

Your new 959 will get the SSB job done just fine Steve , as long as it was alighned properly. But make no if's and's or but's about it , SSB is not AM.
Nowadays I find SSB to be superiour over AM for communacations.
 
Thanks for the responses...sounds like I'm doing it correctly...more/less.

I had DTB Radio do the work...he did some repairs and aligned the entire deal...he is a Galaxy Repair Center, so I assume he knows his game. The radio is working very well under all other conditions...

My problem on Thursday was the fact it was a new radio, and most every RX I was getting on SSB was *distant* and I was moving...probably a lot was skip. I would find one, spin the clarifier to catch it, and it would be gone! Plus, in my truck, its hard to hear...especially this day because I was loaded and pulling harder than norm.

Guess I should try it sitting still, and see how it goes before trying to perfect it cruising at 70mph!
 
without a doubt , using SSB for the most part is slightly easier when stable . SSB DX lately has been pretty good out here in So.Cal. , although it has been in and out as you mentioned . In the future it will get much better and then you will truly get to experiance the experiance of SSB and AM DX , it will be like talking 3000 or so miles away as if they were right next to you and it will be constint for hours at a time.

It's acting like ,DX is coming back strong slowly but surely , this is when it will be 9s units of it, sun up and sun down ! Auh yes ! this truly changes things for many a radio operator , Ham or Cb'er (y) it can be more so a good thing then not. When I started this radio venture in 1985 , DX was full bore baby !! I didn't even have SSB at the time until a few years later , but I talked all over the world on AM with lower freq's on 5 little watts on a old Wilson 5/8s ground plane. Just think of the possibilities you will have Steve with what you have now , even in the mobile , I would bet to say you kick some DX booty when the time is right. (y) Enjoy
 
Traditionally, channels 36-40 are where alot of SSBers hang out, particularly 38lsb, which is a defacto "calling" frequency, make contact and then change to another channel for the QSO so that someone elso can get a call in on 38. When the sunspots activity picks up. there can be hundreds of stations on 38lsb.

Sometimes, the band is open, just nobody realizes it. Even if it sounds quiet, you can throw a CQ out there and see if someone is monitoring. I make alot of contacts that way.

But I'd say the vast majority of serious 11 meter SSBers use the unauthorized frequencies above channel 40 (27.405) , but below 10 meter ham (28.000).

This is where you can really work the world with 100 watts and a good antenna.
 
steved said:
I just picked up a DX 959, had it aligned and tuned. My first SSB radio.

The Galaxy manual is lacking much detail in SSB operation. A lot of these manufacturers need to take a course in technical writing...and provide better manuals for their junk.

As I understand it, its as simple as flip to either USB or LSB, then use the clarifier to fine tune to a clear signal?
Click to expand...

Good Grief!!!!!!!!!!! SSB operation is a no brainer, I don't understand the confusion. I hope you don't drive a car.
 
besides the typical assignment
of channels 36 to 40

most frequency's above 40 are on SSB as well
(in the supposed free band area)

just be extra careful if you go there
 
It was a simple enough question...I thought I was doing it right.

Just wanted to verify this with the resident SSB "hecklers", er professionals...
 
one thing is to watch out for the famous galaxy drift on ssb..i,ve found rangers to be the most stable..
 
Moniter 38 LSB. Skip is slow right Now, thats 99% of SSB. Thats why Your not Hearing anything. When You Hear Skip listen to the Lingo awhile, then start Shout'n! Easy as That. I got a 959 and no Gripes or Moans when i Talk Skip. Drift is also not a Problem with Mine!!!! Got a Galaxy 2547 about a Month ago it also DOES NOT DRIFT! I think in Mobile Service they sometimes Drift because of Tempature, so does many other Brands.
Doug S.
 
i dont use most of the ssb lingo and its not realy called for unless you operate in the ham bands.ssb is sapposed to be just normal conservation.its nice to know most of the ssb lingo just to know what some/few of the people who use it are talking about..
 

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