[1000mp] Stingy S-Meter?

[Thomas Beltran]

Tom thanks for your reply.

>   Just be thankful that you don't have the line noise
> problems thaty a lot of us have had!

I am, my QTH is amazingly quiet for being in the middle of the city.


>   Ain't it great to be able to copy S-0 signals?

Well, I'm not sure that they are; that is my question.  I was listening to
the contest, I didn't hear any signals over 5db or so over 9.  My Drake will
easily register loud signals in the 10 - 20 db over 9 range, as did my
TS-570.  I'm not sure that the S meter is "accurate."

I say "accurate" in quotes because I understand there is no real standard,
and most radios are not even linear in their response.  The best way to tell
is to see what other people experience with the same radio.  I talked to a
ham on 40, whose signal was perfectly readible, but did not even register on
the S meter.

Finally, what are people doing with the RF amp - using the tuned amp or
flat?  Thanks in advance - Tom W6EIJ