SSB operating help

[thumbs1]

Ok I got the Grant and it is truly a great radio. I'm no expert but it sure is nice. Been usin it a few weeks now and would like to understand somethin about SSB. One of the reasons I got it was to learn somethin different. Didn't know much about SSB then and to tell ya the truth don't know much about it now. I do know there must be somethin to it though. Hey can you guys help me get into this SSB stuff? Were are the stations most people are on? What is the major reason for the SSB over the regular AM. Someone told me it has a further range. What is the difference in distance? I'm usin it in my PU. Can anyone get me started here?



Thanks guy's










thumbs........Souderton, Pa.</p>

 

[The Sandman 454]

Will answer as best I can...



I've heard the most people out there on channel 38 lower side band.

The upper 5 CB channels are said to be reserved for SSB. It's an informal agreement though and typically I hear a lot of locals using those channels for regular AM use.



Not many locals usually use SSB. I use SSB when I want to shoot skip (where signals propogate thru atmosphere and end up someplace else) not local talking. For local conditions I use AM on the usual trucker channel. For other contacts, I go with SSB.



It's a narrower bandwidth than AM is. Uses no carrier. You can hear more than one person talk at once on the sidebands.



It's about impossible to determine how much more range you'll get. All depends on conditions...



Don't forget you have the clarifier knob. You use that to tune a station in that might be a little off frequency.



Is my nickle...


Tim S.
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[thumbs1]

what is it used for

Tim S.



Hey thanks for the help. Ok let me ask ya a couple of questions. First, what is the purpose for SSB? Ok I know it gives ya more "channels" but for what? Is it just a full skip kinda talk just to see who you can get way out there? I know if your travelin with another guy with ssb it makes it a bit nicer and cleaner to get back and forth. Much less trafic if any on your channel. In other words other than just shootin skip what do most people use it for? Will it in fact carry further on the open road? What do most people use it for?



thumbs


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[WalshU]

Re: what is it used for

Very few, if any people, use SSB for local talk. SSB is mostly for distance communication, due to the nature of it. I would not recommend using it for anything more than that. Hope this helps. Check me out in the chat room and I can explain more!


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[The Sandman 454]

Re: what is it used for

I haven't found many people who use SSB for anything other than shootin' skip. I know a few who talk local on it but that's about it. And that occurs at night when the skip quiets down. Between vehicles it can be nice, although can be a pain to switch from the upper 5 or so CB channels on SSB to 19 AM to check local traffic conditions, weather, ask for directions, etc.



I do believe it will carry farther on road.



Keep in mind though that it doesn't give extra channels just operates in the lower 1/3 or upper 1/3 of the AM transmissions. Still same frequencies though.



Just my thoughts on the matter. Seeing as how I'm just learning myself and not *great* with all the terms yet, I trust everybody readin' this to clarify or correct... Thanks...




Tim S.
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[Skip Talker]

Your typical AM signal consist of a carrier, a lower side band (LSB) and an upper side band (USB).



Key the microphone and don’t speak into it that is your carrier.



No speak into the microphone. With out going into great detail, your voice will now modulate the signal. If your were to look at it on a spectrum analyzer your will see a carrier and your speech a little bit above and below your carrier.



For AM you have RF power for the carrier, which doesn’t carry any information or speech. You also have RF power to go to both side bands, which carry the exact same information.



What SSB (Single Side Band) does is eliminates the carrier and one of the side bands. Now all of your available power goes towards your speech.



The AM signal uses over twice the spectrum of a SSB signal. (Except for super bowl operators, I think it is more like 20 times????) Your receivers in SSB radios can have tighter filters with less noise. It also means less spectrum is used to hold a conversation.



The drawbacks of SSB is that you have to be on the exact same frequency, hence the clarifier. On AM you can be 1 or 2 KHz off and only a few people will even notice. On SSB 1 KHz off and you will not be understood. How close you have to be is up to the individual receiving you.



A lot of AMer’s will say it is a hassle to have to tune in everyone. That is due to inexperience, poorly tuned radio or a poorly made radio. A lot of radios are set up to be good AM radios and the SSB portion is usually ignored by most techs. I use SSB over 99% of the time. I’m 99% of the time mobile. I rarely have to tune anyone in.



As far a SSB is for DX only, I would have to disagree. For regular 40 channel use, then AM is probably the dominant mode, since only 5 of the 40 channels are “reserved” for SSB. Once you get above 40 or way below 1, SSB is more widely used than AM. It will vary by region, but where I live the only AM activity is truckers and school kids. There is at least 10 different channels where locals hang out on SSB and talk local.



Check out 27.475 LSB and talk to a lot of forum members.



73’s

1320




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[jdchet]

A six digit frequency counter will also help alot! I had a hard time finding anyone until I put a freq. counter on my radio! Makes clarifier adjustments alot simpler too!

Given the right conditions(traffic as well as propagation,etc.) there is nothing like talking to another truck driver or radio enthusiast down South or in the upper Midwest with just a mobile radio!

Maybe it's just me(my wife thinks I'm nuts)!


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713 Mobile Meandering Around the Northeast in The Diesel Car!</p>