Marine SSB and Ham HF/SSB

whipper_snapper said:
No, but I tend to cruise in areas with such a low density of hams that VHF/UHF is no use at all. I did think about it when I was in South Africa; it could perhaps be a good way to get into a network of techy minded locals who might be able to help to find your way around a new area.
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I´ve got a 2m/70cm antenna on the radar arch already, was having a hum about putting it up the mast for a bit more range. Really can´t see that it´s worth the bother though. It´s handy enough where it is on a switch as a reviece antenna for an ais engine, works well for that. Can just get weather sat images as well on 137Mhz.
 
whipper_snapper said:
At a pinch you can use your marine VHF on 2m. I have done that without problem.
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How? The marine sets are canalised and on a different frequency band.

Mind you a pal has one of those cheap Chinese 2m ham handheld sets. Tells me that it could be used to listen to channel zero since it covers that frequency. He doesnt do so of course. :)
 
Bosun Higgs said:
How? The marine sets are canalised and on a different frequency band.

Mind you a pal has one of those cheap Chinese 2m ham handheld sets. Tells me that it could be used to listen to channel zero since it covers that frequency. He doesnt do so of course. :)
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I think he's referring to the antenna
 
HAM radios as supplied can only work on HAM frequencies ( I believe) - operation is continually policed by other HAMs - so you HAVE to have a legitimate call sign which indicates to others you meet the criteria. HAM policing is part of the HAM routine.
Marine SSBs are different radios (& less adjustable) operating on different frequencies usually at a slightly higher power output although that is not too relevant- because they are today very little used by commercial or military vessels (but that could change) there is effectively no policing. Rightly (or wrongly) there are many cruisers, particularly from USA operating without qualifications (and it is not very difficult to do if you have a VHF licence/ experience - you have to learn what authorised frequencies can be used (effectively Marine SSB 'channels') and when it is approriate to use each in terms of range, time of day etc). Fishing boats like SSB and sometimes clutter certain airwaves.
A HAM radio can be 'opened up' by a small cheap modification carried out by an Amateur Radio store so that the radio can work on all freqs. This is illegal but frequently done. After that you can theoretically but illegally operate on every frequency - including commercial radio etc etc - so you would have to be careful. If you operated on an inappropriate freq you might be caught out - but doing so can easily be avoided.
Cruisers tend to use marine bands for cruiser nets - and frankly, to me at least, HAM nets while entertaining to Hamsters are somewhat laborious and rather too long winded and social for cruisers. In emergency they will however accept non HAM originated traffic, very decently.
I have used an ICOM HAM radio opened up for all frequencies & it is an amazing piece of kit often outperforming dedicated Marine SSBs even with a 'rope' antenna and a simple copper foil earthing arrangement - and much smaller and cheaper.
 
SimonJ said:
Rightly (or wrongly) there are many cruisers, particularly from USA operating without qualifications
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I believe in the US there is no requirement for qualification, just a license you get by filling in a form a bit like our VHF station (not operator) license.

Pete
 
Bosun Higgs said:
How? The marine sets are canalised and on a different frequency band.

Mind you a pal has one of those cheap Chinese 2m ham handheld sets. Tells me that it could be used to listen to channel zero since it covers that frequency. He doesnt do so of course. :)
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Sorry! I meant to say:

At a pinch you can use your marine VHF antenna on 2m. I have done that without problem.
 
Think it worth remembering why things can appear confusing.
Right up until the mid 1980s things were simple with leglislation laying down specific frequency bands for Ham operators;marine;aeronautical and land hf radio.
As these frequency bands were generated in the radio by crystals which were made to resonate at the necessary frequencies there was no choice unless you fitted xtal crystals of different frequencies.
Therefore it was physically impossible to have any really meaningful frequency cross over .
However modern radios no longer use crystals to obtain their frequencies.
As a result all hf radios can usually receive and transmit on all frequencies .To keep them legal either physical blocks are put in place or programming blocks all of which can be removed.
On the Yaesu ft 757 for example it is literally a slide switch under the back cover and on the FT 840 a simple programming modification.
This technically makes the radio illegal but if you do not misuse it and operate properly within the parameters allowed by your licence...
Similarly a radio like the Vertex vx 1700 which is sold as a land mobile but tends to be problematic as its totally open programmable so all HF frequencies are accessible.
There are no doubt a few idiots around who use these to try to talk to airline pilots but again so long as you otherwise obey your licence rules...
There is no doubt that in some parts of the world such as Polynesia or the Australian outback the HF radio continues to be a popular means of communication.
I must agree however that having recently spent some time listening in to Ham chatter it does sound a bit like train spotting. Then again I still find it amazing that I can hear someone chattering away in Grand Canarie here in the north of Scotland without the use of a satellite reciever;massive satellite dishes ;banks of computer servers;and loads of mobile phone masts!
 
ffiill said:
Then again I still find it amazing that I can hear someone chattering away in Grand Canarie here in the north of Scotland without the use of a satellite reciever;massive satellite dishes ;banks of computer servers;and loads of mobile phone masts!
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It's due to a flickering of such amazement that I decided to get an HF receiver. A Degen DE 1103, which seemed to be reasonably well thought of among cheapish portables according to The Internet. It comes with a longish length of wire as an antenna, which I duly hung out my bedroom window to a tree halfway down the garden.

