SSB Receiver

C

Cinnamon

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www.vega1494.blogspot.com
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I'm looking to buy an SSB receiver for picking up voice weather broadcasts & evesdropping, especially while offshore in the Atlantic.

I was considering the NASA Target HF3 receiver but am now starting to think that the portable type receiver would be a better option due to:
- seperate power supply (dry cell batteries)
- ease of installation (no installation required)
But, I've no idea which model would be best or if indeed a portable is the way to go.

Any advice gratefully received!

Chris
Vega1494
 
The NASA is hard to beat value for money, and the permanent instalation is also better for the aerial and the interface connections.

The NASA active aerial is effective, but not very strong, make sure you site it where it wont be used as a hand hold.
 
Yep as Mark says it's impossible to beat the NASA HF3 for price and performance.
Coupled up to a computer it will do NAVTEX and weatherfax and also download HF satellite images.
Run it with JVComm.de free software and you will have the best system.
It will also do all HF voice applications including Marine, Amateur and Broadcast.
Make sure you get the HF3/P which has an audio output for the PC rather than serial interface.
This will be better value in the long run as you may want to couple it to a PC at a later date
Any questions then PM me.

Steve
 
I have the same set up, and I just run the wire areial to a chain plate. Has worked fine for 6 years.
It doesn't seem to matter if I ground the set or not.

I have even been experimenting with SSTV, but without much succsess, any tips.
 
I'm evaluating the different set-ups to gain independence from VHF coverage in meteo matters; the only alternative would be to buy (and LICENSE) an HFSSB transceiver which, even with 100 watts, could provide DSC and GMDSS coverage bejond the 20/30 miles of VHF; also possibility to send and receive mails.
BUT if these two latter functions are not critical to you, sticking with Nasa HF3/P would make a lot of sense, IMHO.
Cheers
 
I assume you are going to use the SSB TX/Rec out of European waters - You could look at fitting a Ham set 'sniped' which comes out at half the price of a proper marine SSB and does all the same things...

It is the antenna with any receiver or transmitter which is important and makes the difference between picking up stations or not... If you install a proper fixed antenna or put insulators in the back-stay for a receiver then all you need is either to ground to the keel or put in a ground plate to make a transmitter work.

The cost of a tx/rec amateur set, new, is around £400 - so it is not vastly more than buying a receive only set. Bit more fiddly to set the channels/frequencies but as almost everybody cruising chats on simplex mode it's no big deal. There us no real difference between a ham ssb and a marine ssb. The ability to talk to Herb or other boats and stations out there is not to be underestimated.

There will be a volley of shouts about using ham equipment and licences and and and and but the reality is possibly 50% of the several thousand cruising boats out there in the Caribbean, Pacific, Asia etc etc are using this sort of equipment mainly without ham or SSB operating licences.

Frankly the laws are all a bit archaic since the arrival of the Sat Phone safety issues have changed..

Michael
 
OR: Yaesu FT 857D HF/6m/2m/70cms DPS 649 euros!Or 897D 749 euros.

Icom 703 QRP (max 10w) 659 euros. Icom 706 mk2G (100w) 828 euros.


The Yaesus really small about the size of a car radio or smaller very reliable really sensitive front end!(receiver)

Why buy a rubbish receiver when you can buy a good one WITH TX!!!!!!! For less??
 
Aren't "standard" SW radios that recieve SSB any good? e.g. the Sony ICF 7600GR or the Eton E5. The latter retails at about £90 - I was thinking of getting one.
 
The 'Rolls Royce' of SW receivers is the Lowe 150. A superb receiver that will pick up transmissions worldwide. Not cheap, though you might get one secondhand.

Otherwise (and as others have said) go for a transceiver. The Icom 706 MkIIG is the size of a car radio and really excellent. Have both the above and have used them in both the Med. and transatlantic on the Carbbean circuits. Perfect reception/transmission all the way across and back and, as MichaelE indicates, superb for Herb and mini-nets with transitting boats.

Well worth the few extra squids IMHO.
 
