RST system

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S-meter of a shortwave radio
RS reception report from a Bulgarian to a Canadian radio amateur

The RST system is used to assess received radio transmissions, the value T in particular of telegraphy signals ( Morse code ) in radio traffic, the values RS also for telephony transmissions . The readability ( R : readability ), the signal strength ( S : signal strength ) and the tone ( T : tone ) of the signal are assessed with digits.

R - intelligibility

code evaluation
 1: not readable
 2: readable at times
 3: readable with difficulty
 4: legible without difficulty
 5: perfectly legible

S - signal strength

code evaluation
 1: barely audible signal
 2: very weak signal
 3: weak signal
 4: mediocre signal
 5: sufficient signal
 6: well audible signal
 7: moderately strong signal
 8th: strong signal
 9: extremely strong signal (SW: 50 µV or VHF: 5 µV at the 50 ohm antenna input)
 9 + x Signal is present with x dB via S-9

The distance between the individual S stages is 6 dB.

T - tone (sound quality)

The value T is assessed in the telegraph mode.

code evaluation
 1: extremely raw alternating current
 2: extremely raw, unmusical alternating current
 3: raw alternating current slightly unmusical
 4: slightly raw alternating current, mediocre musical
 5: musically modulated tone
 6: modulated tone light trill
 7: unstable sound
 8th: filtered sound with z. E.g .: some hum modulation
 9: pure tone

complement

The appendix of a supplement to the report with a slash is used less often:

code meaning
 X: the signal sounds clean, like from a crystal oscillator
 C: Chirp, the signal varies in frequency during keying (transient process)
 K: the signal has so-called clicks
 A: Aurora. Signal change when the signal is reflected by the ionosphere .
 D: Drift. Change in frequency or pitch over time.

The code X was used especially in the early years of radio technology, nowadays almost all Telegrafiesendungen X .

While intelligibility represents the overall impression of the received signal, the signal strength depends on the transmission power and the sound quality depends on the transmitter and the transmission path.

history

The RST system has been used by many radio services since the 1930s and is still mainly used in amateur radio services today .

The RS system is used in the same way for the assessment of voice radio transmissions (Fonie) , in which the assessment of the sound quality is irrelevant. The RSQ system is used to assess digitally coded signals (radio telex, radio data transmission) .

The more extensive SINPO system is used to assess the emissions from radio stations ( shortwave radio ) .

literature

  • Eckart Moltrecht : Amateur radio course, operational engineering and regulations for the amateur radio certificate class 3 . 4th edition. Verlag für Technik und Handwerk, Baden-Baden 2004, ISBN 3-88180-364-5 , Lesson 9: RST system, logbook, QSL card, p. 162 ( Chapter 13: RST system, UTC, logbook, QSL card [accessed on March 1, 2019]).
  • Arthur M. Braaten: A new standard system of reporting signals. In: QST , October 1934, 18-19, 106, 108.
  • Steve Sant Andrea: Can you read me now? The RST code - more than just a signal report. In: QST, April 2011, 68.

Web links