To SSB or Not to SSB . . .

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angus99

angus99

Guru
Joined
Feb 19, 2012
Messages
2,742
Location
US
Vessel Name
Stella Maris
Vessel Make
Defever 44
. . . that is the question. Our boat came with an older ICOM M800 from the early 90s. The PO said it worked but I’ve never tried to power it up and disconnected some of the cabling during rewiring projects.

What are the practical uses for one of these in an era of ubiquitous cell towers? Is it still valuable to have one in the Bahamas? I have limited real estate at the lower helm and don’t need to carry something I’ll never use. On the other hand I’d hate to jettison something I might have a use for.
 

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In the US or Canada very little use. Once you go to the Caribbean the SSB is used every day for the weather and the cruiser nets.

Also if you are in a marina you likely will not get reception. It is also difficult for power boats to get reception underway as the SSB is sensitive to any electrical interference including in my case my inverter.
 
I agree with Marty, unless offshore a good ways or out of the country, not much use. I use mine a lot, glad to have it, but probably will let it collect dust upon returning.
 
One of the first things I did after I bought the boat was remove the SSB. In the 30 year previous life of the boat I doubt that it was used twice. It looked pristine as it took up valuable space under the dash and contributed to the mess of writing below the panel. Also, it was mounted on the door to the cabinet below and made access to the space a PIA.
It eventually sold at boaters resale for $300 after sitting for a year.
In the two years since I have never thought “oh, I wish I had my SSB”.
 
Bay Pelican said:
In the US or Canada very little use. Once you go to the Caribbean the SSB is used every day for the weather and the cruiser nets.

Also if you are in a marina you likely will not get reception. It is also difficult for power boats to get reception underway as the SSB is sensitive to any electrical interference including in my case my inverter.
Click to expand...

Sealife said:
I agree with Marty, unless offshore a good ways or out of the country, not much use. I use mine a lot, glad to have it, but probably will let it collect dust upon returning.
Click to expand...

:thumb: What they said. In the Bahamas, we listen to weather every morning and use it for crossing back and forth on the Gulf Stream. For the Bahamas you could probably get similar information on-line but your not hearing the specific question/answers with local knowledge that could affect your cruising area.

https://mwxc.com/marine_weather_services.php
 
I found, when I had mine, that to initiate a phone call from the Bahamas I was too close but I could use Washington. I haven’t had one on my last two boats but if I was going on cross ocean trips like Homo I would have one on board.
 
I should add that sat phones may be a better option.
 
I would like to have receive only. If I need emergency help, sat phone or epirb/plb. Also I think the antenna requirements for good transmit are picky picky but not so much for receive only. On other boats that had HF's, I entertained my self on long passages just listening.
 
Ski. I have a portable sw radio to listen in to weather, it much cheaper than a SSB.
 
Ebay for the ICOM SSB
Portable Shortwave radio receiver with SSB/BFO for listening if you want. Make sure it has DIGITAL tuning!!! Search "receiver SSB" on ebay. Grundig Yachtboy is a good example.
 
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An SSB radio is quite stable , so a cheap program and you can print weather fax on your computer.
 
I use jvcomm, it is a free download for basic version. Works great with older SSB that can’t support modem
 
With a Pactor modem, you can also send and receive emails, either free (if you have a Ham license, but then no commercial content) or through SailMail for a few hundred $$ per year. As with SSB voice, not something you are likely to use unless offshore or out of the country.
 
Forgot or circle back and thank y’all. I’m keeping the SSB—at least for now—but will relocate it to a spot that’s less in the way of control and nav functions at the helm.
 
Resurrecting this thread . . .

. . . because it’s finally decision time to either keep or yank and sell the ICOMM M800. To summarize, I don’t see us becoming radio hobbyists, so the only reasons to keep it would be for emergency comms or to receive weather info where other means don’t work. We do plan to travel north as far as Nova Scotia and eventually to the Bahamas.

Will a portable SW (for listening to weather forecasts and discussions) and an EPIRB accomplish most of what we need in these instances?
 
Angus, why get rid of it? SSBs are a great communications and weather tool when offshore or in remote areas as noted by previous posters. VHF is largely line of sight, cell phone signals get lost and when in northern latitudes domes can become iffy.

Years ago when offshore racing it was the best way for a racing fleet to check in. Cruisers can hookup to virtually anywhere with an SSB. Great in Mexico, hurricane prone areas and far corners of the PNW. We don't have one, but sometimes cruise with those who do - they are our daily weather briefers, hooked into ships and far away sources.

Store it onboard and pull it out when you're remote. DeFevers have lots of nooks and crannys!
 
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Good points, Tom; I’m just wondering if their utility has been superseded by more modern means.

