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CHANNEL 16/SSB
- Thread starter doctor
- Start date
Ch 16 LSB was the SSB channel back in the days of only 23 channels. When the band was expanded to 40 channels channel 16 was still the SSB call channel but channels 36-40 were designated for SSB by way of gentleman's agreement which was also the arrangement for ch 16. Up here we had a local yokel group hang out on ch 15 and would bitch up a storm when we SSB'ers would pop up on ch 16. They would come onto ch 16 and throw carriers etc and all we did was zero-beat their carriers and keep on talking. Occasionally when our signals were really strong to each other we....OK well I 
....would swing the beam around towards the offending AM'ers, switch on the little 100 watt amp I had and REALLY give them something to whine about. 
....would swing the beam around towards the offending AM'ers, switch on the little 100 watt amp I had and REALLY give them something to whine about. there is still a few ssbers on 16,, they use unmolested 23 channel radios and tend to be very formal like back in the day... i get on every once and a while to chat with a few here in florida,, when skip comes in from up north there is a fellow from canada that blast in here... 73s midnight special cbt273
In South East Florida (Greater Miami), I haven't heard any LSB 16 traffic in years. In the late 70s, there was quite a bit. To make room, the LSB 16 crowd would also use 17 and 18. That got quite a bit of blowback from the 18 AM regulars of the day.
Down here in the lower Florida Keys, you'd never know 16 ever was an SSB channel. Even on LSB38, I've only heard one other local station in SSB mode.
Down here in the lower Florida Keys, you'd never know 16 ever was an SSB channel. Even on LSB38, I've only heard one other local station in SSB mode.
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I am surprised there isn't more traffic down south rick330man. We have a pretty good group of about 10-15 maybe a few more up here around Daytona Beach. Been a while since I been to South FL, been staying pretty busy around Orlando. Now that you mention it last time I was there all I talked was dx, no locals until around palm beach area. I am sure there are a few operators but cb radio isn't what it used to be. Even back in 2003 there was quite an AM group that met every weekend 30-40 people wasn't uncommon. At least there are still some locals on ssb.
We have a lot of Big AMers in my area on 16am.60 miles south of ST Louis Missouri.I use to run 16 and 15a lsb from 1867 till 1977 or so,then moved to 39lsb.
Yeah most around here stay on or around 38lsb, if dx is bad we use 39lsb or other channels. I like the fact we have a decent sized group and they are all friendly as heck! It makes taking on the radio nice! Just wish more younger kids were into it. I am 39 and by no means a kid lol but it would be nice to have a younger generation get into the hobby. Darn cell phones have made things too easy these days.
CB in the Florida Keys is made up of the occasional trucker and a few tourists looking for directions or tips on where to go. Hurricane Wilma in October 2005 was the last of four storms to cause us some damage in the 2005 hurricane season. Prior to that season, there were several stations down here using CB for house to boat communications. No more. I frequently catch no local activity at all when making the 3 1/2 hour Key West to Miami roadtrip.
Today's kids don't even talk to each other. They text each other for everything: a date, when standing 2 feet apart, etc. Ironically, my 17 year old asked me the other day to help him and his friends set up CBs in their trucks and jeeps. They plan to do some off roading. Maybe there's hope.
As for LSB 16, maybe we should start a revival and take it back? No one else is using it. We may as well. It'll be a great relief valve for when the 38LSB pile up can't handle any more. What do you guys think?
Today's kids don't even talk to each other. They text each other for everything: a date, when standing 2 feet apart, etc. Ironically, my 17 year old asked me the other day to help him and his friends set up CBs in their trucks and jeeps. They plan to do some off roading. Maybe there's hope.
As for LSB 16, maybe we should start a revival and take it back? No one else is using it. We may as well. It'll be a great relief valve for when the 38LSB pile up can't handle any more. What do you guys think?
Captain Killowatt hit the nail on the head. As we were all new to cb's @ one time or another, the 1st. time you heard ssb you had no idea what it was. Once I moved up to a Tram Titan ll (23 channel w/ssb) and a 3 element beam with plenty of juice, I did the same as everyone else. Channel 16 was just a given in that era, that's where yo went on ssb. The only downside to this was my neighbors Organ, she went nut's, and it wasn't long brfore uncle charlie was in town, so I hid the juice for a while. Thinking about it now brings back a lot of memories, somr good and some not so good. That's my story and I'm sticking to it.
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