Ham Radio - Tips for new hams. Signal reporting and the RST system

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Hopefully helpful for newly licensed hams. A little talk about the RST system.
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30 июн 2024

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Комментарии : 84

@GH0ST369 5 месяцев назад

Thanks there are many people taking shortcuts in their jobs, ham should be a labour of love, and reporting a big part of that. I will be mindful as a new ham to report accurately and not let nerves rush the journey.

@Danielmiller4 5 лет назад

Thank you for explaining the system, I am still relatively new to HAM radio and this was helpful.

@LavaKimo 6 лет назад

Your timing is perfect! This helps me a lot. I built my first radio, a Ubitx, and don't have an S meter. This table will help give a signal report.

@Elandur Год назад

Five years later and you're still teaching folks. I've had it backwards. I did know it's "Readability, Signal" (No T, I snuck in after they took away code requirement), but I've always used 1-5 for signal strength and 1-9 for how well I could understand the words. When I stop and think about it, I feel very silly. But I guess it's just a "training scar" from those that taught me how to RST. I will now continue to flip them back and forth in my head for the next decade or so until I undo the years of improper practice.

@thormusique 6 лет назад

I really found this very helpful, thanks! It's the clearest explanation of the reporting system as well as the dos and dont's. For some time I've wondered if I've been missing something when I hear "59" from virtually everybody, regardless of band, geography, and conditions.

@traup56 6 лет назад

Thanks, Kevin. I am a 'new' ham now(04/2017) for a year, and really liked this video....noone has ever explained this history and even that it's called RST. I am always interested in how my signal is perceived. Keep 'em coming !

@yoyomansteve 3 года назад

Thank you Kevin. I am brand new ham, KO4MGC, and was hearing the reporting but really didn’t understand it. That was very helpful!

@betterbprepared Год назад

Great explanation! It's hard to find much on this topic when watching the POTA videos, but this was very easy to understand!

@CowboyDave1812 2 года назад

Thank you for this clear and concise explanation of signal reporting. Answered my questions that everyone else glossed over assuming that I knew more than I do.

@KenPryor 6 лет назад

Great video. I experienced what you were talking about last night when I had someone who said he could barely hear me tell me that I was 5-9 but needed me to repeat several things.

@appleguy1986 2 года назад

Clear and concise message. This is exactly what I need to know about RST. Thank you!

@glenngoodale1709 6 лет назад

I would like to see more pictures of the old radio rooms, the one you showed brought back memories ....good job, good audio ..... 599

@UABFWSS Год назад

There also seems to be a pattern of always using 5 for the first numnber, regardless of how well the station's readability is and solely using the second number as the varying indicator of how well the overall signal is received/heard/etc.

@Tommy_Boy. 2 года назад

Thank you for this video Kevin! It was exactly what I was looking for as a newer operator. 👍⚡📻

@gregorgman 4 года назад

Kevin, thanks for the explanation, been awhile. I needed that:)

@howarddavis1899 5 лет назад

Enjoyed the video. Very helpful. Thanks, N4WTS.

@michaelsharp8229 5 лет назад

Thank you Kevin for the clarification on the RST system. I got my ticket back in Dec ‘18, and want to specialize in QRP CW. My goal is to actively participate in straight key night this year. I find your video very helpful. Thx and 72! ;-) KD9MED

@erichstocker4173 4 года назад

I've gotten some good reports from folks who were doing POTA and just general DX hunters. I've heard people giving 33. Given my very compromised antenna I'm often giving 43 or 33. I agree that an accurate one can be very useful. When you contact knows he is 33 at my location, it gives him the reasons for the repeats, etc. Good video.

@Tommy_Boy. 2 года назад

Great point about the contest RSTs. 59?? "It took 3 you tries to copy my call! And, with no pile-up!" Ha! 🤣

@stevenlamb3971 Год назад

I always try to listen without the pre amp and give my most honest report. I've found that usually when you do you'll get a fairly honest report in return. But sometimes when trying to break in on a contester hearing 59 rhythm over and over I'll forget and give a 59 as well. I guess when in Rome....

@stanrock01 3 года назад

This is REALLY cool! Nice work. I am guilty, I always give a 59, because I didn't fully understand, now I know.

@DaveAllredDNA3e8 Год назад

Thank you! I have been a HAM 2-3 weeks and this is the first good explanation. If you are still making videos I would love some sample/practice examples.