What do I hear with it? Not a sausage. Well, not quite, a couple of foreign language broadcast stations and some community radio outfit from South London. I spent some time with it on scan (from 100-29999 Khz) and that's all I heard (ignoring the broadcast FM band). I found a list of "interesting" frequencies, eg amateur nets and stuff like the RAF's automatic weather broadcast; nothing. I looked up the frequency for the direction-finding beacon at Southampton Airport, and could just make it out through the noise once I knew what I was looking for - it's about two and half miles away.

Is this normal, or am I doing something wrong?

Pete
 
Something wrong there.
You should hear all manner of stuff.
You sais 100 - 29999, so sounds like kHz units on that dial.

Starting low you might hear R4 LW on 198
then must hear something between 600 and 1600 (MW broadcast staions)
At about 6000 some shortwave broadcasters, more about 11500, 13500, 15000 and so on.

If you hear nothing, connect the antenna!
 
MM5AHO said:
Starting low you might hear R4 LW on 198
then must hear something between 600 and 1600 (MW broadcast staions)
At about 6000 some shortwave broadcasters, more about 11500, 13500, 15000 and so on.
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Ta. I'm not really looking for broadcast, more "working" radio, ideally something marine.

How big a difference does the antenna make when just receiving? It's whatever length came with the radio, sloping from an upstairs window down to just above head height. Proximity to a computer? Seems weird that I barely hear anything across the whole band.

Pete
 
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prv said:
Ta. I'm not really looking for broadcast, more "working" radio, ideally something marine.

How big a difference does the antenna make when just receiving? It's whatever length came with the radio, sloping from an upstairs window down to just above head height. Proximity to a computer? Seems weird that I barely hear anything across the whole band.

Pete
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Try 10100Khz during the day, should sound like very rapid series of pips. It´s a German weather station, jvcom will decode it into text weather forecasts. If you can´t hear that then sounds like something is wrong. Or weatherfax frequencies are here - http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/marine/rfax.pdf you should get northwood or Hamburg. Again, jvcom will decode into an image. Lower freqs work better during the day.
 
prv said:
Ta. I'm not really looking for broadcast, more "working" radio, ideally something marine.

How big a difference does the antenna make when just receiving? It's whatever length came with the radio, sloping from an upstairs window down to just above head height. Proximity to a computer? Seems weird that I barely hear anything across the whole band.

Pete
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This wasn't to get you hearing what you want, just to test that your receiver and antenna are working.
If you can't hear broadcast HF shortwave transmissions, you won't hear anything else!

Yes the antenna is as important on receive as on transmit, but not as critical.
If its a wire you have, make it as long as practical and as high as possible. By that I mean at least 5m up 3m above ground.
 
I had a Yesue 747sx QRP which dose give 30w with which i had a QSO with Bill G4FRN when i was in Bastia i changed to a 757 which gave 100w I used both on the amature and marine bands

I now have a Kenwood TS50 which is both rubbish and very good its audio is wonderful its reliable but it cant choose between USB and LSB for 4meg marine frequencies for example

Kenwood make the best rigs and at good prices (TS480 640€ with inbuilt ATU or 720€ with 200w) they are very compact and digi ready.

The yaesu never get the spelling,is very good indeed but you cant get radio 4 on long wave it stops at 500khz

Newer Icoms(not the 706) are said to be rubbish as it blows its output with little use there is a British French station i can give living in Toulouse who supports that

Antenna back stay with ATU and in verted "V"for 20m which can be hoisted with the toping lift

Radials and other yes but dosnt work aboard for me

Im a pirat and will most probably buy a kenwood TS480 next as ive saved almost enough IF i can broad band it & change the LSB USB

Had a relaxing day today some sun while the black clouds raced over head and enjoyed good white wine fish and fresh asparigus, again
 
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Conachair said:
As there are a few hams here, does anyone use the 2m/70cm bands cruising?

I´m half thinking about an antenna up the mast, probably won´t bother though.
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we carry a couple of yaesu dx7s and use then like telephones/ship/shore/comms... the shipside set plugs into the vhf antenna on top of mast ... only 5w tho ... not like the icom 7000 and a yagi .... :)

D
 
that's quite a deal.

I also have a couple of wouchuns, 2m and 70cm. Have the yaesus aboard tho as 6m too and better waterproofing.

How do you get on with HF in marinas? I'm having a great deal of difficulty on Rx and *esp* on Tx.

D
 
dromio said:
How do you get on with HF in marinas? I'm having a great deal of difficulty on Rx and *esp* on Tx.

D
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Most marinas and ports are impossible - too much electrical noise not to mention the effects of high buildings and lots of metal poles / masts around. Tried 80m once in Swansea marina and my signal was lighting up the tricolour of a pals boat a pontoon away.
 
thanks for the replies folks.

I have had HF scheds from Falmouth, Horta, Ponta Delgada and one or two other marinas ... however, as I cast my mind back ... always been at the end of the marina with clear sea to one side. Perhaps that'll make a difference?

At present, surrounded. A practical Faraday cage?

D
 
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