[Elecraft] K3: Terminology

[Ron D'Eau Claire]

I've always been a CW operator, only occasionally venturing into the "phone"
bands. 

One time late one evening in the 1960's I was tuning around the 20 meter
band with my National HRO5 receiver and, finding the band very quiet, tuned
up into the phone band. There was a round table going on with several
stations around the Pacific. So I turned off the BFO in my HRO and switched
on the VFO in my transmitter, a Viking Ranger (CW/AM rig). I tuned the
Ranger's VFO frequency until reception on the SSB stations was clear
indicating that I was exactly on their frequency. When the opportunity
appeared I transmitted "Break, Alpha Charley Six Yankee". The station
immediately came back and welcomed me into the round table. After several
"go arounds" I mentioned that I was running a Viking Ranger. 

The next guy said, rather surprised, "By golly, I tuned off the frequency
and he DOES have a carrier!" The others were quick confirm that I did,
indeed, have a carrier and the "other" sideband. 

We had a nice QSO, getting me a nice report from Australia and Asia with me
running between 5 and 10 watts PEP from California (the Ranger ran 65 watts
AM "input" or about 45 watts output). But I didn't do that regularly because
I was transmitting an unwanted carrier and had a sideband using up an extra
3 kHz of spectrum that wasn't needed or wanted. 

And, yes, the AM operators of the 50's often called SSB "Donald duck talk". 

73 Ron AC7AC



-----Original Message-----
From: elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net
[mailto:elecraft-bounces at mailman.qth.net] On Behalf Of Jim Lowman
Sent: Wednesday, April 11, 2012 6:44 PM
To: elecraft at mailman.qth.net
Subject: Re: [Elecraft] K3: Terminology

Indeed, SSB was not universally accepted at first.  In fact, it was met with
much derision from the AM crowd.  Called "silly sideband" by some, and
others who said that it sounded like a bunch of ducks quaking or someone
with a severe nasal problem.

Not only did one have to be exactly on the other station's frequency, but
also on the correct sideband:  LSB for 40m and down and USB for 20m and
up... 
73 de Jim - AD6CW