Idiots Guide to SSB?

[Tim Good]

I've never used it but I understand it can be useful when long distance cruising. I have an insulated backstay already. How much are units? How are they rigged to the back stay? Can I get one second hand easily? Do inneed a licence? How do I find out when and what nets there are? Do they use much power?

 

[William_H]

Single Sideband is the mode used now for almost all HF (long distance ) communication. It has been the main stay of radio communication for commercial vessels for a long time. However things change in this area rapidly. The alternative now for essential communication is satellite communication (Inmarsat) or sat phone. Formal commercial com here in Oz is via 2 government operated stations one in west Oz and one in Queensland. They operate on a DSC system where you call with a digital message (DSC) then change to a nearby frequency for actual talking. I think it can be used for safety messages or telegram type messages. It is part of oz obligations for safety coverage of Indian Southern and Pacific oceans.
HF SSB is also used by clubs for management of ocean racing and is to some degree monitored by Sea Rescue groups on specific frequencies (non DSC)
Parallel to all this is Amateur Radio who use HF SSB on a range of bands for communication and experimentation. Many ocean sailing adventurers find the amateur nets most successful for both digital and voice communication and generally making friends on the ocean.
The first formal use of SSB requires a Marine operators certificate (an addition to your VHF operators licence) Likewise for use of Inmarsat. It also requires that the station (boat) has a licence.
The amateur radio requires that you get an Amateur operators certificate which comes in various depths of approval with various depths of technical knowledge. (and used to be a proficiency in morse code). It also requires that you have a licence and call sign for the station. (boat or home)
The radio itself takes up to 15 amps or more on transmit but this is usually only for short periods of time. You need also an automatic tuner to connect to your insulated back stay. The back stay works well but ocean racing requirements call for a whip antenna to be usable in case of dismasting. You also need an earth system either plates on outside of hull or a network of wires inside the hull or even use of metal keel for a counterpoise to the antenna. Many people also have a modem type devices to provide packet radio of messages which may be connected to internet. All fairly expensive.
Actually as I said this area and usage changes from time to time and place to place and each country has it's own laws so in the words of sergeant Shultz. " I know nussinck" So ask someone who knows olewill

 

[Neeves]

To add to Wills post.

The HF system here is run by Kordia, from the 2 base stations he mentions. They transmit to a schedule all the forecast for local and Australia's ocean waters produced by our Bur Of Met, though you can get the same forecast by internet all around the coast through mobile coverage. As far as I'm aware Kordia also handle some of our Water Police radio, I recall for Western Australia, but they also have a major role in New Zealand for both HF and VHF - on the water. Kordia will also set up a sched with you if you are sailing in any of the ocean areas for which Australia has responsibility so you can report position, any issues and last time I spoke with Kordia they will send short emails, stressing the short, to those on land with whom you want to acquaint of your position (wife etc).

There are a number of HF nets across the Pacific.

HF installation is not cheap to buy, cannot recall the costs, but is free to use (licenses are not expensive).

It has value here in Oz/NZ, because of the weather, the local stations that offer a service and the nets across the Pacific. It has been partially replaced by mobile phone and mobile broadband - which offers good coverage at about, within, 20nm offshore of Oz, sometimes as far as 40nm but also sat phone, which is obviously becoming popular. Kordia do maintain a watch on all the listening channels to meet Australia's and NZ's international marine safety obligations. Sat phone relies on satellites being in the right place at the right time and there are times when coverage is poor, Indian Ocean and Pacific.

We have HF and do use it for weather and we join a reporting service run out of NW Tasmania when we go to Tasmania (as SW Tasmania is one of the few places with no mobile coverage, no-one lives there!) and you would not want to transit the coast without a reliable forecast - given that the nearest land to the west is southern South America!

If we were starting again - I'd look at renting a sat phone if we were only going 'once'. But for long term usage given it is free to use - we would probably buy again - in Australian waters, Southern Ocean and Pacific.

Jonathan

 

[duncan99210]

To add to the advice from our antipodeans, UK regulations call for you to do the Long Range Certficate, which will cost you several hundred pounds. That gives you permission to operate on the HF marine frequencies, which is where most of the cruising nets are. You'll also need to add the radio to your Ofcom licence. In addition, you could do the amateur radio licence (often known as ham radio) which gives you access to a worldwide network of amateur operators.
I remain to be convinced of the utility of SSB today, given the fact that satellite communications are now reliable, cheap to buy and not ruinously expensive to operate. There are a range of option available and I'd be looking to go down that route if I were planning long offshore passages.

