My 160m INV-L gives me S5 noise most of the time.
Which is why I use my SAL-30 for rx ( on 160-80-40m). The SAL lets my
S meter rest on S0 on 160-80-40m, and lets me listen at 45 degree
increments. with up to 20 dB F/B.
So while many of my sig reports are actual SAL readings, many on 160m
are my interpretation of how they sound against a very quiet
background. ie S=0 on the meter but mostly Q5 might be a 559.
Comfortably armchair sigs are 569 and up.
Marginal sigs are S2-3-4. ie by ear.
It makes no sense to give a 509. :)
RE: One-Way skip. I acce pt that it exists, although it might have
more to do with antenna polarization at times. But with the many skip
options at work that we are not aware of, sigs could go out and come
back via different routes, and thus provide different S meter
indications for the different paths. Cant prove it but I do believe it
happens.
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