SSB operators licence

[Hunter34]

Does anyone know if its possible to obtain the long range certificate for SSB via a home study correspondence course or will I have to take a week off work and pay £400 for a 5 day course plus £250 accomodation.


Thanks

Andrew

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[calliope]

I would also be intersted to know - £650 seems steep. Is there still a requirement for CW/morse at 5wpm?

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[snowleopard]

there's nothing to stop you taking the exam without the course. you just have to find an examiner prepared to take you. you will also need the equipment to be tested on which includes the following:

ssb set with dsc controller
vhf set ditto
navtex
inmarsat c terminal

if the examiner provides the kit you will need to know the key presses required for those particular models and will fail if you don't. that's not a problem with a vhf course but i would hate to be tested on an unfamiliar ssb!

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[Talbot]

I am certain that the SSB certificate no longer requires morse as the Radio Ham is also no longer required to be proficient .

If you take your course through
<A target="_blank" HREF=http://www.yachtcom.co.uk>http://www.yachtcom.co.uk</A> then they have a software programme to get you familiar with the controls prior to the course.

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[ccscott49]

Why do you need navtex, inmarsat C and VHF DSC and SSB DSC............. for a SSB licence? DSC is not a requirement for yachts, yet.

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[Talbot]

you need the DSC, because as I understand it - the long range certificate includes the DSC short range certificate.

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[ccscott49]

What about all the other stuff? But also DSC is not needed for yachts and is only required if you fit a DSC set. You can of course do a DSC licence, withoiut having a set, but whats the point? A lot of boats have SSB, but not DSC, so again what is the point?

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[Robin]

Well said. We have SSB, but not with DSC and my very old MF/HF licence still covers me BUT we have just fitted a DSC VHF so now need to 'upgrade' our licences to be able to lift the red tab and press the button when in trouble, all of which is explained in the handbook. Of course upgrading the VHF part of my licence might then exclude the MF/HF bit unless I take the SSB DSC upgrade too at some cost, for something (DSC) I will not use because I don't have it. All far too confusing let alone costly so I will wait patiently until all becomes clearer....This post will self destruct in 20 seconds...

<hr width=100% size=1><P ID="edit"><FONT SIZE=-1>Edited by Robin on 14/02/2004 23:40 (server time).</FONT></P>

 

[Birdseye]

a genuine question - what use is marine ssb now that the likes of portishead are closed, and search and rescue is more effective with epirbs?

i use hf radio of the ham variety for chat and weather, but even thats of marginal use except perhaps mid ocean with mobile phones.

i cant see how the issue of a new vhf license can invalidate the old ssb license, and in any case who is going to trouble you about it?

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[snowleopard]

firstly why dsc, navtex, inmarsat. the long fange certificate requires these (though the satellite module is optional). you can't get a non-dsc ssb licence in the UK any more.

as to what use is ssb - there is a lot more to it than francis chichester reporting his position via portishead. i use it for weather fax, listening to bbc & radio france forecasts, connecting to routing nets such as herb, local chat and security nets, keeping contact with other boats during crossings, calling friends, bbc world service etc. and what's more, once you have the kit, it's free.

it can also be used for navtex & telex broadcasts, sailmail or other email services and ship to shore via other shore stations outside the uk.

in short, i wouldn't want to go long-distance cruising without it.

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[Robin]

Our set came with the boat and I already had (from way back) a combined VHF/MF/HF licence. Since it is there, we use the SSB for Weatherfax and RTTY but we can also make/receive MF calls to UK coastguard at much greater range, up to 200mls, than with VHF, useful too sometimes for weather information. For example when in Trebeurden N Brittany we were able to receive Jersey Radio forecasts and Falmouth CG from L'Aberwrac'h.

The comment about the licence now we have just fitted DSC VHF was (slightly) tongue in cheek! That said if I take the DSC VHF course I will get a new VHF only licence which will not cover MF/HF, so either I hang onto the licence I have (complete with 25 year old photograph!) or I have to take the expensive full long Range Certificate.

When/if we eventually go across the pond (negotiating) I like the idea of being able to listen at least to the maritime HAM nets. If getting a HAM licence were simpler I would add TX too. I understand that morse is no longer required for the basic HAM licence but then the TX power on HAM is restricted, higher power requires a licence upgrade that may still require morse????





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[ccscott49]

I will ask just one question, what if your SSB set on the boat, is not DSC? There is no legal requirement for a yacht to have DSC on anything! How do they test you onboard? Sorry two questions, can you get a non DSC VHF licence?

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[Birdseye]

The UK ham license has been greatly simplified, to the point where other countries are reducing their requirements to match. There is no morse requirement at all, but to get the full power license, there is a technical exam. It isnt that difficult though - I managed it as an 12 year old schoolboy.

80% or more of the list of marine nets that I have are on ham bands, and since many amateurs will not respond if you do not have a callsign, you do need the license to transmit. You can, of course receive all the weather stations, telex etc on a ham set so all you would miss out would be talking to Herb and one or two others and the ability to talk to coastguard from 200 miles. Why you would want to do that I cant imagine.

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[Sailorbuoy]

Not much on Marine SSB these days, better have a Ham licence, www.rsgb.org.uk

U have to take 3 tests Foundation, Intermediate and Advanced, you can take the tests without instruction if you wish. No morse these days.
ham rigs are more adaptable than commercial and a fraction of the price.
73 and GL
g0wal

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[snowleopard]

only DSC certificates are now issued. you can't take the exam without a DSC though they might accept a computer simulation of one.

the exam requires you to demonstrate competence with all the kit, dsc, ssb, vhf, navtex, sat-c

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[ccscott49]

I guess I wont be doing that licence then! I dont need nor want a fully GMDSS compliant licence. For a vessel which will never need to be fully GMDSS compliant, not in my lifetime anyway!

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[BrendanChandler]

Ham v SSB

Does anybody know whether it is possible to do the Ham course in a reasonable period. I contacted the club in Colchester who were doubtful that I could do it in a year and did not seem very keen to have me anyway when I explained why I wanted it.

Brendan

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http://hometown.aol.co.uk/brendanchandler/index.html

 

[Close hauled]

I did the Long Range Cert with Yachtcom last Easter. It is a demanding course and you need to be very confident in using the equipment if you're going to pass. I agree with everything that snowleopard has said, and not just because he's got a wing mast the size of a 747's!

I've been using SSB a lot since September and the course was well worth the cost.

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