How To Read An S-Meter

Some of the more experienced hams may be thinking "This must be a joke." After all the S-meter is so widely used that the subject seems almost trivial. Actually, I think that it is a very important topic to cover.

Certainly, if you've been a ham for years, you have likely picked up the proper meaning of the numbers on the meter, but the fact remains that if you've never been told how to read an S-meter, chances are you are going to do it wrong! I can't tell you how many times I've heard statements on the air like "Your signal report is S 10!", and this is simply wrong.

One method of giving a signal report over the air is to use the RST (Readability, Signal Strength, and Tone) reporting system. Some use this method while others simply give an S-meter reading. Still, others combine the Readability (of the RST system or RS system on phone) with the actual S-meter reading so that you'll hear things like "Your report is 59 plus 10". If you do plan on using the S-meter in your reporting, you need to first learn how to read the meter.

The S-meter consists of numbers ranging from S 1 to S 9. So the first important point is that there is no such thing as an S 10. If you look closely at your radio's S-meter you'll see that the highest S number is actually S 9.

Beyond the S 9 point, the markings are often a different color and there are usually PLUS (+) SIGNS before the numbers. What does this signify? It indicates that the number represents the number of dB over the S 9 reading.

Time for a quick test! What is the above meter indicating?

Since the reading spans beyond the S 9 point, you already know that the reading will be S 9 PLUS. And since the reading stopped under the +20 marker you know that the reading is actually 20 dB over S 9. The report you would give over the air is either S 9 Plus 20 or 20 dB over S 9.

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