[Elecraft] S-Meter Calibration

[kc4kgu@EnterZone.Net]

On Mon, 11 Feb 2002, Jonathan Taylor, K1RFD wrote:

> Signal Strength
> 
> 1--Faint signals, barely perceptible.
> 2--Very weak signals.
> 3--Weak signals.
> 4--Fair signals.
> 5--Fairly good signals.
> 6--Good signals.
> 7--Moderately strong signals.
> 8--Strong signals.
> 9--Extremely strong signals.

That pretty much goes in line with what my S-meter on the TS2000 reports.

As for giving reports, you're not getting a 599 from me unless you were Q5
copy with an S9 smeter indication with BEUTIFUL audio.

If your audio sounds like you just left Billy-Bobs CB shop with a new
Overkill Inkorpuratid MEGA Butt-Kicking power-mic, I'm going to tell you
that your audio sounds like $#!+ and that you should fix it before
bothering to TX again.

> 
> On phone, be sure to indicate how many dB the S-meter swings above the "9"
> mark, and whether the meter is "Scotch" (S) or "Very Scotch" (VS).

I haven't heard the S and VS but, I am personally guilty of giving the dB
units above S9 and quite honestly, if I'm S9+40dB on someones meter, I
want to know it.  In ragchew mode, if we all have +40db on each other,
that is a good indication that we can turn the burner down and we will do
so.

So, in short, the RST report that *I* want is that of:

Readability

1--Unreadable
2--Barely readable, occasional words distinguishable.
3--Readable with considerable difficulty.
4--Readable with practically no difficulty.
5--Perfectly readable.

Signal Report

1--|
2--|
3--|
4--|
5--|
6--|
7--|
8--| AS INDICATED on the Smeter.
9--|
+10|
+20|
+30|
+40|
+50|
+60|


I want an HONEST report.  If you can barely hear me, I want to know it.  
This bullcrap of giving an amateur the report that you *think* he wants to
receive is just that, bullcrap.  This does NOTHING but give a false sense
of confidence to that operator.  Then, a situation comes along where he
NEEDS to have reliable communications during an emergency and he DOESN'T
because every single op he's QSO'd with was "nice" to him and didn't give
him any indication that he perhaps needed to do some antenna work, fix
some noisy audio, etc.

What a load of horse dung.  Give an HONEST report and tell the other OP
that an HONEST report is what you want from them.

When I get a "5/9+20dB/wonderful audio" report from Bob Heil, K9EID (and
it happens consistantly folks) I can take him at his word.  He's not
trying to make me feel good.  I am 20dB over S9 on his receiver and have
"wonderful audio" coming out of a 100w crown amplifier into JBL studio
monitors.

Do your fellow amateurs a favor.  Give them HONEST reports.  If you're
giving them the "smeter" style reports that I mentioned above, let them
know.

> If readability or signal strength varies, always use the highest numbers.

In anything other than FM or CW, this is valid.  SSB and AM will both have
varying S-meter indications depending on the modulating signal.  

> Be sure to say "thanks" for "FB" reports such as 589 or 599.

Be sure to say "thanks" for *any* report that you get.  If an operator
gives you a bad report, it's not to hurt your feelings.  It is so you know
that perhaps you need to work on your antennas, your audio, perhaps crank
up the wick a bit, etc.  If nothing else, thank them for their honesty.

73 de John kc4kgu