New boat came with SSB. Does it serve useful purpose in 2017 or has it gone the way of LORAN?
I'm out of Lauderdale and think my cruising will be limited to Florida & Bahamas.
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Thread: Is SSB still a useful electronic
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10-15-2017 04:43 PM #1Senior Member
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Is SSB still a useful electronic
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10-15-2017 04:59 PM #2
Re: Is SSB still a useful electronic
SSB is quite a bit more powerful than VHF. It's still used by commercial vessels and blowboaters. If it works leave it.
Scott
41C117 "Hattatude"
Port Canaveral Florida.
Marine Electronics and Electrical Products Distributor.
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Re: Is SSB still a useful electronic
I agree with Scott, keep it, you may need to communicate in an emergency when out of cell or VHF range. You might want to talk to someone who participates in some nets and find out their frequency’s for emergency contacts. John
Mahalo V
1974 53 Motoryacht
Hull Number 406
San Diego, Ca. Ready 32 Nordic Tug, Brunswick Ga.
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10-15-2017 07:45 PM #4
Re: Is SSB still a useful electronic
Do take a few minutes to determine which antenna it uses. When transmitting no one shouod be within 15 feet of the antenna.
Scott
41C117 "Hattatude"
Port Canaveral Florida.
Marine Electronics and Electrical Products Distributor.
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10-15-2017 07:46 PM #5Senior Member
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- Aug 2015
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- 59
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10-15-2017 08:06 PM #6
Re: Is SSB still a useful electronic
Depends on the unit. There's side channels for data and other communications and most guys I know that have them operating are ham operators too. They use them but usually from the dock.
But you can do email and some other basic computer things. Not that its a great way to get high bandwidths but it's pretty coolScott
41C117 "Hattatude"
Port Canaveral Florida.
Marine Electronics and Electrical Products Distributor.
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10-15-2017 10:29 PM #7Senior Member
- Join Date
- Mar 2008
- Posts
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Re: Is SSB still a useful electronic
When we cruised from Florida to Grenada, SSB was essential for weather high seas forecasts; weather nets; and, weather map facsimiles. Definitely an adjunct to existing and more popular means of transmitting ( and more importantly) receiving information.
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Re: Is SSB still a useful electronic
If it is an Icom 710 or 802 you can get a Pactor modem that is plug and play and a $300.00 a year Sail mail subscription and hook up to a lap top computer and you can do e-mail, no attachments however, like Scott said pretty cool. John
Mahalo V
1974 53 Motoryacht
Hull Number 406
San Diego, Ca. Ready 32 Nordic Tug, Brunswick Ga.
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10-16-2017 01:12 PM #9Senior Member
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- Jul 2013
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- 1,188
Re: Is SSB still a useful electronic
I'm very ignorant on SSB, but if you can send email, you should also be able to send SMS (text messages) to cell phones with it? You can send text messages through email by knowing the carriers email extension and the persons phone number.
For example if you are verizon customer and put your phone number followed by @vtext.com you will send a text to that number.
9991231234@vtext.com
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Re: Is SSB still a useful electronic
Most offshore guys use them for relaying fishing info. Plus VHF is useless more than 20 mi offshore
"DON'T BELIEVE ANYTHING YOU READ OR HEAR AND ONLY HALF OF WHAT YOU SEE" - BEN FRANKLIN
Endless Summer
1967 50c 12/71n DDA 525hp
ex Miss Betsy
owners:
Howard P. Miller 1967-1974
Richard F Hull 1974-1976
Robert J. & R.Scott Smith 1976-present