Build your own SSB?

[jamesorr]

I had a dream that I built a SSB and it was evidently alot cheaper. Has anyone done this and if I do pursue this dream what wattage do I need for a strong sailing, world cruising set-up?

[SimonV]

Just buy a good second hand working unit.

[ShortCircuit]

It's not easy to build an SSB transceiver completely from scratch but it can be done; it would take a sustantial amount of time plus extensive experience with electronics design and assembly. It's much easier to build one from a kit, though usually you won't save a ton of money. It's lots of fun, though, and you have the pleasure of saying, "I built that!"

Take a look at Elecraft's line of kits. There are other kits out there but Elecraft is a popular brand.

[kb3pwc]

The Soft Rock kit is the latest rage in the Ham (Amateur) radio community.
WB5RVZ Softrock Software Defined Radio Homepage (www.wb5rvz.com)
..fairly easy and cheap.

[denverd0n]

Building an SSB transceiver isn't especially difficult. A lot of hams build their own radios. But these are HAM radios, legal only for use by licensed hams on the ham frequencies.

Any radio that you want to use on the marine HF channels has to be certified. THAT is going to be the difficult and expensive part.

[hellosailor]

First, you go to the beach and get some silicon sand. You'll need this to make your own quart crystals. Then of course you'll need to walk the local RR tracks and try picking up loose coal among the ballast rocks, you'll need the coal to melt the quartz. Oh, and start looking for copper ore or copper scrap, it makes the best wire.

Or as Kate Hudson said in Almost Famous, "No, really?!"

But if you really think there's any reason to make your own SSB, you might want to start with the library and the FCC, who'll tell you what you have to do to submit it for certification.

"No, really?!"

[chucklesR]

In theory based on my Navy training (submarine radioman) I know how.

No way I'd do it. Not to save a couple hundred, not even to say I did that.

Get two coconuts and a ball an twine, have some fun. Then buy a radio.

[aa3jy]

Originally Posted by denverd0n

Building an SSB transceiver isn't especially difficult. A lot of hams build their own radios. But these are HAM radios, legal only for use by licensed hams on the ham frequencies.

Any radio that you want to use on the marine HF channels has to be certified. THAT is going to be the difficult and expensive part.

Not necessarily true in a real emergency..anything can be used to communicate in a 'Life or Death' situation. But generally only Type accepted radios are permitted on the Marine SSB freqs.

http://cruiseemail.com/software/HF%2...05-30-2009.pdf

[jamesorr]

Anyone got a cheap SSB?! Ha ya, thanks for all the replies.