@Elandur Год назад

I've been a ham since 2007. Thank your lucky stars that you got such a good explanation so early in your radio career. I see you made this post 8 months ago, I hope you've stuck with it! Have you gone for your General/Extra yet? I've been a Tech since '07, abandoned the radio for years, and I'm finally getting back into it and starting to prep for my General.

@DaveAllredDNA3e8 Год назад

@@Elandur I am posting from field day in a national forest. My wife and 10 yr old son got there license, I got my General. I have tried to get on 10m a few times. I hope to find a mentor here that can help me.

@Alan2E0KVRKing 6 лет назад

I have always given honest reports, even during a contest. A lot of HF contacts are 59, 73! No name, QTH, etc

@neilrobinson3085 3 года назад

New ham Neil (KD9RYV) here, Thanx for the briefing! I agree about the uselessness of reflex 5/9 reports. If you're gonna report at all, make it real. If they dropped signal reports from the contest rules, it might not encourage slapdash reports as a habit.

@bmxerkrantz 3 года назад

Great video and great chewbacca impersonation!

@Klaatu-ij9uz 2 года назад

First-Class episode!! 👌

@petergeorgew6208 3 года назад

Excellent video

@DirkPA1BD 6 лет назад

Nice one Kevin. About the 59 reports in contests its the same story with dx-peditions. 73 de Dirk PA2C

@celticwarrior1961 6 лет назад

great video Kevin .you must of read my mind when it comes to contesters and the ubiquitous 59

@acestudioscouk-Ace-G0ACE 2 года назад

Totally agree with your point of dropping signal reports for contests, they are about as useful as an ashtray on a bicycle.

@jeepnypitpits 6 лет назад

Thank u for explaining

@itamar87 6 лет назад

Thank you for this video...!

@manuelfernando6393 2 года назад

Hi Kevin, excellent explanation, and it would help if all of us give an accurate RST. I do like all your videos so much, thanks, nice work. 73 de ct1bxx

@magnehaneberg8605 3 года назад

While I find your comment about signal reporting during contests quite logical, I also find the '59' is a nice 'synchronizer' or 'synchronization word' to tell me that the contact number is coming next (at least for IARU Region 1). Is it necessary? No. I'm sure I'd manage just as well without the '59'. Anyway, thank you for making these videos! They are very useful for beginner and even intermediate hams, and quite interesting/entertaining for more experienced hams as well. 73 de LA1WUA

@smallbusinesstrainingbymartin 4 года назад

Well explained.

@mikethees6434 4 года назад

The 59 and and then KD2R?W really gets me too

@JonathanKayne Год назад

I will admit that I have a habit of sending 5NN when I am doing POTA but since I'm completely new to Morse code it's mostly because I am not very comfortable sending just yet so I'm focusing more on sending and receiving than making an accurate RST. I'll probably start being more accurate as I get more comfortable sending. On SSB, I tend to use only odd numbers 3, 5, 7, and 9 depending on if the person is perfectly understandable with no issues or if I have to turn up the volume and strain my ears to understand.

@hamradiocq 6 лет назад

I"m really hating the Spring also... It's such a lie. : ) Great video thanks.

@learnelectronics 6 лет назад

Kevin, Thanks for a great video. As a new ham (2/2018) this info was most helpful. KE8IXE

@loughkb 6 лет назад

I wondered if you passed. Congrats man, welcome aboard.

@stevejones8665 6 лет назад

I have nothing against contests even took part in a few myself many years ago, but it really is annoying when all you hear is 59 😆....Maybe during contests we should all make it a point that we only give an accurate signal report and ignore any contester who gives all 59,s then those who are making the effort would score higher 😊.... It's so annoying when someone says 59 then asks you to repeat your call so maybe we should reply with I thought I was 59 with you at your end how come you need me to repeat my callsign if as you said I was 59 then surely you got my call the 1st time unless maybe I wasn't really a 59 but a 31 or god forbid even worse....😊😂lol.....maybe they would take a second to give a proper report when it's affecting there score's. Great Video all valid Point's

@user-qb3zf2bq9p 3 месяца назад

Excellent thank you

@samglaim4274 6 лет назад

I've never been interested in contests, but heard many of them over the years and NEVER heard a report other than 59 or 599... as you suggest, in contests, signal reports seem pointless? Once had a CW QSO and the stations Tone was badly corrupted... gave a report of something like 552 (that's a very unusual signal report and I really expected the station to come back and ask what was wrong with their tone)... must have gone right over their heads because they carried on without any reference to the signal report I'd given them! ;-)

@hammerhouse153 Год назад

Thanks Tony M7DKL.

