What is a SSB CB radio? It is a higher power type of CB that can transmit farther. Here is how to use one.
Listen before your talk. To use a SSB CB radio is easy. First you need to understand the basics and etiquette. SSB and regular CB, which uses AM do not get along. Each one causes interference on the other persons radio. AM CB is the most common mode and is used on channel 19 by truckers). It causes a loud squeal on a CB using SSB. For that reason most SSB CB users stick to channel 16 and channels 34 through 40. Although AM'ers as they are called, still use these channels, there are fewer of them on the upper channels and less squealing noise to contend with.
Learn why SSB CB radios are different from regular CB radios. Single Sideband, or SSB, concentrates more signal into a smaller amount of frequency. For this reason the peak power or "peak envelope power" abbreviated PEP is twelve watts, compared to just 4 for an AM CB radio. This allows you to talk very long distances, but remember the FCC's 155 mile rule. You may hear someone calling "CQ DX" on a high power SSB CB radio but it is against the law in the U.S. SSB CB radios are made by Galaxy, Connex, Cobra and others. For more about SSB CB see the resources section below.