Is there a future for ssb?

[Oscarpop]

We are still toying with idea of fitting one for our trip ( if it ever happens).

However icom have stopped making them. I called icom and apparently there will not be anything from them in the near future.
Furuno make a set. However the best use for them at the moment comes from Australia, where they seem to be widespread in the outback.

Is this medium in severe decline? I know cruisers rave about it, but the manufacturers seem to feel differently

 

[GHA]

We are still toying with idea of fitting one for our trip ( if it ever happens).

However icom have stopped making them. I called icom and apparently there will not be anything from them in the near future.
Furuno make a set. However the best use for them at the moment comes from Australia, where they seem to be widespread in the outback.

Is this medium in severe decline? I know cruisers rave about it, but the manufacturers seem to feel differently

??
Icom still make the 802 and 801e don't they?
As a medium it's still very much alive and well, leading to countless net discussions re sat phone/SSB


Inland Aus would be ham, wouldn't it?

 

[KellysEye]

SSB's are the life blood of cruising, email, weather faxes, Ham voice weather, Meteo France/NOAA weather over the Atlantic, ocean cruising nets, marina and anchorage nets and chat to cruisers you know. If you are thinking of going buy a second hand Icom, if you don't go you can always sell it on there will always be a market for the reasons mentioned. There are some here:

http://www.ebay.com/sch/sis.html?_kw=Icom+IC+M710+MF+HF+Marine+Transceiver+ham+SSB+CW+Radio

 

[nigelmercier]

You can get an Icom on Amazon
http://www.amazon.co.uk/exec/obidos/ASIN/B003YUBOYO/dolcetto-21

 

[Oscarpop]

They don't make the 801 anymore. I called them yesterday. They no longer make an ssb for the eu market.

 

[Dave100456]

Like the OP I have considered a SSB set up for when I go further afield in a year or two.; I don't use my VHF much but email and Grib access would be useful (no desire to talk on nets much and enjoy the peace of cruising; for that read... lonely sad guy with no friends!!). However the cost of getting certificated, equipment costs and hassle installing leads me to think the satellite route may suit my needs better. Luckily I have time to see what develops re data charges and SSB.
Look fwd to other's views

 

[bjl]

It would be worth chatting to Bob Smith of YachtCom (Phone: 01489 565100). He bought the last stock in UK about 9 months or so ago. It's conceivable that he might still have one left. In any case, he will be able to answer your questions because he is amongst the leading marine SSB experts in UK and he teaches the subject too.

 

[laika]

From icom uk's web site:

The IC-M802 marine single-sideband (SSB) transceiver is available for customers who operate or sail under a non EU flag.
[...]
* Please note that this product does not have type approval for the UK for UK vessels.

 

[Oscarpop]

I understand that you can buy old stock. However surely if icom are ceasing production, the future can't be good for the medium.
I will look to the Australian market now as aside from being there over Christmas, they have a growing hf radio industry

 

[William_H]

??
Icom still make the 802 and 801e don't they?
As a medium it's still very much alive and well, leading to countless net discussions re sat phone/SSB


Inland Aus would be ham, wouldn't it?

No SSB in Australia (as it was 10 years ago) was for commercial operation a dedicated frequency or frequencies for the company. Used for communication but also for data transmission. ie if you have a need you buy a frequency for your company a bit like VHF channels for companies. There is also the Royal Flying Doctor Net which uses a series of dedicated frequencies and most commercial operators will be familiar and licensed to use this net as well. Many private 4wheel drivers will also have SSB in their car and use this net. It can also be used for private messages ie to telephone system. Then there is the Maritime Safety net operated for shipping from 2 different bases on each side of the country using DSC only. But they do also broadcast weather info 4 times per day for shipping. Then you have various volunteer sea rescue groups (subsidised by the govt) who listen on HF SSB as an extension of their VHF monitoring. Typically 4 and 6 megahertz. Plus of course aviation HF SSB network for remote air traffic control.
Finally you get Ham radio. Totally different and to my understanding dieing out in popularity. I don't know how much it is used for cruising sailors. But certainly to some degree.
However much of the above is fading out (hence my comment about 10 years ago) The government has promised to bring broadband internet to every home and business in due course. This will include satelite connection for remote places. And of course there is the availability and reliability of sat phones. Plus for aviation and marine coastal use there are VHF repeaters. All this leaves me to wonder just what the future of HFSSB is. My guess is eventually none at all. But that doesn't answer the question about the long term worth of a HF SSB set or Ham radio for a cruising boat out of UK.
If you look at second hand market in Oz you will find a lot of fixed frequency HF SSB sets going very cheap. You require a set of crystals and expensive installation for each channel. They are Ok for company type communication but were thrown out of fishing boats because govt went to the DSC system. Here you call with DSC either with or without ident psition etc on one frequency but you have to shift some kilohert to actually talk to them. Hence only phase lock loop type frequency agile sets are suitable. The old sets can however be used to talk to the sea reescue groups or used for long distance yacht races. (talking to race control) Certainly no good for UK or Hams.
olewill

 

[Daydream believer]

From icom uk's web site:

From icom uk's web site:

The IC-M802 marine single-sideband (SSB) transceiver is available for customers who operate or sail under a non EU flag.
[...]
* Please note that this product does not have type approval for the UK for UK vessels.


