How do you use ssb on cb

[DJ11DLN]

Probably tradition. Unwritten rules from back in the day had sideband on the upper channels (and sometimes channel 16). Not sure why LSB is preferred over USB.

When I was active (long ago) it was 16, 17, 18 and 36-40, but it was convention rather than a rule. Everybody used LSB, never any valid reason given. Maybe people wanted to be different since Hams typically use USB.

I heard later that the sidebanders had claimed 31-40 as well as 14-18 and would fry the ears of anyone with the temerity to key up on AM in "their" territory...but that was mid- or late-1980s, after I'd left the game. Never understood that...when I was still active a lot of sidebanders had moved into the freeband above 40. You definitely met a lot fewer idiots and a******s up there!

 

[TheSpaceMann]

Have set up CB SSB radio at the cabin and having great time chatting with regular folks who have similarly rediscovered 11M. CB has been abandoned for the most part by those who used to abuse it so its actually nice to hear folks from around the north east when the conditions are good. What I dont get is why only 32 to 38 has SSB on LSB only traffic when there is actually all sorts of quiet channels that could be used.

I travel across the country on business, and I have definitely noticed an increase in local AM and SSB 11 meter activity over the last year or so. This is especially true in the Southeast and Southwest US!

 

[borderpolman]

Have revived my 11 meter (CB) radio, built a real efficient dipole out of truckers whips and find that on SSB there are actually some nice folks to chat with.

 

[BloodandRoses]

SSB is the only mode I use...

 

[joewayne]

Have revived my 11 meter (CB) radio, built a real efficient dipole out of truckers whips and find that on SSB there are actually some nice folks to chat with.

Could you show a picture of your antenna I'm curious how you did it.

 

[scanmanmi]

Have revived my 11 meter (CB) radio, built a real efficient dipole out of truckers whips and find that on SSB there are actually some nice folks to chat with.

My son: "You mean you talk to random people you don't know?"

 

[xilix]

Regarding why the use of LSB vs. USB: It's been over 30 years since I've touched a CB, but I seem to remember it was to eliminate interference. For example, if you had someone using 37 LSB and someone else on 36 USB, they could interfere with each other if the users were in close proximity to each other.

 

[SigIntel8600]

38 LSB around here. Some DX and locals. No BS usually.

 

[BloodandRoses]

38 LSB is the busiest channel on ssb. Most of the time when dx is rolling..

 

[EddieHusak]

SSB on 11m can be fun! Don't fall for the "you'll need a linear" crap. I'll admit, I had one back in the day, as did my father. But, in the end, it really took the fun out of it. I have worked from Michigan to Italy and Argentina on 4 watts AM on a 45' Starduster antenna, and used to frequently talk to people as far as 75 miles away with a set of 3-element beams (Yagi). On sideband, I've worked other states and countries on the barefoot 12 watts. In ham radio, running on low power is known as "QRP", and I believe under 5 watts is called "QRPp". Being an internet forum, I'm sure someone will correct me if I'm mistaken. I can tell you that I've talked from Michigan to Tennessee on a 1/10th watt (100milliwatts) walkie talkie during the big sunspot cycle of 1975!!

I do not presently have a CB station running, but I'm thinking hard about getting back into it again, as well as getting an amateur Tech ticket. I just have to save up enough pennies to do it.

 

[spongella]

CB was an early form of social media. Get-togethers were called "coffee breaks". Really took off in the mid- to late 70's. Licenses were being issued still but the tsunami of folks getting on the band led to deregulation and no need for licenses anymore. My first Midland 23 channel SSB radio cost nearly $300 (at Forbees Electronics, Yonkers, NY, a CB store back then). Nowadays a mobile 40 channel SSB radio costs about half that.

Channel 16 was the epicenter of SSB activity. "Q" codes were part the lingo then. Still have a CB in the car, a President AX-144 and still like to hear radio chatter from stations far and near. Unfortunately sunspot numbers are low and band conditions are sub-optimal but it does open once in a while. Have even heard openings during snowstorms late at night. That's the fun of radio. Very capricious.

Glad to hear all the comments posted. CB is an American icon. See you on the flip flop good buddies.

 

[FiveFilter]

Just a friendly update on CB lingo Spongella: calling someone a "good buddy" nowadays on CB frequencies is considered to be a "same-sex" come-on.

Things change.

I often smile when I hear singers of yesteryear crooning about being "gay," then meaning happy, joyful, etc.

As is often said, English is a living language; so is CB lingo.

 

[spongella]

Thank you FiveFilter, I'll consider myself enlightened .