The VK3RTV reporting system

When a user asks the repeater (VK3RTV) for a signal report it will report back with a screen showing the received strength and quality. Quality is a more important indicator than strength. The figures shown are 0–100 (higher is better) and are not calibrated absolute values.

How to report the strength of a digital ATV signal

Picture strength

With a digital signal, all bits must be received for decoding into a picture. In simple terms this means you either have a perfect picture (P5) or no picture at all (P0). Near the threshold you may see coloured blocks or the picture locking up — a slightly better signal gives a perfect picture, a slightly weaker one gives nothing. If the picture breaks up intermittently, either the signal is marginal or there is non-linearity in the final PA.

Audio quality

Audio is either there or not. If the signal is on the threshold you may hear popping and cracking when the picture breaks up. Strange background noises (buzzing etc.) with a P5 picture are more likely coming from the original source or a ground loop at the receive end. In practice you either have perfect audio (Q5) or none (Q0). "Q" identifies the "quietness" of the audio signal.

How to report the strength of an analogue ATV signal

Picture strength (P0–P5)

The images below show increasing levels of "snow" as a rough guide to P0–P5.

P0 — very poor signal	P1 — more picture than snow	P2 — detail in picture
P3 — more detail than snow	P4 — great detail, bit of snow	P5 — perfect picture

Pictures courtesy VK3KHB

Audio quality (Q0–Q5)

Sound / audio is measured similarly to picture, except "snow" is heard as "shussss" or "hisssss". Lots of noise = Q0, no noise = Q5. "Q" identifies the "quietness" of the signal.

Wave files courtesy VK3KHB