Hello,

I am new to SW and have recently purchased a ka1103 radio. It seems
to work very well, but I have trouble with SSB. I live in NY and I
don't seem to be able to pick up SSB. I am trying some of the The
SSB USB (AFRTS) frequencies listed in the SW schedule from a
magazine. I tune to the frequency, switch to SSB and then try to fine
tune into a broadcast. I just can't seem to pick anything up. Could
it be the radio or isn't there a strong enough signal? How can I
determoine the reason?

Thanks

Bob wrote:
Hello,

I am new to SW and have recently purchased a ka1103 radio. It seems
to work very well, but I have trouble with SSB. I live in NY and I
don't seem to be able to pick up SSB. I am trying some of the The
SSB USB (AFRTS) frequencies listed in the SW schedule from a
magazine. I tune to the frequency, switch to SSB and then try to fine
tune into a broadcast. I just can't seem to pick anything up. Could
it be the radio or isn't there a strong enough signal? How can I
determoine the reason?

Thanks


AFRTS broadcasts dont use a whole lot of power as they are for smaller
area's instead of whole continents for example. Try the 80meter amateur
bands at evenings/nighttime in LSB mode. There should be a few HAM's
operating in NY for you to 'catch'.

There are also VOLMET stations transmitting in USB. I'm located in
Europe so I dont know any good frequenties for you off-hand. I have a
few in the UK I always use to listen for conditions or antenne testing.

Google is your friend here

HTH,
--
JeroenK

On Jun 18, 11:34 am, JeroenK wrote:
Bob wrote:
Hello,

I am new to SW and have recently purchased a ka1103 radio. It seems
to work very well, but I have trouble with SSB. I live in NY and I
don't seem to be able to pick up SSB. I am trying some of the The
SSB USB (AFRTS) frequencies listed in the SW schedule from a
magazine. I tune to the frequency, switch to SSB and then try to fine
tune into a broadcast. I just can't seem to pick anything up. Could
it be the radio or isn't there a strong enough signal? How can I
determoine the reason?

Thanks

AFRTS broadcasts dont use a whole lot of power as they are for smaller
area's instead of whole continents for example. Try the 80meter amateur
bands at evenings/nighttime in LSB mode. There should be a few HAM's
operating in NY for you to 'catch'.

There are also VOLMET stations transmitting in USB. I'm located in
Europe so I dont know any good frequenties for you off-hand. I have a
few in the UK I always use to listen for conditions or antenne testing.

Google is your friend here

HTH,
--
JeroenK

Thanks for the reply. After checking around I'm getting the feeling
that SSB is a more precise activity than just some casual tuning.
I'll carefully listen to the bands you mentioned at different times to
see what I can hear.

Bob

Bob wrote:

Thanks for the reply. After checking around I'm getting the feeling
that SSB is a more precise activity than just some casual tuning.
I'll carefully listen to the bands you mentioned at different times to
see what I can hear.

If you receive AM signals on the SW abnds you should be bale to hear SSb
as well. But most SSB stations use far less power then international sw
band stations

Try tonight on the HAM frequenties, or some VOLMET stations. Maybe you
can even find a site from a SWL in NY that has some proven frequenties..

--
JeroenK

On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:18:56 -0000, Bob wrote:

On Jun 18, 11:34 am, JeroenK wrote:
Bob wrote:
Hello,

I am new to SW and have recently purchased a ka1103 radio. It seems
to work very well, but I have trouble with SSB. I live in NY and I
don't seem to be able to pick up SSB. I am trying some of the The
SSB USB (AFRTS) frequencies listed in the SW schedule from a
magazine. I tune to the frequency, switch to SSB and then try to fine
tune into a broadcast. I just can't seem to pick anything up. Could
it be the radio or isn't there a strong enough signal? How can I
determoine the reason?

Thanks

AFRTS broadcasts dont use a whole lot of power as they are for smaller
area's instead of whole continents for example. Try the 80meter amateur
bands at evenings/nighttime in LSB mode. There should be a few HAM's
operating in NY for you to 'catch'.

There are also VOLMET stations transmitting in USB. I'm located in
Europe so I dont know any good frequenties for you off-hand. I have a
few in the UK I always use to listen for conditions or antenne testing.

Google is your friend here

HTH,
--
JeroenK

Thanks for the reply. After checking around I'm getting the feeling
that SSB is a more precise activity than just some casual tuning.
I'll carefully listen to the bands you mentioned at different times to
see what I can hear.

Bob

You'll have to tune back and forth on the signal to make it
intelligible. Too far in one direction, and it sounds high pitched and
like Donald Duck. Too far in the other direction, it sounds too low
pitched and like Darth Vader. You also have to make sure you're in USB
for upper side band signals, and LSB for lower side band signals. If
you're listening to hams, they're typically on LSB at 7.3 mhz and
below, and USB at 14.150 mhz and above. Not sure about SW
broadcasters...

bob
k5qwg

On Jun 19, 2:25 pm, Bob Miller wrote:
On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 16:18:56 -0000, Bob wrote:
On Jun 18, 11:34 am, JeroenK wrote:
Bob wrote:
Hello,

I am new to SW and have recently purchased a ka1103 radio. It seems
to work very well, but I have trouble with SSB. I live in NY and I
don't seem to be able to pick up SSB. I am trying some of the The
SSB USB (AFRTS) frequencies listed in the SW schedule from a
magazine. I tune to the frequency, switch to SSB and then try to fine
tune into a broadcast. I just can't seem to pick anything up. Could
it be the radio or isn't there a strong enough signal? How can I
determoine the reason?

