Hi all

I have an Eton E5 SW radio, I love listening to broadcasts from all over the world, but I've had this radio for a few years now... and there is one problem. I still have no clue how to work the SSB function.

I've read the manual and looked some stuff up online, but whenever I try to use SSB all I get is a high pitched squeal. I see videos of people using an E5 on SSB and they're getting clear signals that aren't distorted- when I use my SSB button the station comes in all muffled sounding and even with careful tuning I can never get it to sound good.

What is the point of SSB, when should I use it, how do I use it?

Thanks for any help.

MrRas wrote:

I have an Eton E5 SW radio, I love listening to broadcasts from all over
the world, but I've had this radio for a few years now... and there is
one problem. I still have no clue how to work the SSB function.

First of all you have to understand what SSB is. A normal AM signal consists
of three things. The first is a carrier signal which is always on, the other
two are the information you want to hear, which are called sidebands.

Since the sidebands are what you need, you can remove the carrier entirely
and still have a useable signal. That's where DSB or DSRC (double sideband
reduced carrier) signals come from. They can be received as an AM signal
by an AM receiver with far less power used by the transmitter.

Now what would happen if you only transmitted the information you needed
to make up the full signal? It so happens that both sidebands are the
same, being mirror images of each other.

So one can transmit the same INFORMATION, using a lot less power by
transmitting only one of the sidebands. The problem is that without a
carrier, or both sidebands a regular AM receiver can not decode the
information.

The question is how do you get it back?

Normally this is done by mixing a new carrier with the signal, and
stripping out what you don't want. There are various methods for doing
this, but they all rely on the frequencies matching. On an SSB signal if
the frequencies match exactly, the sound seems "normal" if they are too
high or low or vary, the signal gets that funny distortion that sounds
like the rebel pilots in the final attack on the death star in Star Wars.

Now here comes the problem with SSB and shortwave listening. If you use
SSB to receive an AM signal, and the carrier frequencies don't exactly match,
or are not stable, you get a howl. The howl is the mixing product of the two
mismatched signals.

If you tune them to the point that they match exactly, that's where the
magic happens. As a shortwave signal fades in an out, the reception of it
gets better and worse. If you mix a carrier with the fading carrier and replace
it, the information you want is still received and the fading dissapears.

This is called ECSS. In order to work, it requires a frequency stable
transmitter and receiver and exact tuning.

If you don't have the exact tuning you need, or a stable enough receiver,
then it won't work and will howl. Therefore not many people use SSB
receivers for AM reception.

If you want to receive SSB signals, there are occasionaly a few of them
on shortwave broadcasts. It's not that popular because the majority of
shortwave listeners in the world don't have receivers capable of SSB
reception.

You are most likely to hear SSB signals on the ham bands and utility
frequencies. From international aircraft flight controlers to fishing boats
too far off shore for VHF and so on. Most of them are USB (upper side band),
but ham transmissions on the 1.8mHz,3.5mHz and 7.0mHz bands are usually LSB
(lower side band).

Except on the US 5mHz band, where USB is required, hams may use either
USB or LSB, but the convention is LSB below 10mHz.

Geoff.

--
Geoffrey S. Mendelson N3OWJ/4X1GM
To help restaurants, as part of the "stimulus package", everyone must order
dessert. As part of the socialized health plan, you are forbidden to eat it. :-)

On Nov 1, 10:12*pm, MrRas wrote:
- Hi all
-
- I have an Eton E5 SW radio, I love listening to broadcasts from all
over
- the world, but I've had this radio for a few years now... and there
is
- one problem. I still have no clue how to work the SSB function.
-
- I've read the manual and looked some stuff up online, but whenever I
try
- to use SSB all I get is a high pitched squeal. I see videos of
people
- using an E5 on SSB and they're getting clear signals that aren't
- distorted- when I use my SSB button the station comes in all muffled
- sounding and even with careful tuning I can never get it to sound
good.
-
- What is the point of SSB, when should I use it, how do I use it?
-
- Thanks for any help.
-
- --
- MrRas
. . .
MrRas,

Some Things about SW Radios is a 'natural'
{no learning required or learned it before}
You Know how to Turn 'On'; Tune; and Set the
Sound Level of an AM/FM Radio : Same for SW
Radios.

-and- Some Things about SW Radios is a 'Skill'
{requires that you lean some thing new and
practice the process to develop 'the skill'}
The SSB Fine-Tuning Knob is a new SW Radio
'Skill' that you must Learn by using and doing.

First Setting-Up the SW Radio :

On the Right-Side there is the "Fine-Tuning"
Knob/Wheel : Set this Knob to it's Center.
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal.../0055side.html

-tip- You should 'feel' a Bump/Notch as you
trun the Knob somewhere around the Center of
It's Range of Travel : Full CW to Full CCW.

Now look for come consistent SSB Signals to
Practice your SSB Tuning Skills.

