Ham Radio General Class Test 2025 – 400 Free Practice Questions to Pass the Exam

Carrier suppression in single-sideband (SSB) phone transmission offers the significant advantage of allowing the available transmitter power to be used more effectively. In SSB, only one sideband (either the upper or lower) of the modulated signal is transmitted, and the carrier component itself is suppressed. By eliminating the carrier, the power that would otherwise be used to transmit a constant carrier signal can instead be directed towards the sideband, which contains the actual audio information.

This results in a more efficient use of power, enabling longer transmission distances or clearer signals when conditions are less than optimal. The suppression of the carrier also minimizes interference with other signals in the same frequency band, enhancing overall communication quality. While audio fidelity, modulation percentage, and receiver simplicity are all relevant aspects of SSB transmission, the predominant benefit stemming from carrier suppression is indeed the enhanced efficiency of transmitter power usage.