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T8A03

SIGNALS AND EMISSIONS · Basic characteristics of FM and SSB; Bandwidth of various modulation modes: CW, SSB, FM, fast-scan TV; Choice of emission type: selection of USB vs LSB, use of SSB for weak signal work, use of FM for VHF packet and repeaters

T8A03T8A →

Which type of voice mode is often used for long-distance (weak signal) contacts on the VHF and UHF bands?

  1. AFM
  2. BDRM
  3. CSSB
  4. DPM
Why SSB puts all transmitter power into a single sideband roughly 2 to 3 kHz wide, with no carrier and no redundant second sideband wasting energy. That concentrated power plus a narrow receiver bandwidth (less noise admitted) gives SSB a big weak-signal advantage, which is why VHF/UHF DX, meteor scatter and EME operators work the SSB portions near the low end of each band.
Watch out FM is the other tempting answer because it dominates VHF, but FM spreads power over 10 to 15 kHz and has a capture/quieting threshold: below a certain signal level it turns to noise rather than degrading gracefully, so it is for local repeater and packet work, not DX.
Narrow beats wide when signals are weak: SSB for DX, FM for local repeaters.
HamSandwich explanation, first draft. The question and answers are the NCVEC text.
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The rest of T8A

  1. T8A01 Which of the following is a form of amplitude modulation?
  2. T8A02 What type of modulation is commonly used for VHF packet radio transmissions?
  3. T8A03 Which type of voice mode is often used for long-distance (weak signal) contacts on the VHF and UHF bands?
  4. T8A04 Which type of modulation is commonly used for VHF and UHF voice repeaters?
  5. T8A05 Which of the following signal types has the narrowest bandwidth?
  6. T8A06 Which sideband is normally used for 10-meter HF, VHF, and UHF single-sideband communications?
  7. T8A07 What is one characteristic of single sideband (SSB) compared to FM?
  8. T8A08 What is the approximate bandwidth of a typical single sideband (SSB) voice signal?
  9. T8A09 What is the approximate bandwidth of an FM voice signal on VHF repeaters?
  10. T8A10 What is the approximate bandwidth of AM fast-scan TV transmissions?
  11. T8A11 What is the approximate bandwidth required to transmit a CW signal?
  12. T8A12 Which of the following is a disadvantage of FM compared with single sideband?
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