What frequencies are SSB?

A marine SSB system operates on marine radio spectrums called shortwave, medium frequency and high frequency — 2 MHz-26 MHz. This radio spectrum is shared with hundreds of other radio users including shortwave broadcasts, Ham radio, FEMA, the American Red Cross, and long-range aircraft.

Is SSB FM or AM?

What is SSB? Single sideband is a special form of amplitude modulation (AM). What's so 'special' about it? Besides just encoding voice information with variations in signal amplitude, or power, SSB consumes a little less than half the bandwidth of a full “double band” AM signal.

What are SSB channels?

An AM signal consists of two redundant sideband signals that each contain the operator's voice, along with a so-called carrier signal between them. An SSB signal uses only one of the sidebands. The sideband "channels" are actually the upper and lower halves of the 40 regular AM channels.

Can SSB be on FM?

and join them with a radio frequency (RF) signal to send it where it needs to go on a given frequency. It is possible to use ANY mode (AM, FM, SSB, CW, RTTY, DIGITAL) on ANY band or frequency. In actual practice, different modes work better on different bands.

Is SSB a VHF?

SSB (Single Sideband) radio has a much greater range than a VHF (Very High Frequency) radio's typical 35 to 50 nautical miles. Medium Frequency (MF) SSB radio has a range of around 400 nautical miles, but High Frequency (HF) will reach out for several thousand.

Understanding Single Sideband

What is the difference between VHF and SSB?

While nearly all boats carry a VHF, its maximum range isn't more than about 25 miles. This is because VHF radio waves travel in a straight line or line of sight. In contrast, waves from marine single-sideband (SSB) radios travel up to the F layer of the ionosphere, 75 to about 250 miles above the Earth.

Is 30 meters upper or lower sideband?

The higher frequency bands above the 30 meter band (20m, 17m, 15m, 12m, 10m, VHF, and UHF bands) utilize the upper sideband (USB), while the lower frequency bands below 30 meters (40m, 80m, 160m) use the lower sideband (LSB).

Are SSB radios still used?

As satellite communication equipment becomes more reasonably priced, more reliable, and more compact, we often hear sailors raise the question, Are single-sideband radios even relevant anymore? As Lanier points out, the question is easy to answer: Yes, absolutely.

Is SSB the same as ham radio?

Hams use the same type of SSB but on ham frequencies. The Coast Guard uses SSB, mostly on marine channels, but in an emergency they can also call out to all ham radio operators on ham frequencies.

What is an SSB radio?

So what is SSB Marine Radio? SSB Radio or Single Side Band Radio is a way of communicating over very large distances without the need for subscription or ongoing costs and tariffs. SSB is basically a 'mode' like FM or AM.

Is SSB an HF?

“SSB” is short for Single SideBand radio, also known as a High Frequency (HF) radio, or in old maritime thrillers as a “shortwave.” It's a radio which broadcasts and receives on a much wider and lower range of frequencies than your VHF radio.

What is the difference between SSB and CB?

A CB radio does not require a license to operate. CB service operates on 40 shared channels in an AM mode or Single SideBand (SSB) mode. SSB offers less noise and greater range than AM mode and is usually found on higher end CB radios. SSB has two modes, Upper Sideband and Lower Sideband.

Who uses single sideband?

SSB (Single Sideband) is an obscure but very important way to communicate via radio. It is used primarily for two-way voice communication by ham radio operators, aircraft and air traffic control (ATC), ships at sea, military and spy networks. Occasionally some shortwave broadcast stations use this format.

What does SSB mean on a CB?

CB Single Sideband (SSB) Print. Modified on: Mon, 30 Aug, 2021 at 11:05 AM. All CB radios operate on AM, which is the same type of transmission as your typical AM radio station. In addition, some higher-end CB radios are equipped with single sideband, which is a different mode of transmission.

What sideband is used on 40 meters?

The 40-meter or 7-MHz band is an amateur radio frequency band, spanning 7.000-7.300 MHz in ITU Region 2, and 7.000-7.200 MHz in Regions 1 & 3.

What is the difference between SSB and FM?

Firstly, FM is a constant-envelope modulation, meaning the amplitude is constant. SSB, being a kind of amplitude modulation, obviously does not have a constant amplitude. Consequently, FM can employ a non-linear amplifier which is more power efficient, and thus has a longer battery life in mobile operation.

Can a ham radio talk to a marine radio?

Some radios, such as the legacy Kenwood TS-50, need to be modified to use upper sideband on 40 meters. The FCC forbids ham sets from transmitting on marine SSB frequencies, but this is standard procedure among cruising hams.

Is SSB radio necessary?

Everything you need to know about SSB marine radio. For many who sail around the world, a short-wave radio system is a must-have on board, as an SSB marine radio system can be used for very long distances.

Can ham radio pick up shortwave?

Imho, ham radio is much better. It is just plain fun. It can use shortwave and talk all around the world. It can use hand-held radios to talk around town.

What is the main benefit of SSB?

The advantage of SSB is its narrow bandwidth and higher power efficiency than the other voice modes. The Other Options: The wide bandwidth of FM provides a higher fidelity, while the fidelity of SSB suffers with narrower bandwidth, so option 'A' is out.

Do Cobra CB have SSB?

This product has benefited from the test of time and from modern-day technology. Bottom line, this is a great CB radio, one of the best you can buy. The Cobra 148 GTL CB radio has twelve watts power SSB RF output, which increases the SSB range.

What CB channel do truckers use?

CB Radio Channels

Channels 17 and 19 are the two channels most commonly used by truckers; in some areas, those on north- and southbound roads use channel 19, while those on east- and westbound roads communicate on channel 17.