Topband: RST and S meter readings not the same.

[Ken Brown]

Hi all,

There are many reasons that S meter readings are irrelevant to an RST 
report. Most of those reasons have already been discussed, and they deal 
with the wide range of S meter response to signal power input in our 
various rigs, and the wide range of receive antenna gains/losses. There 
is another reason that was touched upon in a previous posting, wherin 
the RST system was quoted. The RST system as explained in ARRL and other 
standard references says nothing about any meter reading. It only 
describes signal strength in terms of what you hear in the headphones 
(or speaker) relative to other noise and signals. I would guess the the 
RST system was devised when few if any receivers had S meters. What the 
S meter indicates is almost completely irrelevant to the RST report.

My S meter seldom ever goes above S7, and I give 599 reports regularly. 
I do however try to give honest reports, giving 599 only when the signal 
really is strong. And I do not look at the S meter to determine that.

DE N6KB