 

[GHA]

If you don't fancy splashing out on the marine SSB license or going for the advanced ham license then highly recommend (like almost essential IMHO) for ocean passages is at least a SSB receiver for weatherfax. I've had great service from a Degen 1103, like this one -
https://www.amazon.co.uk/DEGEN-Digi...&ie=UTF8&qid=1518079547&sr=1-1&keywords=degen

With insulated backstay already you should easily pull in wfax images , plenty software available, even a tablet sitting next to the radio will do. Opencpn has an excellent plugin which can receive from audio straight from the radio and overlay on top of gribs.

 

[Normalfornorfolk]

I think it's worth mentioning that if getting a marine SSB licence is thought a long and costly business then obtaining a Ham licence is an oddyssey of truly epic proportions - often taking years and unless things have changed radically in the Ham world recently was a process somewhat akin to joining and progressing through the ranks in some secret society.
Am I right in thinking that the transmitter you buy will (well, should) be inhibited to only cover the bands allowed by your licence so unless you have both licences you still can't talk to everyone you might want to?

 

[GHA]

I think it's worth mentioning that if getting a marine SSB licence is thought a long and costly business then obtaining a Ham licence is an oddyssey of truly epic proportions - often taking years and unless things have changed radically in the Ham world recently was a process somewhat akin to joining and progressing through the ranks in some secret society.
Am I right in thinking that the transmitter you buy will (well, should) be inhibited to only cover the bands allowed by your licence so unless you have both licences you still can't talk to everyone you might want to?

Almost completely wrong
I did it in about 6 months, might have been 9. Didn't cost much at all and I learnt a lot. Very welcoming radio club out Essex way, not secret society type stuff in any way. First 2 licenses are quite easy, but you need the advanced license needed to transmit as a maritime mobile call sign on a boat beyond the low water line was quite involved.
No restrictions whatsoever on the kit you use, any old cobbled together bits of wire is fine so long as you only transmit on the frequencies stated on the license and output a good clean signal that doesn't interfere with anyone else on the airways.

 

[Tim Good]

I understand lots can be gained from just listening into the nets? Is there a requirement for a licence to just receive?

 

[GHA]

I understand lots can be gained from just listening into the nets? Is there a requirement for a licence to just receive?

From memory there's something somewhere about using the info you hear or sharing it. But who cares, who's gonna know? Thing is though, you'll probably not hear much from any nets in in Europe. Luckily with the web you can get round that....

http://websdr.org/

 

[Tim Good]

From memory there's something somewhere about using the info you hear or sharing it. But who cares, who's gonna know? Thing is though, you'll probably not hear much from any nets in in Europe. Luckily with the web you can get round that....

http://websdr.org/

Yeah I suppose it was more for the Pacific when we get there and getting stuff sorted in my head as Jobs to do.

 

[rogerthebodger]

Yeah I suppose it was more for the Pacific when we get there and getting stuff sorted in my head as Jobs to do.

There's a SSB net here in South Africa called peri peri net operates on 8101khz every day at 1500UTC and switches to 12353khz to track the more distant vessels after the initial traffic is finished. There is also an informal net on 8101khz every morning at 0500UTC depending on who is available

http://www.noonsite.com/Members/doina/R2004-12-08-2

 

[john_q]

Los of SSB Nets around the USA and Caribbean see below

Selected Caribbean Shortwave Weather Reports Summer 2017 courtesy of Caribbean Compass magazine June 2017

