Dougal
Well-Known Member
Ok, moving on a little..... can anyone recommend a good retailer for SSB equipment?
Seems most yacht chandlers only supply VHF equipment
Seems most yacht chandlers only supply VHF equipment
SSB/HF Transievers etc (Again)
- Thread starter Dougal
- Start date
Billjratt
Well-Known Member
get a copy of practical wireless and look at the ads. Hams will talk to you in emergency situations ( as will anybody)
a manual aerial tuning unit will allow you to resonate almost anything. I can do med- uk on a 6ft steel rod but better on the insulated backstay, the ground is equally important either the keel or a dynaplate connected by flat copper tape. Start listening long before you actually go, to get a feel of things.
14303 USB 0800 and 1800 Zulu every day is the place to be.
73's
a manual aerial tuning unit will allow you to resonate almost anything. I can do med- uk on a 6ft steel rod but better on the insulated backstay, the ground is equally important either the keel or a dynaplate connected by flat copper tape. Start listening long before you actually go, to get a feel of things.
14303 USB 0800 and 1800 Zulu every day is the place to be.
73's
Sea Devil
Well-Known Member
[ QUOTE ]
Certainly HF SSB is not a system where you pick up the microphone and talk like VHF but takes patience and skill to adjust the set and select the right frequency for the conditions and range
[/ QUOTE ]
William I have to say I do not agree. I think operating an SSB is on a level with VHF... basically you do just hit the memory key - pick up the microphone and chat to your friends or Herb... of course there are circumstances when you want to chat to a friend on the other side of an ocean or the world when a bit more knowledge is useful but if you are doing the ARC - Red Sea Net, Pacific Net then actually all you do is to operate just like VHF...
With no formal training whatsoever I chat to friends in the same ocean regularly, to friends in other oceans sometimes, have been net controller to 60 plus boats on a regular daily net.. None of it is difficult - certainly if you have the money and time go and do a course.. cannot do any harm but it is in now way essential..
I find it hard to imagine that SSB for cruisers will ever cease to be the basic communication method of choice.. we need to be able to chat on an open forum. Talk about good times and bad on a net.. Hear how others are doing.. be there if somebody is in trouble... that is the way the cruising community operates at its best.. If you want to call home, send private messages then of course there are other means..
Michael
Certainly HF SSB is not a system where you pick up the microphone and talk like VHF but takes patience and skill to adjust the set and select the right frequency for the conditions and range
[/ QUOTE ]
William I have to say I do not agree. I think operating an SSB is on a level with VHF... basically you do just hit the memory key - pick up the microphone and chat to your friends or Herb... of course there are circumstances when you want to chat to a friend on the other side of an ocean or the world when a bit more knowledge is useful but if you are doing the ARC - Red Sea Net, Pacific Net then actually all you do is to operate just like VHF...
With no formal training whatsoever I chat to friends in the same ocean regularly, to friends in other oceans sometimes, have been net controller to 60 plus boats on a regular daily net.. None of it is difficult - certainly if you have the money and time go and do a course.. cannot do any harm but it is in now way essential..
I find it hard to imagine that SSB for cruisers will ever cease to be the basic communication method of choice.. we need to be able to chat on an open forum. Talk about good times and bad on a net.. Hear how others are doing.. be there if somebody is in trouble... that is the way the cruising community operates at its best.. If you want to call home, send private messages then of course there are other means..
Michael
DrBob
Well-Known Member
"basically you do just hit the memory key"
Michael - I dont agree. I think you are way off the mark. Yes, anyone can key a mike and talk on a radio - and run big traffic nets - but the operator has to be responsible for what he is transmitting. Given 100W of power from the Azores can be heard across half the US and most of Europe (14.303Mhz at midday) - a station that doesnt know what he is doing can cause an awful lot of interference. OK modern radios dont suffer too much from spurious emissions but it is still easy to overdrive the output PAs and cause bad splatter across a wide area of the band. Put a linear on and the problems escalate. There are enough people out there causing bad interference on the ham bands (whistles and splatter) that could be solved with a bit of training.
HF is not as simple as VHF as people tend not to buy off the shelf antennas, but make their own, wire up backstays etc - another recipe for feedback and resonances that can cause interference. Ok its not difficult to get it right but you do need some experience.
Dr Bob
Michael - I dont agree. I think you are way off the mark. Yes, anyone can key a mike and talk on a radio - and run big traffic nets - but the operator has to be responsible for what he is transmitting. Given 100W of power from the Azores can be heard across half the US and most of Europe (14.303Mhz at midday) - a station that doesnt know what he is doing can cause an awful lot of interference. OK modern radios dont suffer too much from spurious emissions but it is still easy to overdrive the output PAs and cause bad splatter across a wide area of the band. Put a linear on and the problems escalate. There are enough people out there causing bad interference on the ham bands (whistles and splatter) that could be solved with a bit of training.
HF is not as simple as VHF as people tend not to buy off the shelf antennas, but make their own, wire up backstays etc - another recipe for feedback and resonances that can cause interference. Ok its not difficult to get it right but you do need some experience.
Dr Bob
jerryat
Well-Known Member
Entirely agree with you. There's a lot of rubbish talked about ham/HF radio IMHO. Whilst I agree it isn't quite as easy as VHF, anyone who is capable of skippering a boat across an ocean, will find HF a doddle. As it happens I do now have a Foundation licence, but have used my HF transceiver for the last 12 years while ocean and distance cruising without any problems at all.
Out of interest, and contrary to earlier posts, I have NEVER had a full licence holder refuse to talk to me. On the contrary, most are delighted to speak with someone other than their usual contacts, especially someone at sea.
BTW, IMHO the UK Maritime Net is about the biggest waste of time I know. Indeed the last time I listened in, it was to hear a couple of guys talking about watering their lawns and roses! Not a WORD about weather etc! The poor controller was absolutely desperate in the end for ANYONE to contact him.
It's about time they realised that the vast majority of sailing people out there don't have the time or inclination to get a full licence and that, as a consequence, they'll work with the other nets/groups instead.
Out of interest, and contrary to earlier posts, I have NEVER had a full licence holder refuse to talk to me. On the contrary, most are delighted to speak with someone other than their usual contacts, especially someone at sea.
BTW, IMHO the UK Maritime Net is about the biggest waste of time I know. Indeed the last time I listened in, it was to hear a couple of guys talking about watering their lawns and roses! Not a WORD about weather etc! The poor controller was absolutely desperate in the end for ANYONE to contact him.
It's about time they realised that the vast majority of sailing people out there don't have the time or inclination to get a full licence and that, as a consequence, they'll work with the other nets/groups instead.
Dougal
Well-Known Member
Some wonderfully diverse thoughts and information there folks. Many, many thanks.
I'm shore based now until March, and would like to find a unit to setup at home until then. This will give me time to listen & learn for a while before even thinking about a 'PTT', course or exam.
Having great difficulty finding any supplyers though - recommendations or suggestions welcome?
I'm shore based now until March, and would like to find a unit to setup at home until then. This will give me time to listen & learn for a while before even thinking about a 'PTT', course or exam.
Having great difficulty finding any supplyers though - recommendations or suggestions welcome?
hrsailor
Well-Known Member
Go to yachtcom.co.uk Bob Smith does the LRC course and will supply SSB equipment, modem, software etc. Brian