SSB Radio- What is it for?

[ncapener]

When I bought my boat it had a Icom 600 SSB radio installed.
What can it be used for? Weather report, ship to ship communication,....????
Is it the same thing as a ham radio?

Thanks,
Neal

[RichH]

It for communications beyond the range of VHF (about 20 miles)
Its 'similar' to HAM radio but operates on different assigned frequencies (channels). You need a restricted operators license and a station license to operate a SSB.
However, you can 'listen in' to the various 'marine nets', high seas weather forecasts, weather routers, and the occasional 'chit-chat'. Commonly, SSB communications are 'good' (depending on 'propagation', etc.) for upwards of several thousand miles, sometimes 'around the world'.

SSB 'frequencies" YachtCom - Marine SSB radio | MF frequencies | HF frequencies | SSB Channels .... but the communications can vary with the time of day, propagation strength due to the variability of the ionosphere and 'atmospherics' required to hear or speak with the other stations. With SSB you can also receive (when using auxiliary equipment: text email, weather fax (weather charts), various text weather (from governments), etc. etc.

[QuickMick]

If DSC equipped it also can report your position in an emergency--if connected to GPS. iirc, AIS/ATIS operate on VHF channels.

[ncapener]

Thanks for the replies. Helped a lot.

Neal