SSB Radio
 

Who here has and maintains an SSB radio?

During survival situations, these will most likely prove to be the best form of communications.

Forget the license!! You won't need it when it counts!

or,

get a Marine SSB now, and you can use it without a HAM license.

Comments? Hate mail from Hams for suggesting that you might not need a license?

Re: SSB Radio
 

I've got a ham setup that includes an Icom IC-703 and a dipole antenna. I can do CW/RTTY/SSB/FM on HF and 6 meters with 10W output. Now, 10 watts ain't much (QRP) but I have talked to people in Canada from here in Georgia and I can hear much farther. I have heard hams from South America, Italy and Great Britain, and I can pick up shorwave broadcasts from all over the world.

Additionally, the radio operates entirely off of solar power and a 12V battery. I have an inverter to charge my handheld radios, such as my Yaesu VX-7R, with which I can operate FM on 6m/2m/1.25cm/70cm.

Re: SSB Radio
 

Practically no one is using the Citizen's Band.

Re: SSB Radio
 

11 meter band is more of a toy than serious radio comms.

Try VHF business band, several channels have been deregulated.

I run a five watt base with a yagi pointed to town and another in the truck with a 5/8 wave whip.

I get 7 to 12 mile range in hilly country without repeater.

Re: SSB Radio
 

I like AM 11 meter it its easily available and cheap, simple setup easy to
repair and adaptable to movement or base work.I dont understand why
it was not utilised more during katrina or perhaps it was?any ideas?

Re: SSB Radio
 

any recommendations for a hand held for a novice?

Re: SSB Radio
 

That's why the band is useless, pumped up rigs skipping signal all over the planet. The cross talk interference is horrible. Need a hundred watts to talk across town on a bad day - it just tunes in Radio Mexico the next time skip gets rolling. Not reliable enough. A base station antenna is huge (wind damage ?) compared to a 2 meter or VHF rig. And if SHTF every jamoke on the planet will try using the same channels.


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Re: SSB Radio
 

Actually CB used to be hopping during the 90' 91' days when the sunspot cycle made propagation really good there, it was part of a 11 year sunspot cycle. If you can afford it, get your hands on any HAM band full coverage transceiver which can get you anywhere you need to go. With 100 watts nowdays you don't need an AMP. CB and freebanders will come back into fashion when the sunspot cycle rebounds, but for now it will mainly remain a cross town blowtorch. If you want to talk cross country, you need to study propagation. More specifically, you need to slide down below 20MHz. I would recommend a full coverage HAM transceiver, not just two meters, because that in itself would limit you to a small radius. Two meters will keep you in touch with your hunting buddies, but HF will keep you in touch with the world. And remember, you need an FCC license to XMIT on those bands.

Re: SSB Radio
 

Yes, by all means, get some study guides for the FCC ham license(s). Morse code requirement is gone or minimal now. Read up, take the test, find an Elmer, and learn antenna building, propagation, and operating principles yourself B4 SHTF!

de N5 _ _ _ , Andrew, Amateur Advanced license. First ticket 1986.

Re: SSB Radio
 

Well, that is not exactly true regarding the marine bands. There are some licensing requirements.
The ICOM M706 is a steller marine radio and has some upgrades that can be done to transmit on non-marine bands. It has a geat reception bandwidth also. Morse Code is no longer monitored on 500kH, so no one at all uses morse in the commercial/maritime world. Only HAM folks use Morse now, and as mentioned, the Morse requirements are are minimal. The requirement for ANY Morse Code will vanish on 23 Feb 2007, thanks to a new FCC Ruling. Yeah! FINALLY! Ding DOng the COde is dead! The code is dead! So, for anyone wanting to get legal (notthat it would really matter in a national SHTF emergency...) you can now get HAM licenses without having to learn Morse Useless Code. The ARRL website has scads of info on how to obtain a license.
Icomamerica.com should have links to the 706.
I happen to know that ICOM marine VHF radios can be fitted with scrambler chips... if you have a couple of their VHFs with those, now you have reasonably secure comms, although there are laws that make scramblers illegal... even though the police and military use scramble technology.

Re: SSB Radio
 

31V/U MARS qualified, 1989... still talk, no civy papers yet.

Re: SSB Radio
 

Excellent info, I do have a background on SHTF radio since I lived through Katrina here in Louisiana.

First, get VHF-UHF capabilities in the 2 meter/440 MHZ bands with 220 stuff available, it is pretty quiet on the 222 band and the range with modern transcievers/handhelds are 4-10 miles with a nice set up. Handhelds are cheap and powerful and base/mobile stuff from 119 and up FRN, so no problem.

Second, get a multiband like the 706 which will recieve from 100khz to 30 mhz and tramsmit with upto 100 watts in the Ham Bands ;)) !!! Runs off 12 volts which every auto/truck has and solar power can be used with a panel and battery hookup!!!!

:508: Third, GET THE G-DD-NMed license if you don't want every BARNEY FIFE type looking down your throat in a SHTF situation caus' with the license, you have a claim to have the radio, the equipment and a LEGAL operation because in a SHTF operation, it ain't the FEDS I am worried about, its the locals who try to muscle in and run things. Without a license, your claim to possess and operate is murky and BARNEY knows it, but with a FEDERAL LICENSE staring at him, he generally looks the other way! MY experience in Katrina was that CB was Useless, Cellphones a JOKE and the only long distance communications was with Ham Radio where my wife could speak to me over 150 miles away via 40 meters (7MHZ) while I checked out our home while she stayed in our camper RV back in Wesern Louisiana!

Licenses look intimidating to the Local Yokels and conveys a sense the possessor might just be on to something so their inquisitive nature is curbed to the cautious side and with a Ham Radio license Plate, most cops don't question when going through a roadblock!

Fourth, how hard is the license? Well if you can understand basic electronics and some rules and regs, it is not a problem with MORSE CODE DEAD! :beer:

Cajuncoin

Re: SSB Radio
 

Begging pardon... A license is needed for a marine radio.... CHeck it out on the FCC website... That being said. the ICOM M706 is a good radio!