Finally some common sense, thanks Luke! Rich - W4RQ Amateur Radio: The Original Social Media
> On Jan 17, 2021, at 20:26, List Mail <[email protected]> wrote: > > I have been using HPSDR in my station for the past ten or so years, and like > Flex SDR, the S-meter does not change with application of attenuator. The > signal strength changes between the transmitting antenna and receiving > antennas of course, so IMO it's absolute value is largely irrelevant. > > I also find somewhat bemusing the lengthy signal reports I hear between > stations "with Preamp 1, with Preamp 2" etc., usually on 40 m SSB. > > My on air reports usually pay little heed to what the "S-Meter" is reading, > apart from noting the band noise strength compared with the signal strength. > S-Meters are mostly a gimmick, with relevance only in laboratory bench > testing. My use of the RST is generally in accordance with the verbal > description of signals, i.e., Readability 1 = Unreadable to 5 = Perfectly > readable; Signal Strength 1 = Faint signals, barely perceptible to 9 = > Extremely strong signals. Don't start me on people giving "0 and 1 or 2" > signal reports, and then conducting a conversation. And where the heck does > the "Audio Only report, NO Signal strength" come from? > > Back to the OT, I often receive very lopsided signal reports, usually with > FT8 (sometimes a 30 dB lower report received than given) and less often in > SSB or CW. Sometimes it is in my favour, sometimes my QSO partner. As long as > we can complete our QSO, with a few of the traditional niceties, I don't lose > any sleep over the differential. I live in a quiet rural location, with > plenty of room for antennas, and the nearest neighbour is some 500 metres > away, so I hear better than most. Sometimes I call a relatively strong > station, and don't get any response at all, and wonder if my antenna has > fallen down. I put it down to the other station listening in a different > direction, and/or having QRM/QRN. I move on. > > 73, Luke VK3HJ > _________________ > Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector _________________ Searchable Archives: http://www.contesting.com/_topband - Topband Reflector
