I do not think it is so much that they can not turn ssb . BUT that they have been feed channel, channel ,channel , on both CB and 2 mts. Radio clubs do not seem to care anymore in helping a new ham learn theory they are more interested in getting more members. The Sad thing is that today we have Q and A hams.. most of us old guys who had to set the test before an FCC? staffer . had to know the different types of Osc’s and class of amp’s . I remember in 1962 when I took my general test a question .(what is wrong with this circuit ? ) and the next one ( what type of Osc. Is this ). We have hams now that have no ideal how to change a fuse and think that their OCF dipole is the best ant made cause they can get a 1:1 swr with their tuner on all bands. It is sad but this all started in the 70’s if I recall when the boys in Newington started pushing for numbers and not people with knowledge. You can tune the bands today and just about every qso is on .000 and heaven forbid if you call cq on? 14.185.05?? instead of .000. I hear all the time guys telling each other that they are 200 cps off freq come down to .000

As a new ham in the early 60’s with my used S40B receiver I was glad if I could get within a couple of kcs of 14.185. when Dad let me have his SX 101A I was in ham heaven.. with that 100kc cal installed to set the 100 kcs marks.

Then Drake came out with the C line 1 kcs readout.. what more could a ham ask for ..hi hi.

Today if someone tells me I need to get on .000 I just ask WHY ? are you rock bound ? you do know what that big knob in the center of your radio is for ?. Rude ? maybe but I know where I am when I key the rig. And I DO NOT miss the days when I used an old BC -221 to set my receiver band edges ..

73 Tony WA4JQS

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I am still amazed when I'm talking with other boat-anchor types on the low bands and someone invariably breaks in and tells US we're "Off Frequency" I always ask the guy I am talking to if I am on his frequency and he says? "of course"

Then we tell the newcomer that he's off frequency.? It's still amazing that some licensed hams cannot seem to tune an SSB signal correctly!