USB on 7.230 40 meters?

[KB9WQJ]

Am I missing something?  For 2 nights in a row now I have heard a group at 7.230 USB (rather than LSB) .... what's up with that?  I've been away from ham radio a wee bit and just got some wire back up and listening around....it took me aminute to figure out why I could't zero beat with them...it worked once I flipped from LSB to USB.  Thanks & 73.

[WW3QB]

I don't know about this specific group but there are groups using surplus military radios that only do USB on 40m. I don't think any other radio service uses LSB.

[K2OWK]

As a ham it is legal to use upper or lower sideband on 7.230. Upper or lower sideband can also be used on any ham band allowing single sideband use except the 60 meter band where only upper sideband can be used per FCC rules. With that said, the ham community by has set up a system for single sideband use that recommendeds that lower sideband be used on the lower frequencies of 160 thru 40 meters, and upper sideband on frequencies of 20 meters and higher. This is not a rule just a recommendation that is followed by most hams, so the fellows operating on 7.230 MHZ upper sideband are not breaking any rules, just not operating as recommended.

73s

K2OWK

[KB9WQJ]

  Yes, I'm aware it's legal...just unconventional.  Thanks.

[K0OD]

As previously stated that's a regular group of military radio fans... definitely a law-abiding bunch.

They often use USB on 60 meters but their usual base on 5371.5 has been overrun what-with the new rules having gone into effect Monday. All five channels have been covered with CW, PSK31 plus the usual USB, and modes and frequencies not allowed under the very complex rules.  A mess but gradually getting better.

[K9EID]

The 7.230 Upper Sideband signals are indeed a group of interesting guys that restore and operate surplus gear from WW 2.  Most of that gear was built to operate on USB.   Join the group and learn more about some of this great old equipment.   You will see many of them communicating with each other at hamfests with their huge old
'handie talkies'.   

Bob Heil, K9EID

[W3HKK]

Yep.  Unconventional.  And while there are those who only operate within the GAAP (generally accepted amateur practices)  there are those who revel in doing the opposite.

You can join them or  choose to ignore them, whichever the case may be. 

Just like intentional interference, growling at the clowns only makes them more motived to create their form of mayhem.  Gritting your teeth  and ignoring them is the best way.

[G3RZP]

When did the military start using SSB? I haven't seen anything military with SSB earlier than the mid to late 1950s: interestingly, that early stuff generally had both sidebands available, although some of that was to allow ISB working.

[KB4QAA]

When did the military start using SSB? I haven't seen anything military with SSB earlier than the mid to late 1950s: interestingly, that early stuff generally had both sidebands available, although some of that was to allow ISB working.

In the US, the military didn't start with SSB until the mid 50's.  USAF General Curtis LeMay "Bomb 'em back to the stone age", was an active ham and asked Art Collins of Collins Radio to collaborate with SSB experiments. 

They fitted up a USAF plane with both AM and USB radios and made and extensive (if not world circling) tour comparing the two modes on both military and ham frequencies.  SSB won hands down.  This was widely covered in ham magazines of the time.  The rest is history.

[W8JX]

As I recall NASA used 5.5ghz SSB to talk to first men on moon in 1969. Bet that was one expensive radio on LEM.