RSQ  reporting table

 

	READABILITY
	R5	95%+	Perfectly readable
	R4	80%	Practically no difficulty, occasional missed characters
	R3	40%	Considerable difficulty, many missed characters
	R2	20%	Occasional words distinguishable
	R1	0%	Undecipherable
	STRENGTH
	S9	Very Strong trace
	S7	Strong trace
	S5	Moderate trace
	S3	Weak trace
	S1	Barely perceptible trace
	QUALITY
	Q9	Clean signal - no visible unwanted sidebar pairs
	Q7	One barely visible pair
	Q5	One easily visible pair
	Q3	Multiple visible pairs
	Q1	Splatter over much of the spectrum

 

 

RSQ Readability:  The new descriptive table has a corresponding range of percent readable text. This is consistent with the common practice of providing a percentage figure during a QSO or when responding to the inevitable “HW CPY?” at the end of an over. Currently, a percent readable text figure is often provided to the other station to clarify its readability after the traditional RST report has been sent.

RSQ Strength:  Most HF digital mode programs provide a broad band waterfall or spectrum receive display. As a result, it is common practice for operators to monitor and even decode multiple signals when working a narrow band digital station. Under these conditions, a visible measure of signal trace relative to noise is more meaningful than an S meter reading that averages the strength of all signals in the pass band.

RSQ Quality:  The presence of additional unwanted trace modulation observed on the waterfall or spectrum indicates possible spurious emissions and provides a basis for assessing the quality of digital mode signals. The traditional RST Tone report being designed to evaluate CW signals for the presence of audible hum, key clicks, chirping etc is simply not relevant to digital modes.