—will I get the same weather info in remote areas via a receive-only SW? (and just not be able to participate in discussions.)

—will an EPIRB work as well for emergencies in remote areas?

I’m on a crusade to remove all of the obsolete equipment and wiring that came as a legacy on Stella. But I don’t want to cut of my nose . . .
 
The following is just my opinion. If you elect to remove "all of the obsolete equipment and wiring" better be prepared to move fast. If you install the latest and greatest electronic equipment of today, 3 months from now, it may be 'old hat'.
Buy and use the stuff that makes you comfortable today. Let the next owner worry about the "latest and greatest".
Per a SSB, you have one, keep it and use it, if only for weather planning and reports. It can be a valuable tool only if you spend time learning and using it.
Another option is a Sat Phone. I have a hand held Sat Phone on board, just incase.
 
I think that like a radar, an SSB is only as good as you operator knowledge, but even more so. If you aren't practiced using it good luck. You can't know about 1/2 dozen channels and use it acceptably anywhere in the world like a VHF. There are hundreds of channels with different purposes in different regions, and times of day when they work and times when they don't.


After a couple of years of not using it, I finally got mine sorted and learned some very basics for the CUBAR rally. It was nice to actually use it and confirm it even worked, and nice to be able to talk to people outside of VHF range. But then I promptly forgot it all and will have to restart mostly from scratch next time.


I guess my only advice would be to do as I say, not as I do, and use the thing so you stay brushed up.
 
I got rid of my SSB for all the above reasons but mostly is trying to remember how to use it and at what distances. For emergency use an EPIRB and sat phone will satisfy me. But I’m simple and a dumb ****.
 
Yes, Epirb

angus99 said:
Good points, Tom; I’m just wondering if their utility has been superseded by more modern means.

—will I get the same weather info in remote areas via a receive-only SW? (and just not be able to participate in discussions.)

—will an EPIRB work as well for emergencies in remote areas?

I’m on a crusade to remove all of the obsolete equipment and wiring that came as a legacy on Stella. But I don’t want to cut of my nose . . .
Click to expand...

Will work any where, as long add you can see the sky. It is a satellite-based system.

Reference SSB - for its the biggest advantage its eavesdropping on weather routing services such as Chris Parker. Or, you Cam subscribe top Chris' service and he will help you with weathered-based decisions. In my mind this is more useful for Bluewater boaters. I'd you are going to be within cell phone range, you will probably not use SSB much.

SSB does take a bit of learning and practice. You may be able to get weather fax, but I found it not very useful. Better than nothing, but just...

I am not sure I understand the urgency of getting rid of a piece of working equipment. But if you don't use it regularly, you will probably not be able to use it when you need it.

Gordon
 
The question to ask your self, will the old SSB do anything for you that you can’t get done with an InReach?
 
In my opinion SSB has been largly functionally replaced by satellite based communications systems

With the KVH SATCOM system I can from with few exceptions anywhere in the world...

Make and receive crystal clear telephone calls
Access the internet with a 2mbps connection

With those two features SSB is not needed.

I spend my summers on my satcom link, as it allows me to run my business from my boat while enjoying cruising in Alaska’s maritime wilderness far from cell phone coverage.
 
I may certainly qualify as the biggest. Gained a few pounds since Ft Pierce last year.
 
ksanders said:
In my opinion SSB has been largly functionally replaced by satellite based communications systems
Correct.

Angus however was wanting to know thoughts on keeping an old free SSB. Having spent time with these ancient SSBs, I and hundreds of AK commercial fisherman view them as quite useful.
Click to expand...
Click to expand...
 
Gordon J said:
I am not sure I understand the urgency of getting rid of a piece of working equipment. But if you don't use it regularly, you will probably not be able to use it when you need it.
Click to expand...

We had a ton of obsolete or seldom/never-used equipment on board that we’re clearing out as part of our refit. I’m weighing selling the SSB to someone who will actually use it vs storing it against the chance of possibly needing it some day and having other, newer gear on board that can accomplish most of what I need.

And call me optimistic, but by the time we sell the boat this will be a very old SSB model.

tiltrider1 said:
The question to ask your self, will the old SSB do anything for you that you can’t get done with an InReach?
Click to expand...

Exactly! Or a compact, low-cost receive-only shortwave plus EPIRB plus a rented or owned sat phone when we’re out of cell/vhf range.
 
angus99 said:
Exactly! Or a compact, low-cost receive-only shortwave plus EPIRB plus a rented or owned sat phone when we’re out of cell/vhf range.
Click to expand...

That makes a lot of sense. As an aside, many SSB users, especially sail boaters, use these devices as a verbal Facebook. Think of them as party lines from the very old days.
 
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