GL: Single Side Band Radios

[bob Austin]

The SSB radio is still used by the Coast Guard for distress and safety.  Many
less of the large ships moniter 2182 mhz the calling and distress frequency.
There are mini nets which are organized by boaters who are cruising to keep in
touch.  One of these used frequently by many boaters is the "cruiseheimer's
net"--at 830 ET frequency 8152 Mhz USB (as all Marine SSB transmissions are).
Ham radio is still very useful--both SSB and the VHF 2 meter.  There are many
maritime mobile ham nets and the most useful for loopers is the Water Way
Radio and Cruising Club net: 7268 Mhz LSB at 7:45 ET.  This has safety, float
plan and news messages, as well as a way of keeping in touch with your
cruising friends.

2 meters often will get you a ride to a grocery store or even an invite to
stay at another ham's dock for the night.

As for Real estate for SSB/Ham Radio--my current boat radio is about 2" x 8" x
6" (and the face is detatchable, so it could be 2" x 1" x 6"--this is 100
Watts of all Ham SSB frequencies (and marine in an emergency), plus all of the
VHF and UHF Ham frequencies-plus reception on all of the radio spectrum,
except the cell phone frequencies.  This is the size of several paper backs or
an entertainment system.

As for VHF replacing SSB--that did not happen.  The boat radio before Marine
VHF was AM radio, not SSB.  Some were tube type, but many were transisterized
before the first Marine VHF radios appeared I believe in the mid 60's.  The
old AM radios had a max range of about 300miles, but were not perticularly
reliable--and cannot be compared in any way to either modern ham or Marine SSB
radios.

Bob Austin