[TABLE="width: 965"]
[TR]
[TH]UTC[/TH]
[TH]AST*[/TH]
[TH]STATION & REPORT DESCRIPTION[/TH]
[TH]FREQ**[/TH]
[TH]TYPE[/TH]
[TH]MODE[/TH]
[TH][/TH]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]09:30[/TD]
[TD]05:30[/TD]
[TD]Daily Offshore forecast[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10:00[/TD]
[TD]06:00[/TD]
[TD]Eastern Carib. Weather (Chris)[/TD]
[TD]4045 & 8137[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD]Note 1
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10:00[/TD]
[TD]06:00[/TD]
[TD]Daily Caribbean Weather[/TD]
[TD]6215[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10:30[/TD]
[TD]06:30[/TD]
[TD]Bahamas Weather (Chris)[/TD]
[TD]4045 & 8137[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD]Note 1
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10:30[/TD]
[TD]06:30[/TD]
[TD]Trinidad Emergency Net[/TD]
[TD]3855[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]LSB/HAM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]10:30[/TD]
[TD]06:30[/TD]
[TD]Carib. Emergency & Weather Net[/TD]
[TD]3815[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]LSB/HAM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11:00[/TD]
[TD]07:00[/TD]
[TD]Bahamas BASRA Weather Net[/TD]
[TD]4003[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11:20[/TD]
[TD]07:20[/TD]
[TD]Bahamas Weather C6AGG Net[/TD]
[TD]7096/3696[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]LSB/HAM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11:30[/TD]
[TD]07:30[/TD]
[TD]US E.Coast, W. Atl. N&W of Bermuda (Chris)[/TD]
[TD]8137 & 12350[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD]Note 1
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]11:45[/TD]
[TD]07:45[/TD]
[TD]E. Caribbean Weather Net (Denis)[/TD]
[TD]4420[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12:15[/TD]
[TD]08:15[/TD]
[TD]KPK Cruising Safety Net (sponsor SSCA)[/TD]
[TD]8104[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]12:30[/TD]
[TD]08:30[/TD]
[TD]E. Caribbean Weather (Chris)[/TD]
[TD]8137 & 12350[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD]Note 1
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]13:00[/TD]
[TD]09:00[/TD]
[TD]W. Caribbean Weather (Chris)[/TD]
[TD]8137 & 12350[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD]Note 1
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]After 13:00[/TD]
[TD]After 09:00[/TD]
[TD]East & ESE sponsor requests (Chris)[/TD]
[TD]8137 & 12350[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD]Note 1
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]14:00[/TD]
[TD]10:00[/TD]
[TD]NW Caribbean Net[/TD]
[TD]6209
Alt Freq’s 6212 & 6516[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]15:30[/TD]
[TD]11:30[/TD]
[TD]Offshore Forecast[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]21:30[/TD]
[TD]17:30[/TD]
[TD]Offshore Forecast[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22:00[/TD]
[TD]18:00[/TD]
[TD]Carib., Atl. & Pac. Weather (Chris)[/TD]
[TD]8137 & 12350[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD]Note 1
[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]22:35[/TD]
[TD]18:35[/TD]
[TD]Caribbean Emergency & Weather Net[/TD]
[TD]3815[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]LSB/HAM[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[TR]
[TD]03:30[/TD]
[TD]23:00[/TD]
[TD]Offshore Forecast[/TD]
[TD]A[/TD]
[TD]Voice[/TD]
[TD]USB[/TD]
[TD][/TD]
[/TR]
[/TABLE]

* Atlantic Standard Time (AST) does not shift to DST in the summer in Caribbean waters.

** Frequencies (in kHz):
· NMN, Chesapeake, 4426, 6501, 8764, 13089, 17314.
· Caribbean Sea approximately 25 minutes later.
· NMG, New Orleans, 4316, 8502, 12788.
· Caribbean Sea approximately 25 minutes later.

Note 1:
Unless severe weather threatens, this net is not conducted on Sundays. When there are active Tropical systems in the Atlantic, Marine Weather Center (Chris) runs a net at 2300 UTC/1900 AST on 8137, USB.

Note 1a:
Please hail Marine Weather Center (WCY) 15 minutes before the net so that Chris knows where to aim his antenna to reach you. This net is geared primarily to offshore Atlantic and Pacific passagemakers.

For Chris Parker schedule updates see www.mwxc.com

 

[KellysEye]

The SSB long range course, LRC, takes four and a half days. As said you will need aerial tuner which should be connected by copper foil to where aerial exits the boat. Bear in mind the earth makes up half the aerial so the better the earth the longer the range. Metal boats and those with copper foil the length of the hull have best range.

Here are some of the nets Herb no longer does the Atlantic weather: http://info.yachtcom.co.uk/HF-frequencies/

SSB is the life blood of cruising ocean nets, marina nets, bay nets, keeping touch with other boats and weather. Sat phones can't do most of that. We did have a satphone but no paid time card so never used it, emergency calls are free and we kept it charged and put in the grab bag. Contacting a satellite with an emergency call is almost immediate with a Satphone an EPIRB can take an hour.

 

[Skylark]

...........obtaining a Ham licence is an oddyssey of truly epic proportions - often taking years and unless things have changed radically in the Ham world recently was a process somewhat akin to joining and progressing through the ranks in some secret society.

That’s the funniest, most ridiculous and misinformed post I’ve read in a while. Absolutely brilliant and undoubtedly helpful to the OP, or probably not ?

 

[Neeves]

I really don't remember that the individual HF licence, and we have both the personal and ships licence, were I'm any way onerous. We have to renew the ships licence annually, A$42 (its nothing). In addition to an ability to receive the weather forecasts at specified schedules (which can be downloaded through the internet if you have the reception) it is useful to know who is 'nearby' which you obtain when you are part of the local Net (which might cover thousands of sq NM).