Thanks

AFRTS broadcasts dont use a whole lot of power as they are for smaller
area's instead of whole continents for example. Try the 80meter amateur
bands at evenings/nighttime in LSB mode. There should be a few HAM's
operating in NY for you to 'catch'.

There are also VOLMET stations transmitting in USB. I'm located in
Europe so I dont know any good frequenties for you off-hand. I have a
few in the UK I always use to listen for conditions or antenne testing.

Google is your friend here

HTH,
--
JeroenK

Thanks for the reply. After checking around I'm getting the feeling
that SSB is a more precise activity than just some casual tuning.
I'll carefully listen to the bands you mentioned at different times to
see what I can hear.

Bob

You'll have to tune back and forth on the signal to make it
intelligible. Too far in one direction, and it sounds high pitched and
like Donald Duck. Too far in the other direction, it sounds too low
pitched and like Darth Vader. You also have to make sure you're in USB
for upper side band signals, and LSB for lower side band signals. If
you're listening to hams, they're typically on LSB at 7.3 mhz and
below, and USB at 14.150 mhz and above. Not sure about SW
broadcasters...

bob
k5qwg- Hide quoted text -

- Show quoted text -

Ther isn't an USB or LSB switch on the DE1103.

On Jun 18, 11:30 am, Bob wrote:
Hello,

I am new to SW and have recently purchased a ka1103 radio. It seems
to work very well, but I have trouble with SSB. I live in NY and I
don't seem to be able to pick up SSB. I am trying some of the The
SSB USB (AFRTS) frequencies listed in the SW schedule from a
magazine. I tune to the frequency, switch to SSB and then try to fine
tune into a broadcast. I just can't seem to pick anything up. Could
it be the radio or isn't there a strong enough signal? How can I
determoine the reason?

Thanks

If you live in NYC then you will be competing against a lot of tall
buildings and man-made interference.

That said try to match the frequencies to the time listened. And
don't forget to increase the volume while in ssb.

Try frequencies below 6mhz at night and higher frequencies during the
morning and daytime.

On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:30:19 +0000, Bob wrote:
I am new to SW and have recently purchased a ka1103 radio. It seems
to work very well, but I have trouble with SSB. I live in NY and I
don't seem to be able to pick up SSB. I am trying some of the The
SSB USB (AFRTS) frequencies listed in the SW schedule from a
magazine. I tune to the frequency, switch to SSB and then try to fine
tune into a broadcast. I just can't seem to pick anything up. Could
it be the radio or isn't there a strong enough signal? How can I
determoine the reason?

What exactly is the issue?

I mean, are you hearing something but you can't make it intelligible? Or
are you hearing nothing at all?

I would expect to hear amateur signals in the 14.150-14.350MHz and
7.125-7.300MHz bands during the day, and in the 3.600-4.000MHz band
(especially closer to 4.000) at night.

Once you find a signal, careful tuning is required to make it
intelligible. It probably will NOT be on an exact 5KHz, or even 1KHz,
channel. You'll need to carefully adjust the fine tuning.

In article .com,
Bob wrote:

Hello,

I am new to SW and have recently purchased a ka1103 radio. It seems
to work very well, but I have trouble with SSB. I live in NY and I
don't seem to be able to pick up SSB. I am trying some of the The
SSB USB (AFRTS) frequencies listed in the SW schedule from a
magazine. I tune to the frequency, switch to SSB and then try to fine
tune into a broadcast. I just can't seem to pick anything up. Could
it be the radio or isn't there a strong enough signal? How can I
determoine the reason?

Yes it is tricker to get an SSB signal as you need to be tuned to the
right frequency and adjust the BFO to get a good sounding signal.

Use Doug Smith W9WI reply for Ham signals to go after. The hams transmit
anywhere in the band not just every 5 KHz. Use the fine tung control for
at least 1 KHz increments, then the fine tuning BFO control to get the
ham sounding right.

--
Telamon
Ventura, California

On Mon, 18 Jun 2007 15:30:19 -0000, Bob wrote:
Hello,

I am new to SW and have recently purchased a ka1103 radio. It seems
to work very well, but I have trouble with SSB. I live in NY and I
don't seem to be able to pick up SSB.

Greetings, fellow NYer. (what's yer zip code?)

I am trying some of the The
SSB USB (AFRTS) frequencies listed in the SW schedule from a
magazine. I tune to the frequency, switch to SSB and then try to fine
tune into a broadcast. I just can't seem to pick anything up. Could
it be the radio or isn't there a strong enough signal? How can I
determoine the reason?

Thanks

I suggest first starting with mastering your particular radio. Then
move on to specific ssb catches.

1) Tune in a strong commercial AM station.
2) Switch to ssb.
3) play with the fine-tuning to get a sense of just how "fine" it is.

You should be able to hear any of the AM stations you catch on both
sidebands (if your radio allows choosing).

Most of the time (emphasize *most*) tuning the sideband
("fine-tuning") to a local AM will set it to the right place to pick
up a truly sideband only HF signal. But not always...

So not only does it teach how to work the fine-tuning on your radio;
it also gives you a good starting place.

"When you support the Party, you support the People!"


--
Col. I.P. Yurin
Commissariat of Internal Security

Stakhanovite
Order of Lenin (1937)
Hero of Socialist Labor (1939)