Which has always been my feeling. I know about “fill in the blanks,” which is a time-waster – and I can only imagine the difficulty of trying to write lengthy reports on the summits!!!
Given that SOTA is not a CONTEST, the exactitude demanded by some operators appears to be a bit overboard…and this is SUMMITS, not SEAS.
Thanks all for the discussion and clarifications.
Victor KI7MMZ
I think the thread can be closed.
But, but, but…the signal report isn’t even collected!!!
Same here Pete. Signal reports are based on what I hear. Some of my radios don’t even have meters!
Monty Python.
Oops! Indeed, monty Python!! Thanks Dave
Thinking back; got me ‘chuckling’ whilst eating me ‘purridge’. Great sketch!
(;>J
No one expects to have to correct someone about the Spanish Inquisition
As you are in the USA they wont have metres, they’ll have feet and inches. 
Or maybe only include QSOs that are confirmed with QSL cards? 
Yes, it’s odd, this morning (on G/NP-006) it happened again whilst activating with 2m FM: several chasers apologized for giving me “only” a 4/2 or 3/2 report. Why, I’ve no idea. I always reply that I’m perfectly happy with any report.
BTW: I rarely give them less than readability 5 [unless there’s persistent QRM on the frequency]. I continue to be impressed how quiet 2m is away from the urban environment.
If an RS(T) report required a value from an S-meter, one of the most prolific SOTA radios, the MTR3b (and others in that line) would be illegal to use. 
I don’t understand either why some chasers feel bad for giving such reports, in any case it’s the activator who could feel sorry for putting such weak signal on the chaser’s side. I always want accurate reports, as they give valuable information. If an activator gives me a 59 report, I assume I can only say my report and whatever other piece of information just once, because he is copying me so well that he won’t loose any bit of my info. On the other hand, if I get a 22, I know I’ll have to send at least 3 times my report to make sure he will copy it.
I hate when hams are sending a 59 report and then asking for repeats because they couldn’t copy the callsign, the report, the reference or whatever. That doesn’t make sense at all and makes the valuable signal report info totally useless.
73,
Guru
Edit: I’ve added the words “when” and “are” in bold to express what I really meant.
I too value genuine RS reports, because it’s fun to see how far my signal reaches under different conditions.
I always try to give an accurate report in return, but between my hearing not being great in noisy environments and the variety of disruptions you get when operating portable, I often give a 59 and then have to ask for clarifications later on. For instance, when on a summit and a gust of wind slaps your hood against the ear piece of the headphones, or when chasing from the garden and a tractor comes barrelling down the lane 10 m away. I still think the original 59 was valid in those cases.
What I’m not so sure about is when I get a loud signal coming through and I strongly suspect that anyone else would easily hear what was said, but I struggle because of the extra background noise from the radio or the wind or both. I have settled on judging the RS based on what’s coming out of the radio so to speak and not taking noise from my surroundings into account. I am assuming the other operator wants to know how their setup is performing and my neighbours’ screaming kids and barking dogs have nothing to do with that! 
Guru!
I love it! “You’re 59 59, please repeat your call several times
slowly” !
How many times have I heard that one on the air? I have to
laugh.
The other one is, “You’re 3 by 5”. Then a 5 minute conversation
ensues with no repeats.
73
John, K6YK
Sometimes it’s simple why this is. Because … another chaser (> 499W with a rubber ear or via websdr) calls the person activating summmit without seeing that he is already conducting a QSO. I love such chasers. Occasionally there are local periodic QRMs (especially in the city). And then you have to ask for a repeat, although when there is no “disturbance” the report is reliable 59 or 599. There may be many reasons, but most of it is as you write.
But also it happened to me that the chaser told me report 55 and added “very weak” 
I take the other view: your report should tell the other station how you are actually copying them, so that their response can be adapted to your conditions. If you only make out every other word because of QRM, QRN or local audio interference, then give an R3 or whatever so that your QSO partner knows to keep overs short, repeat vital info without prompting etc. I suffer from horrendous QRN on HF at my home QTH, most frequently used report (when I can hear anything else at all) is 39…
Possibly slightly guilty… but if I give a 59 report and ask again for the callsign it will be a combination of summit brain, loss of pencil, loss of logbook, realising I have knocked the VFO, barking dog or possibly just a sign of barking madness…I do try and give an accurate report - Paul
I mostly send cw. I have sent many 229 reports when it has taken perhaps 3 minutes to assemble the information in the qso.
In my opinion, Contest style 599 has no place on Sota, the signal report is very valuable. At least 4 times, a sudden reduction in signal reports has alerted me to the mast having taken a tumble. I agree with others, I estimate the report, I rarely have time to look at the meter.
Regards
David
G0EVV
I hadn’t thought of it like that.
In my, admittedly limited, experience most people seem to mirror you, so if I am struggling I switch to spelling out call signs and repeating important stuff twice and I almost always get the same thing back. Likewise, if I’m chasing and the activator is chatting away, I am assuming that they are a) hearing me fine and b) not in a rush and happy to do more than just a quick signal report.
It does if you consider other reasons than just poor signal for not copying something, like poor hearing, or disruptions/brain farts on a summit.