We have a schedule printed out at the chart table of the weather forecast and the local Net schedule times - a bit like Post #12. Add this data to that provided by Roger #11, add in a bit of investigative work with Google and you would have comprehensive coverage of the main Oceans you are likely to cross. There are a number of Nets round the South China Sea, but cannot now recall them, its 20 years since we used them.

Most long distance cruising yachts we see - have SSB (they might also have sat phones - but no-one has ever volunteered their number (but maybe that's a reflection on us - not them ).

Jonathan

 

[Little Dorrit]

...How are they rigged to the back stay? Can I get one second hand easiy?

I'm hoping someone can give some guidance on these points in particular as I have the same question regarding how do make an antenna for use on the backstay. I'm only interested in receiving SSB fax using a small radio similar to a Degen but am unable to receive a sufficiently good reception. I'm assuming a decent aerial would help.

 

[john_morris_uk]

If anyone wants an Icom Marine SSB I’ve got one sitting here doing nothing. It’s an older model but in perfect working order. (We’ve already got an Icom SSB with auto ATU fitted to our boat). You’ll need an ATU but there’s one on eBay at the moment. Insulated backstay is relatively straightforward. (I did ours with the mast up.)

 

[prv]

I really don't remember that the individual HF licence, and we have both the personal and ships licence, were I'm any way onerous.

The process is specific to each country, and this seems to be a rare example of Aussie maritime regulation being less restrictive than the UK. Presumably because HF is much more common there due to your longer distances.

Here it’s quite a niche thing, and the course to get an operator’s certificate takes the best part of a week, with corresponding cost.

(The station license as far as I know is the same one that everyone already has for their VHF, so that at least is free and doesn’t need renewing, just a confirmation every ten years that it’s still needed.)

As I understand it, the USA is even easier than Australia for HF.

Pete

 

[Neeves]

We had an SSB on our X-99 in HK to allow us to meet Cat 1 safety for the China Sea Races. We used an ICOM M800, I think that was the nomenclature, and a AS120 aerial tuner. The M800 was unusual in that it used a fibre optic cable to connect tuner to transceiver (a connection they quickly discarded) - at the time I think the alternative was the ICOM M720(??). New models are DSC enabled.

For the insulated backstay:

I was not going buy and have the weight of fancy insulators.

I found insulated shackles, these were long 'D' shackles with a nylon (polymer) sheave in the clevis pin. I simply introduced the shackles to the top and bottom of the existing back stay with the back stay attached to the polymer sheaves. I might have further insulated the connections by filling with silicone (but I don't recall). You could buy 'off the shelf' plastic sheaves and simply add them to a long 'D' shackle. The aerial cable was joined to the backstay with those double U' bolt cable joiners (nothing very sophisticated). The earth was the keel, using a keel bolt., and we used 2" copper
strip to connect tuner to keel (we use the same on our cat - but connect to an earth plate (high surface area, sintered, powder metallurgy plate). We use normal backstay insulators now.

The connection to the stay for the aerial and the connection to the earth plate are very short, maximum of 2m for the earth and 4m for the aerial. The live part of the aerial is about 2m off the deck, the idea being to make it less likely anyone touches it when you transmit. This leaves a floppy aerial cable to somehow protect before it is attached to the stay - we routed ours up a hollow fibreglass sail batten.

Someone with more expertise might come along with a better answer - mine worked at the time.

I think these shackles were sold to allow insulation of stainless lifelines (but cannot recall). In HK the test was simple - you had to be able to receive and send a signal across the territory, which was about 50nm - succeed with that and your installation was approved. It all worked.

Its a cheap fix - try it, the investment is not great.

There are a number of shortwave receivers (or there were). I vaguely recall people having success (Sony sold one) but we never had the need. I imagine a decent search would turn up a variety of options.

The impending death of SSB is routinely announced - it does seem to soldier on, news of its death being premature.

Jonathan

PS - We don't need station, ship, licenses in Oz for VHF but I think my operators license might be a combined VHF/HF - its on the boat - so I cannot check. Its free and for life - just the station licence needs renewing (or I've been using both unlicensed! ). I know that home schooling out in 'the bush' was HF based, every farmer had one, but my guess is that a lot of that has been replaced by the internet now.

Jonathan

 

[GHA]

I'm hoping someone can give some guidance on these points in particular as I have the same question regarding how do make an antenna for use on the backstay. I'm only interested in receiving SSB fax using a small radio similar to a Degen but am unable to receive a sufficiently good reception. I'm assuming a decent aerial would help.

For receive any old wire will help, or clip onto a stay or chainplate if you are in a GRP boat. You might not get much around a marine or boatyard though, reception is much better offshore.

Try here with 7878.1Khz or 8038.1Khz for a listen.
http://websdr.ewi.utwente.nl:8901/