Ask Michael, KB9VBR: How do ham radio signal reports work?

[@W7LDT]

It always cracks me up on HF when the guy at the other end has me repeat my call about 10 times and when he finally gets it right he gives me a 5-9 report.

[@k5wxp22]

My favorite...Again? Again?? Again??? You're 5 and 9!!! 73 and Happy Father's Day! Brett K5WXP

[@EI6DP]

LoL

[@bobcatskrieman3384]

If you can hear me and I can hear you that’s good enough. Living in a small city in CNY and in a valley I’m happy just to get out. So you’re a 55…. Always fun to hear 59…

[@BLACKHEAT1028]

I have had weak signal reports from France and Barbados, but like you said I made the contact (from NYC, with 73' random wire). I also hear people follow up with YOU are a true 59.

[@EssexCountyPhoto]

I'm still new to the ham radio world, but it's funny that in the emergency sevices world it's exactly the same, everyone has a "strong signal" until they realise they can't actually be heard... 😂 73 de 2E0HJN / England

[@klutch545]

I got a 2 and 2 today, somehow, but at least I made the contact! 😂

[@John_Ai9D]

59 means that you like the other operator and you want to get a 59 from him.

[@jeffb5781]

This was so incredibly helpful. Thank you! Great explanation. 73

[@dennisrosas555]

I have had people question my reports when I was working at Thule Air Base in Greenland. I would often report 50 but I really could hear people loud and clear with my meter hardly moving. That was how quite the noise floor was. I was working as a DX station as OX3UR and a special event OX60AD. Because of this if it was a 0 signal I would give a 5,1 signal.

[@hennero.3826]

I am an SWL only so far, and I was alrready wondering why nearly everybody was 59 even though I hardly could read their signal 🤔 ... now I am beginning to understand. Thanks for the explanation.

[@OnlyTheEd]

What you hear (in your location) may be very different from what someone else hears (from their location)... 73 de KI0MX in SE Iowa

[@hennero.3826]

@@OnlyTheEd Sorry, my comment was not properly expressing what I meant (I am not a native English speaker). What I meant was this: When watching KZbin videos of people doing contesting I wondered how they could give a 59 for a signal that I could hardly read - and I was assuming the KZbin audio was more or less the same what they hear in front of their transceiver. I did not mean something I received with a device on my end.

[@daveengstrom9250]

If everyone is a 5-9, then a signal report is worthless.

[@skepticalmechanic]

I guess u haven’t been a ham very long…

[@EZPromoVideos]

Thank you for the information! I have been wanting to know this info as newbie! ;) So much is know by the long term ham but the newbie is like... what was that... ;)

[@KA4UPW]

First number is readability quality or understandably 0-5 this can be modulation, the persons accent, noise or hum on the signal, and etc but not the signal strength. The last number is signal strength based on the s-meter without preampification. Someone can have excellent strength but be completely non-understandable. Conversly may not move the s meter but be perfectly understandable.

[@kb8vom]

Field Day is coming up, everyone is 5-9 QRZ!!! LOL

[@kb8vom]

Oh wait, that is my ALC meter!!!

[@qrpdave2185]

No signal report in the FD exchange🤭

[@robertmeyer4744]

I use my ears not the meter. I cut RF gain to deal with noise and adjust filters so I hear better. so my meter is not good reading anymore. 73

[@giffjim55]

Good subject coverage

[@brianhunter1543]

I got a question for the next q&a session. I’m confused how the points system works on vhf uhf century club award. The rules state you need 100 points for vhf and 50 points for uhf. Then the next paragraph states you need 25 points for vhf and 10 points for uhf and so on. Does this meant to get the award you need 25 grid squares for vhf and 10 grid squares for uhf? Maybe you could break the confusion lol. Love the channel keep up the good work. KD0WIH 73

[@hooterfivesix]

Personally, I found this quite informative.

[@GregDiBernardo]

With regard to the signal report on the strength... How does your RF gain setting come into that? Meaning if you've got your gain jacked way up it's going to make the signal report much stronger.

[@KB9VBRAntennas]

Ultimately the signal reports are your perception of the received signal and things like antenna system, transceiver capabilities, and individual settings will affect that report. If I had the RF gain turned down and the signal came in loud and clear, while still barely moving the needle, I'd still give them a 59

[@qrpdave2185]

There are different systems of signal reporting. The military used a 0-5 readability and 0-5 strength(i.e. 5/5 perfect), then there is the MEANONGFUL % Quieting on FM which is more helpful then knowing the number of signal strength of the repeater on the guy's Baofeng. Even 'S' meter readings(50uv@50ohms) will vary on many Rx depending on RF Gain, attenuator, nearby blocking signals. Only a dbm level at the input is technically correct.

[@lesterwillison38]

Good evening yall

[@OnlyTheEd]

I don't know of any other rigs, but my Yaesu FT857D has a digital display, not analog, so I cannot determine an accurate "S reading".... the bar graph goes up and down.....totally dislike versus my Yaesu FT840.....

[@Philip-KA4KOE]

Lima Charlie

[@Jim-h9u]

59 is what stations say when they have no clue what it means. Everyone is a five nine these days.

[@arekx]

I often see livestreams from HF comms, with garbage reception, barely understandable and livestreamer gives them 5. No contest. Just regular talk. I would give them 3 in such case. Why they give 5... no idea. Livestreamers could have amazing hearing but I guess it is some weird behaviour of not wanting to give someone bad numbers in report.

[@Terry-ib6uv]

You are absolutely incorrect! S-meter readings correspond to an actual measurable voltage at the receiver or transceiver antenna terminals, referenced to a standard set by each manufacturer. The RST system of signal reporting is a separate entity based upon how a signal sounds to your ears. Unfortunately over time, contest signal reports have become meaningless for determining how well your station might be getting out. Telling me my signal report is 5-9 indicates in most cases that you are either too lazy or don't want to offend me with an honest signal report.

[@N2YTA]

How do you measure the voltage at the receiver or transceiver antenna terminals, referenced to a standard set by each manufacturer? Isn't that what the S meter does?

[@Terry-ib6uv]

@@N2YTA Yes, I believe most manufacturers calibrate their s-meters to indicate S-9 when a 50 uV signal is present at the antenna connector.

[@N2YTA]

@@Terry-ib6uv I believe that to be correct. How do you measure the receive voltage when you give a signal report?

[@Terry-ib6uv]

@@N2YTA There is no need to measure the receive voltage, other than to calibrate the s-meter. This would be done at the factory or by a repair technician with proper test equipment. If you are giving a signal report, say what your s-meter indicates, S-whatever, up to S-9. Signals stronger than S-9 are reported as so many dB (decibels) above S-9. For example you could say "your signal is ...s-6, s-7, etc" or you might say "your signal is 10 dB over s-9" or stated another way "your signal is s-9 plus 10". Or ignore the s-meter and report what you hear, using the RST system. But don't mix the two. It is nonsensical to say "you're 5-9 plus 20".

[@N2YTA]

​@@Terry-ib6uv That's what I do, and that's what Michael and the others in the video said to do it. I only questioned you because you said that they were "absolutely incorrect!" (Including the exclamation point.)

[@cWatts-zv3oo]

All subjective

[@WQ9V]

Yor are a 5/20 pour yourself a cup of coffee. WQ9V

[@karlmadsen3179]

59 means nothing because no one really knows what it is or uses it correctly.

[@edaravenkanna341]

VUI3TNL,EDARA VENKANNA,INDIA