Hello All! I just wanted to say I love chasing! When I hear a SOTA activation I try to give a very fair/true estimate of my hearing the activator. Depending on the band and the mode I give it a true number on my end. I also try to work the activators on all the bands I can hear them on so they can use the data later to see how their equipment and antennas worked for them that day. If I give a 219 or 229 it means I am sitting there listening on the headphones trying to pull someone out and can hear them. So I hope that helps anyone who ever gives me a IMI or repeat for their signal. I will switch back and forth on several antennas too to see how they sound. // AB4PP // John Paul
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You are doing good work JP.
Readability 0 probably means you can’t hear them at all so R2 is in the noise somewhere to me.
Strength 1 is a low signal not registering on and rig meter not that I read signal meters anyhow its just on sound for me.
Tone is out of 9 so probably the easiest one to gauge with all these modern
QRP rigs they are all very stable.
I have never heard SOTA chasers or activators do the contest thing and take several goes at getting a call sign then report 599, that makes me chuckle. If the activator stays on topic and just sends the relevant information it can be predictive to a certain degree if conditions are really low and the RST may fade up for you to hear and other stuff may fade out a bit. RST and the 73 is important to score the contact in my view.
Regards
Ian vk5cz …
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I’ve done that several times as an activator, but it is a genuine 599. I’ve taken several attempts because there are several callers on top of each other or because of my own inability to decode CW.
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I have done similar on CW - given people good signal reports when it’s taken several attempts. What’'s coming out of the radio is fine, it’s the wetware decoder that has issues!
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I agree,
The signal report is a valuable part of a Sota QSO. Several times I have been alerted to my aerial mast falling down when the reports have suddenly dropped. It is also a good indicator of current band conditions. The reports I give are when the other station is free from other chasers, in the clear. My reports go from 599 down to 229, perhaps when it take 2 minutes to exchange callsigns with certanty. I do not upload QSO’s where I have not exchanged reports.
Regards
David
G0EVV
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Jon Paul,
Thanks for always sending honest signal reports !! On a summit without access to cell service especially, I use your report to judge band conditions and any directional pattern of my antenna. I also appreciate if chasers would send their state abbreviation so I instantly know where they are located.
Stay well & 73!
Mike, WB2FUV
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John Paul, I also give true signal reports and when I’m activating from a summit, I appreciate getting real signal reports.
73 Gary
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Hi JP
i know my signal reports are rather high as i give them just using my ears - not looking at the “SWR” meter on the KX2. So when you get a 579 from my side it means that i can hear you very well without any problems, if i would look at the SWR meter it might be a 539 or so…
I do appreciate your trying to QSO the activating station on every band you can hear him/her !
73 de Bruno HB9CBR
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