@zibisalski4817 5 лет назад

Thank You

@wadepatton2433 6 лет назад

Seems I remember that key clicks and a few other deviations from pure signals were to be tagged onto the RST standard three digits as a letter, back in the days when I got a ticket. It was then "RST+" format. Pretty sure I'm not makin' that up. YES in a contest the signal report is the last thing you want to screw up and invalidate your contact (and the points earned thereby). This is why 99% of contesters who are concerned with scoring well will always report "5-9" on phone and "5NN" on CW.

@TonyYarusso 4 года назад

I can confirm that there is still one test question about this. G2C07: ‘When sending CW, what does “C” mean when added to the RST report?’ (A: Chirpy or unstable signal)

@ojjenkins7110 6 лет назад

Field Day doesn't use signal reports, only calls and where you are at, kay zero oh jay one alpha wyoming :-) so at least one contest that I know of has that going for it :-) BTW it is so nice being the rare DX on field day haha. I always went to WY for that reason. On your video of Oct 29 2016, the TS440S, you made Robert KI7CSZ a RU-vid star :-) He got a kick out of that video when I told him about what I heard. Oh, back in 2002 I ran onto a guy out in the Pacific in a contest, my beam was headed east, he was not getting very many calls, so I gave him a 5 by 4, and he came back with "my computer only knows 59" so I just said "ok five nine" and went my way :-) :-) Now do an audio report video, I got a story on that too :-( KØOJ

@JA-fy1bn 4 года назад

Dropping the signal report during a contest makes a lot of sense.

@mikesamyn7054 5 лет назад

During contesting I hear “59 06 or 07”. This phone contesting so I’m not sure what the 06 or 07 means. Please help me out . And thanks for the background given on this Video . AJ6GK

@luckydubeinrc5165 4 года назад

06 07, the number he gives to you (ie: you are no 7 in my log )

@niwy1838 4 года назад

Thanks for not making look like a Newbie on the Air... I got a 100% on my Tech Exam a year ago and havent had my first QSO due to limited traffic on the air locally and dont wanna sound like a fool and be "That Guy".

@livermush Год назад

I'm "That Guy" and it ain't so bad.

@gsansoucie 6 лет назад

NAQCC Sprints request accurate Signal reports. But I agree with the stock 599, why have it if it’s not going to change.

@davidhuett3579 Год назад

New to ham myself and wondering just how accurate is even signal strength? I have an Icom IC7300 and more often than not, I'll set RF gain to show background noise on the S-meter of only 1 .. maybe 2 ... however I note that many people say to always have the RF gain control knob in the vertical position which could already have 5..6..7 on the S-meter. My reading of 4 .. 5 could be someone else's 7..9+ BIG difference!

@garyp123 Год назад

The manual for my 1978 TenTec transceiver specifically says if you turned down RF gain to reduce noise, briefly turn gain to max to get an accurate calibrated (6db/S-unit) S-meter reading when they are transmitting. Should be true with other receivers, unless your manual states otherwise. You should always be ready to tweak RF gain as conditions change, "always vertical" is just as bad advice as "always at max"... RF gain is a tool for adapting to changing conditions, not a set it and forget it knob. (Altho vertical may be a good starting point on some radios...) But of course, a hamstick, full size dipole and 3 element Yagi have different gain themselves so the S meter will read differently for the same QSO across those 3 antennas. And some radios are more sensitive than others. That's why if the other ham is interested in a detailed report, you need to share your antenna design (and to a lesser degree, the radio model, at least so they know which decade it's from).

@MoTown44240 4 года назад

Wow. Thought I watched this video 3 years ago but its coming up as not watched. Good topic but Kevin is no longer in a house in Indiana.

@kgrant341 6 лет назад

I know contests I gave one contact a 58 then they tell me that everyone should get a 59 so I just gave in and started giving 59's

@bgonderi 5 лет назад

He mentions this at 11:10 in the video. I've heard that 59 is used so that neither side has to "waste time" dealing with a "real" report. All the contest logging software I've seen defaults to "59" so you don't have to type anything in. On the sending side, I don't have too worry about looking at my meter or making a determination of audio intelligibility. Many contesters are in it to win awards, and the primary way to accomplish that is to make more contacts, so anything you can do to speed up that process is done. Now to answer the question "so why include it at all?". Probably habit/historical primarily. I've also seen people mention that the "59" indicates to them that the "important" part of the exchange is about to follow.