[ QUOTE ]
Aren't "standard" SW radios that receive SSB any good? e.g. the Sony ICF 7600GR or the Eton E5. The latter retails at about £90 - I was thinking of getting one.

[/ QUOTE ]

They are fine for sitting with on a night watch out in the Pacific and tuning to commercial radio stations around the world... I have always had one or similar on board but they (and my guess is this includes the NASA receiver) not really any good for weatherfax and SSB tx reception like Herb.. The problem lays in the antenna and I suspect the type of reception they were designed to receive.. Excellent world radios but look at earlier posts about what you can get for quite small money!

Michael
 
[ QUOTE ]

There will be a volley of shouts about using ham equipment and licences and and and and but the reality is possibly 50% of the several thousand cruising boats out there in the Caribbean, Pacific, Asia etc etc are using this sort of equipment mainly without ham or SSB operating licences.

Frankly the laws are all a bit archaic since the arrival of the Sat Phone safety issues have changed..

Michael

[/ QUOTE ]

here's the first shout! Michael may well be right that 50% of SSB cruising boats are using SSB illegally, just as a fair proportion are cruising without legal proof of VAT paid. And similarly whilst you might get away with it, you might get caught in a Greek harbour by a bad temepered customs man just as you might for the VAT. probably both at the same time.

Ham radios are licensed because they are, unlike marine SSBs capable of being tuned to a wide range of frequencies some of which are shared with commercial users. This gives you the ability to interfere with other transmissions in a way you cant with a canalised set and is the reason why hams have a technical exam for their license. Without that technical skill and particularly after snipping the radio, it is likely that you will cause problems to others.

As a pirate the hams operating the nets will not respond to you. Some of them may even give you misleading information. Certainly I wouldnt hesitate to shop anyone I found using the radio as a pirate.

The license is easy to take these days, doesnt involve morse, and like the vhf license is free. Why not take it during the winter and be legit?

P.S. I do agree that its more sensible to spend the money on a ham set than a simple receiver, but dont expect the same sort of weather forecasts you get on VHF
 
[ QUOTE ]
Ham radios are licensed because they are, unlike marine SSBs capable of being tuned to a wide range of frequencies

[/ QUOTE ]

Just not true - I have owned 3 SSB sets and they could all (after adjustment) be tuned to the same range of frequencies as a pure ham set. One is sold with one side of the side band activated and the other with other side activated - in older sets it was a matter of cutting a wire now it is a minor re-programme to enable both ham and marine sets to operate on both sides....

Really do not know about VAT statistics.. Not as high as you suggest I suspect but the radio laws dating back to the Titanic disaster are out of date and pretty ready for redrafting but as its not important I doubt anybody will bother.. SSB/Ham radios are no longer a safety issue, radio operators no longer exist on big ships, in an emergency sat telephones are the primary form of communication much as EPIRBs have replaced flares.. no reason not to carry flares but if you want help in an ocean then use the EPIRB.

most cruisers use VHF to arrange dinner dates, pick up the crew from shore, order a pizza. they use SSB for weather routing, keeping in touch, running nets when crossing wide oceans.. Some operators are Hams, some have SSB licences and some no licences at all.. on the cruising nets which are not ham controlled - and that is the vast majority - nobody asks and nobody cares.. That's the way it is..

Michael
 
Last time i heard the 14303 net (a long time ago in spring i think) two of the the two calling in had illegal calls! One made up and used for several years so far the other given without a test as a favor from a small contry and the fees not paid so it lapsed but in use again!I wont say who they are as i know and like them.One i look forward to seeing again next time im in Corfu!I want to copy some tapes he has!!!

Just make up a call or use an unused one. I have a legal call and ive just looked again at a couple of sites that you can put the call in and see whos it is and im not listed!! So you cant check.

I think ironicaly someone has been useing my call!!!I pay for it but dont use it becouse im always chating to stations without a call and was afraid of being recognised and looseing my call!! Complicated

I must say i was shocked when i called my licencing authoriy in Bern and he told me.
 
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