Is SSB worth it?

[ClemsonSCJ]

I’m looking to upgrade my radio in my Grand Cherokee and was looking at the Bearcat 980ssb cause I figured if I’m upgrading anyways, what the heck, might as well get an SSB and didn’t put much thought into it outside of that. Well now I’ve got some other projects I’m wanting to do so I’m a little more inclined to pinch pennies if I can. I guess the question I have is: are there regularly used SSB channels like 19 is on the regular AM band, or is it more of a novelty thing that you need someone to be on it with you in order to really take advantage of it? If it’s something that I can’t just leave it on a channel like I do 19 now and expect to hear other people on there, doesn’t seem like it would be worth the extra money for me.

 

[prcguy]

I don't use CB much but when I do get on AM within a few minutes someone is calling me an a$$ or cussing me out or ranting about something or they are drunk, etc. When I get on SSB I usually have a nice chat and recently I have run into a few ham operators I know who also happened to be on CB at the same time. People using SSB seem to be a little bit more technical and like chatting rather than just finding a victim like on AM.

I’m looking to upgrade my radio in my Grand Cherokee and was looking at the Bearcat 980ssb cause I figured if I’m upgrading anyways, what the heck, might as well get an SSB and didn’t put much thought into it outside of that. Well now I’ve got some other projects I’m wanting to do so I’m a little more inclined to pinch pennies if I can. I guess the question I have is: are there regularly used SSB channels like 19 is on the regular AM band, or is it more of a novelty thing that you need someone to be on it with you in order to really take advantage of it? If it’s something that I can’t just leave it on a channel like I do 19 now and expect to hear other people on there, doesn’t seem like it would be worth the extra money for me.

 

[ClemsonSCJ]

I don't use CB much but when I do get on AM within a few minutes someone is calling me an a$$ or cussing me out or ranting about something or they are drunk, etc. When I get on SSB I usually have a nice chat and recently I have run into a few ham operators I know who also happened to be on CB at the same time. People using SSB seem to be a little bit more technical and like chatting rather than just finding a victim like on AM.

So then are there commonly monitored channels for those running SSB, like 19 LSB or USB?

 

[GMB951]

27.385 LSB, CH 38

 

[ClemsonSCJ]

I don't use CB much but when I do get on AM...

And there for a minute I thought we were getting a plug for Dos Equis.

 

[DaveJacobsen]

I find less chatter on SB... But generally a better class of people. You still get crappy people, just not as much.

 

[ko6jw_2]

Sideband uses less bandwidth and is more efficient. Hams use it almost exclusively for voice. AM is still used but rarely. You should get better range with SSB.

 

[522]

Dont kick yourself down the road saying, darn it, I wish I woulda just bought the SSB radio in the first place.

I have had many good chats with people on 38 LSB.

 

[FPR1981]

Sideband is cool when distance talking is the goal. You have greater range abilities because it is driven by modulation.

That being said, I've owned sideband radios through the years and have had very few occasions to use SSB. My Cobra 135XLR base station is a 40 channel sidebander. I've been back on the radio for two months and haven't used USB or LSB once. Maybe that will change, but in 30 years of playing CB radio, I've talked on SSB maybe 15 to 20 times.

 

[FPR1981]

I don't use CB much but when I do get on AM within a few minutes someone is calling me an a$$ or cussing me out or ranting about something or they are drunk, etc. When I get on SSB I usually have a nice chat and recently I have run into a few ham operators I know who also happened to be on CB at the same time. People using SSB seem to be a little bit more technical and like chatting rather than just finding a victim like on AM.

I'm so glad the idiots have left the airways around here. It was bad 25 years ago, but it's virtually dead here, and the people that do talk from surrounding counties behave like adults. I have very few complaints of CB harassment.

 

[slowmover]

SSB makes a CB into an Eleven Meter Radio where your efforts in best installation (Mobile Install) showcases Sideband performance as test for great AM performance (audio differs; TX/RX as baseline).

A Breedlove Antenna Mount is first line on the planning list.

.

 

[K4EET]

SSB makes a CB into an Eleven Meter Radio where your efforts in best installation (Mobile Install) showcases Sideband performance as test for great AM performance (audio differs; TX/RX as baseline).

A Breedlove Antenna Mount is first line on the planning list.

.

Your "Mobile Install" link does not work. Was that meant to point to the excellent website of K0BG at KØBG.COM?

 

[slowmover]

Yes. It’s outstanding

 

[jhooten]

Your "Mobile Install" link does not work. Was that meant to point to the excellent website of K0BG at KØBG.COM?

It was. He has an extra ) after the m in com. This is the error message I get "We can’t connect to the server at www.k0bg.com)."

 

[WB9YBM]

I guess the question I have is: are there regularly used SSB channels like 19 is on the regular AM band, or is it more of a novelty thing that you need someone to be on it with you in order to really take advantage of it?

It's been a while since I've been on CB so I don't know about current usage, but I enjoyed SSB when I was on. Definitely a better sounding group of people compared to AM (in general), and improved range. By gentleman's agreement (at least back then) the sidebanders stayed on the top five channels. Don't know how much has changed since then, but when I get back into CB (whenever that might be) I'm certainly going to give serious thought to having that activity include SSB.

 

[Rt169Radio]

I would recommend getting a SSB capable radio, you can always talk skip whenever there's a band opening.

 

[n7lrg]

I would go with the President McKinley. I bought mine for my truck after reading a guy had bought the Uniden but it shook so much in his jeep offroading it broke. The forward facing speaker is a plus too. The dimensions of the radio are such you can install it in the dash if you have a space to do so.

 

[p1879]

On Ch 38, besides skip contacts which can be plentiful with good conditions, you may meet some nice folks from Mt Rest and Cashiers who might still frequent the airwaves. There is a rosy outlook for 11m propagation coming up significantly over the next years.

 

[ClemsonSCJ]

I would go with the President McKinley. I bought mine for my truck after reading a guy had bought the Uniden but it shook so much in his jeep offroading it broke. The forward facing speaker is a plus too. The dimensions of the radio are such you can install it in the dash if you have a space to do so.

On your President McKinley, does it recall the last channel you were on if you cut power? I have my radios on a relay so they turn on every time I turn my vehicle on and then they turn off when power is cut to the vehicle. My Cobra 19 DX IV reverts back to channel 1 every time which is super annoying. Was hoping to find something that would stay on a certain channel after power is cut and then restored again.

 

[slowmover]

On your President McKinley, does it recall the last channel you were on if you cut power? I have my radios on a relay so they turn on every time I turn my vehicle on and then they turn off when power is cut to the vehicle. My Cobra 19 DX IV reverts back to channel 1 every time which is super annoying. Was hoping to find something that would stay on a certain channel after power is cut and then restored again.

I wire mine past the vehicle controls. Straight to battery and Grnd to nearest point.