So are they saying that a vessel sailing from abroad cannot use the equipment in UK waters?
I think not !!
So type approval could be considered irrelevant ---or could it
Someone enlighten me please

 

[Oscarpop]

From icom uk's web site:

The IC-M802 marine single-sideband (SSB) transceiver is available for customers who operate or sail under a non EU flag.
[...]
* Please note that this product does not have type approval for the UK for UK vessels.


So are they saying that a vessel sailing from abroad cannot use the equipment in UK waters?
I think not !!
So type approval could be considered irrelevant ---or could it
Someone enlighten me please

As far as I understand from talking to icom. The 802 has no CE mark and therefore cannot be purchased or installed on a uk registered yacht, whether in thenuk or out of the uk.

Old stock can stil be purchased as it is CE marked.
Icom have nothing in the pipeline , so will not be bring out an ssb that can be installed on a uk registered yacht.

( I am perfectly happy to accept that I have this a@se ended, but this was my understanding).

 

[prv]

From icom uk's web site:

The IC-M802 marine single-sideband (SSB) transceiver is available for customers who operate or sail under a non EU flag.
[...]
* Please note that this product does not have type approval for the UK for UK vessels.


So are they saying that a vessel sailing from abroad cannot use the equipment in UK waters?

Errm, no.

They quite clearly say the exact opposite. Vessels from "abroad" (outside the EU) can use it wherever they happen to be, but British vessels cannot install it.

One of the conditions of your radio license is that you only fit equipment which is approved.

(Personally I'd go ahead anyway, it's hardly an issue that's high up Ofcom's list of priorities.)

Pete

 

[Maxi_10]

Well I hope it's not going out of use I just bought a 802 plus pactor modem at the Annapolis boat show. did the course with Bob Smith but found UK prices excessive. Paid just over half in the US.

Plenty of cruisers we have met use it for weather, contact, emails etc not just idle chat, although I understand there is plenty of that if that's what you want (bit like this forum!)

We plan to cross the pacific in a year or two and I believe that it will be helpful. I don't expect Offcom to Bother me in the immediate future.

 

[syfuga]

ICOM have not had a type-approved SSB for EU for many years. We bought an 802 in 2004 with an EU approved ATU. The market is so small and the cost of getting type approval so great, that they have not bothered. But there is nothing wrong with the 802! The others that were approved were simply a lot more expensive.

If you are going long distance, across the Atlantic, Pacific or around then the SSB is valuable for safety, keeping in touch with others, and remote e-mail, forecast information etc. However, if you are not going that far, it is probably not worth the bother.

 

[MM5AHO]

CE marking is about where it can be used, just that without type approval it cannot be sold (new) inside the EU.
Nothing stopping buying someone buying elsewhere and then using it in the EU.

But then Icom are not the only manufacturer of SSB radios.
And there's the possibility of using one destined for other markets (eg amateur) for marine use.

 

[KellysEye]

>Please note that this product does not have type approval for the UK for UK vessels.

I'm not sure any Icom SSB's had had EU approval, ours didn't. It isn't a problem nobody checks or seems interested in any way, so go ahead and buy one. Just about every boat we knew French, Dutch, Swedish, Norwegian, Finnish and Brits had Icoms.

 

[Bilgediver]

Well I hope it's not going out of use I just bought a 802 plus pactor modem at the Annapolis boat show. did the course with Bob Smith but found UK prices excessive. Paid just over half in the US.

Plenty of cruisers we have met use it for weather, contact, emails etc not just idle chat, although I understand there is plenty of that if that's what you want (bit like this forum!)

We plan to cross the pacific in a year or two and I believe that it will be helpful. I don't expect Offcom to Bother me in the immediate future.

I expect the Authorities have more on their mind than a yottie who might be bending the rules in the Pacific.

Here are just the current users of Winlink in the pacific and elswhere so seems coverage is fine and most Winlink shore stations monitor for Pactor 1,2,3,4
as well as the software signal . There will be even more counting Sailmail etc. You do need a ham licence for Winlink but there is be similar coverage for Sailmail.

http://www.winlink.org/userPositions

http://www.sailmail.com/

 

[Koeketiene]

There are other places in Europe where you can (still) buy a CE approved Icom SSB

I bought ours here: http://shop.lunatronic.net/produkte/ssb-pactor/

Got the Icom M718, which I thought at €1492 (incl ATU) was a real steal.

 

[lenseman]

There are other places in Europe where you can (still) buy a CE approved Icom SSB

I bought ours here: http://shop.lunatronic.net/produkte/ssb-pactor/

Got the Icom M718, which I thought at €1492 (incl ATU) was a real steal.

The Icom 718 is not a Marine receiver but built for the amateur bands and it does not have HF/MF frequency bands or DSC. The web site does sell other transceivers which are designed for the maritime frequencies.

To operate the Icom M718 transceiver, you will need an amateur radio HF licence.




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