SSB

[WayneH]

I'm interested to know what mini sailors out there are installing for communications equipment and more specifically SSB. What are the more favored manufacturers and models being installed?

[Adrian]

SSB's are not permitted by Classe Mini, neither are satphones.
The only communications allowed are VHF & a weather receiver.

Here in North America the B 1-2 & the West Coast race Minis carried satphones as they were required by the race organizers
(B 1-2) & for safety as there were no accompanying vessels (W Coast race).

[Phoenix]

Actually SSB receivers are required by Classe Mini for A and B level races (in the English rules they call it a "radioelectric receiver".

The most common ones used are the Sangeans such as the 505 or higher models, but you see some other similar models by other manufacturers.

Clay used a cool ICOM mobile unit called the IC-R1500 or IC-R2500, not sure which one. He said the reception was good.

This year in La Rochelle, I saw several of the British minis using a little ICOM unit called the IC-R20. It seems to have some nice features and is quite small and light.

The ICOM products are much more expensive than the Sangeans, but have their advantages too.

Cheers

[WayneH]

Thanks this was helpful. Here's the link to the Icom IC R2500 http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/r2500/

[Adrian]

I thought the weather receivers required by Classe Mini were SW not SSB.

[sr]

And this is the link to the handheld one: http://www.icomamerica.com/en/products/receivers/handheld/r20/default.aspx. 

Pretty cool that can record 4 hours of voice internally.

[Emma]

Hey guys-  I purchased the iCom R20 handheld, it's pretty awesome, but I'm having issues receiving SSB transmissions-   I can hear there's someone talking, but it all sounds like aliens.   Any tips?   I leave Tuesday for Hawaii, and it would be nice to have it sorted by then...

Thanks!

[Adrian]

Might you have a problem with the voice squelch control?
Do you still have a problem with that feature off?

Good luck with the final preparations.
I will be watching you as take line honours in your division.

[Mark1996]

Just to clarify:  SW refers to shortwave frequencies which are below 30 megahertz.  SSB refers to single side band mode of transmission/reception. Most, but not all, of voice two way communication in the frequencies below 30 megahertz  are in the SSB mode.  So,  if your receiver is tuned to receive a SSB SW transmission and it is garbled or sounds like bits and pieces of words, your receiver is probably switched to the AM or FM mode.  By the way,  traditional SW broadcast stations(one way) such as the shortwave BBC World Service transmit in the AM mode. This is why receivers that cover the SW frequencies have a switch that can toggle between AM  and SSB modes of reception.