"Telamon" wrote in message
...

--Major Snippage of Previous Post--

The word band has a different meaning depending on context.

When speaking about SSB, USB, LSB the inference is a range of
frequencies below (LSB) and above (USB) a stations carrier frequency.
This range of frequency is defined by the information that modulates the
carrier and so it is a small range of a few kilohertz wide. Here USB and
LSB are the sidebands of the carrier.

When speaking about a range of frequencies that by regulation are used
for a specific purpose such as aeronautical communications is a wider
range of frequencies that will accommodate many carriers or stations and
is more like 100 to 500 kilohertz in width.

Stations that broadcast in SSB mode usually only modulate one sideband
upper or lower. If your radios has a switch for USB / LSB then you will
have to pick the correct sideband to hear it. If your radio does not
have that switch you just turn the BFO control in one direction for USB
and turn it in the other direction for LSB.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

You took the words right out of my mouth. : 0

Seriously, band in my example was your second definition specifically the
3400 to 3500 kHz frequency range.

So, is it accurate to say with my unit, which only has a button to switch to
SSB, I need only select SSB, start tuning, get a decent signal and turn the
BFO up (USB) or down (LSB) to resolve the transmission? When you say BFO, am
I wrong in thinking you're simply referring to the "Fine Tuning" dial I
have on my unit which must adjust in finer increments (frequency readout
does not change but differences in audio can be heard) than the Tuning dial
itself (1 kHz increments)? Otherwise I don't know what BFO is. I looked it
up and "beat frequency oscillator" seems to be a way to resolve an audio
frequency signal for a carrier wave (a fancy way of saying tuner?).

- If I am out of the official AM band (540 kHz-1700 kHz) should I always be
in SSB?

- What is the effect of the Wide vs Narrow switch and when should you use
either? The manual that comes with the unit bascially identifies these
controls but not necessarily their effect on reception.

Sorry about all the newbie questions. I learned a ton just looking up BFO
and the related references in different places so thanks for that one even
if I didn't get it. I like to understand things which is why I started this
damn note two hours ago and am just now finishing!

g