Where you might start is at the WWV/WWVH Time
Frequencies which are really not AM Signals
-but- DSB Signals with Suppressed/Reduced
AM Carrier [Double Side-Bands Lower & Upper]

So in the AM Mode : Tune your SW Radio to :
2.5 MHz {2,500 kHz},; 5 MHz {5,000 kHz},
10 MHz {10,000 kHz}, 15 MHz {15,000 kHz}
Choose the one that gives you the best Signal.

-INFO- Time Signals
http://www.dxinfocentre.com/time.htm

Next you have a "SSB" Button (8) on the Front
of the SW Radio : [Mono & Stereo & SSB]
http://www.universal-radio.com/catal.../0055cont.html
Press it once and wait to see if "SSB" shows
up in the LCD Display (24)
Press it a second time and wait to see if "SSB"
shows up in the LCD Display (24)
STOP When You See the "SSB" in the LCD Display.
-tip- You are now in the "SSB" Receive Mode.

*IF* You are Tuned directly on one of the
WWV/WWVH Time Signals and can hear it well.
Plus in the "SSB" Receive Mode with the 'SSB'
Fine-Tuning Knob 'Centered' :
You can now slowly rotate the 'SSB' Fine-Tuning
Knob CW and hear one of the Side-Bands.
Re-Center the 'SSB' Fine-Tuning Knob
Now you can slowly rotate the 'SSB' Fine-Tuning
Knob CCW and hear the 'other' of the Side-Bands.

After you have Practiced with WWV/WWVH several
times and can develop your 'Skill' using the
'SSB' Fine-Tuning expand out . . .

Note - That you can also do this with other
"AM" Mode SW Broadcasts that are very loud
and clear on your Radio. {Improve Your Skill}

NEXT - Try looking for some of the Fixed Frequency
'Utility' SSB Broadcasters that use "USB" Mode
[USB = Upper {Single} Side-Band]
http://www.monitoringtimes.com/html/mttopHF.html
* Tune-in to the Fixed Frequency
* Set to "SSB" Mode
* Rotate the 'SSB' Fine-Tuning Knob CW/CCW to
hear the Upper Side-Band [USB].

LAST - You can try the Amateur/Ham Bands using
your new "SSB" Tuning 'Skills'.

hth - good luck with your radio ~ RHF

On Nov 2, 1:12*am, MrRas wrote:
Hi all

I have an Eton E5 SW radio, I love listening to broadcasts from all over
the world, but I've had this radio for a few years now... and there is
one problem. I still have no clue how to work the SSB function.

I've read the manual and looked some stuff up online, but whenever I try
to use SSB all I get is a high pitched squeal. I see videos of people
using an E5 on SSB and they're getting clear signals that aren't
distorted- when I use my SSB button the station comes in all muffled
sounding and even with careful tuning I can never get it to sound good.

What is the point of SSB, when should I use it, how do I use it?

Thanks for any help.

--
MrRas


Basically, the SSB button is there so you can hear single sideband
(SSB) signals such as amateur radio and "utility" stations, as opposed
to normal AM mode signals such as MW and SW broadcast stations. You
need to patiently use the fine tune function to correctly tune in SSB
signals. Although it's possible to receive AM mode signals using the
SSB button, your radio may use a narrow filter in SSB mode, which
could make AM signals sound muffled due to the narrow bandwidth.

Thanks guys!

I've been playing around with it today and I got it to work. Very useful in some situations I've found.

Thanks again.

On Tue, 2 Nov 2010 05:12:37 +0000, MrRas
wrote:

Hi all

I have an Eton E5 SW radio, I love listening to broadcasts from all over
the world, but I've had this radio for a few years now... and there is
one problem. I still have no clue how to work the SSB function.

I've read the manual and looked some stuff up online, but whenever I try
to use SSB all I get is a high pitched squeal. I see videos of people
using an E5 on SSB and they're getting clear signals that aren't
distorted- when I use my SSB button the station comes in all muffled
sounding and even with careful tuning I can never get it to sound good.

What is the point of SSB, when should I use it, how do I use it?

Thanks for any help.

You may just be having difficulty adjusting to the very fine tuning
you need to use. I'm not familiar with your receiver but assuming it
uses a little thumbwheel, you have to just barely move the wheel to
get it exactly right.

It'll help if you practice on an easy signal that you are already
familiar with. Tune to an AM (MW) powerhouse that comes in real well.
Now switch to SSB and tune it in that way. Practicing this way should
give you an idea of "what it sounds like" when you're close, and which
way to turn the wheel to get closer. It'll also give you a good idea
of just how exact your tuning needs to be on that receiver and
thumbwheel.

And do bear in mind that it isn't likely to ever "sound good", as you
put it. Clear and bearable is about all you should expect.

(I realize this advice presumed a number of things about your radio.
If it seems like crazy talk, just ignore it.)

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

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