@Klaatu-ij9uz 2 года назад

As for me, I think a signal report (5-8, or whatever) should be followed immediately by your QTH (geographical location). Later, or course, converse about your rig, antenna, etc. All that would give the receiving fellow a good idea of what his equipment is up against. 🤔

@Elandur Год назад

Agreed. If your contact is getting you at 3-4, it might be helpful to know that he's sitting in his aluminum-foil lined underground bunker 30 miles away on a baofeng that he ran through the washing machine a few times, with a rubber ducky antenna that his dog used as a chew toy.

@maartenc6099 4 года назад

In CW RST 339 means mostly QRS.

@dancosminmarza2974 Год назад

hi great video but not all use new gear, som use old gear with new gear new traciver with old hi power tub amp works great for the hf bands

@jmaniak1 4 года назад

Interesting, in aviation perfect strength and signal is reported as 5 by 5. KO4EKS

@dalemyers5096 6 лет назад

I like wall to wall and tree top tall. But that's just me... from KF4DCY-VIKING on the other band. Why give up a radio because of a few bad apples. Ok maybe a lot of bad apples.

@SpectreOZ 5 лет назад

Bending the needle... hitting the strawberry patch... shaking my windows... burying the needle 👍

@duenge 5 лет назад

I made HF contacts and and was asked repeatedly for signal reports....Nothing bores me more....I'd say sounds good, or kinda muffled, maybe a "Not too bad". My opinion of their signal is very subjective on my part. Really is meaningless to me! Just numbers. I had a guy getting pissy with me once, "Is it a 2 or 3?" You see, he had become very anal retentive with time.....If I ask some one how I was coming in, I don't want a string of numbers......Good!, scratchy, little broken. Now THAT means something.....and I don't have data that I need to record.....I appreciate your video, though. I never really took the time to memorize it,...just be cause I prefer plain language....Thanks.

@624radicalham 5 лет назад

Help me out here please. At 5:11 you mention that you'll look at the S-Meter. Since I've been into radio it's been my understanding that almost all HAMs run their radios on receive with the RF Gain down and the volume control AF gain up to diminish background noise. This is what I do just instinctively since day one. So with just about every amateur radio transceiver ever made, the AGC forces the S-Meter needle to stay in the red when you do this, thus not being able to rely on your meter for a reading. I've noticed on some of your videos your RF gain is wide open. So which is it? Whats the most common way people run their radios? Get a clean sounding receive and you have no S-Meter.

@loughkb 5 лет назад

It totally depends on band conditions. If the background static is high, I might do the lower rf gain technique. The trade off is you lose weaker stations. Adjust thing according to conditions.

@624radicalham 5 лет назад

+Kevin Loughin Thanks for the prompt response. Makes perfect sense regarding the bands and how you employ that technique. I still see most operators riding the RF gain on every band which honestly has always made me question why radio manufacturers even include an S-Meter if no one is going use it, but great to hear that you are.

@ericgroce1125 Год назад

I always laugh when people give everybody a 5'9 report... I have it a few guys get mad at me when I gave a 41 report

@izzzzzz6 4 года назад

I'm sick of all this 5/9 rubbish. Thanks for the video. I think these 5/9'ers have some issues. They are just like super competitive robots. Oh well each to their own.

@mrkattm 6 лет назад

You are too kind, so I will say it, contesters are the worst.

@lf7961 3 года назад

@tonyturtle5805 5 лет назад

they changed the system way back in the day why not change it again now to make it more meaningfull,

@2wrdr Год назад

I understand the signal reporting but IMHO way back someone screwed up in how the meter responds to RF Gain. If you reduce RF Gain the meter 🤔 Simple common sense logic would state that as you increase the RF gain it only makes sense that the meter would move towards an increase not a decrease. Yep, I know some say moving the RF Gain shows you how much signal is needed to overcome noise from someone. Who cares? You either have enough signal to work with or you don't.

@PaulaBean 2 года назад

Have you seen VK3YE's video about aging ham reader/viewership? ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-sCBzR1IfSDo.html . Apparently, the older you are, the more likely you read magazines instead of viewing videos!