Reception report

A Reception report is a means of radio stations, usually Shortwave stations, receiving detailed feedback from their listeners as to the quality and content of their broadcasts.

Reception reports normally consist of several different pieces of information which help the station verify that the report indeed confirms coverage of their transmission, and are usually (but not always) made up of the following information:

# The date and time the transmission was heard.
# The name of the station.
# Information regarding the Tuning signal, if heard.
# Details of the on-air programme at the time of reception.
# The name of the announcers or programme host, if heard.
# Details of the overall signal quality, normally using the SINPO code.

Sometimes, it is also advisable to include details of your own location, and this can then show the station receiving the report just how far their transmissions are reaching.

Upon receipt of a reception report, the broadcaster will sometimes issue a letter to the sender, thanking them and confirming that the details are correct, or in a lot of cases, they will issue a QSL card. QSL is part of the Amateur Radio Q code, and means I acknowledge receipt.

One of the more satisfying aspects of DXing is collecting QSL cards and letters from stations you have heard. QSLing these stations involves writing an accurate reception report of a station you have heard, mailing it to the station, and waiting for a reply. It sounds easy enough, and it is, but some techniques can help to improve your success rate.

Creating an Accurate Reception Report----What station engineers and other personnel are interested in, is whether you have heard their station. And to prove this successfully you need to send an accurate report. After all, receiving a report for a different station does the one who receives it little good.

To begin, you need to record the frequency, date and time when the station was heard. For medium wave stations, time should be given for the zone where the station is located. Thus if you are receiving stations in the eastern zone, such as Ontario and New York, use EST or EDT depending on the time of year. Stations, in the central zone, such as Chicago, IL use CST or CDT which is one hour earlier than eastern time. If you're not sure then clearly indicate your local time.

Now, as you are listening, jot down some details of the program. Look for some of the following items when listening to the program:

The way the station identifies itself. The name of the program. Names of station personalities, such as a talk show host. Commercials. These are always good indicators because the station needs to keep track of commercials they run. Names of special items such as CNN news or TSN sports. The point of this information is to demonstrate to the station that you actually heard their program. Usually the more detail the better. Of course, how much detail you can record often depends on reception conditions. But you will need some accurate detail if you expect to receive a QSL confirmation.

Also include some indication of how well the signal was received. Shortwave reports use the SINPO code but for medium wave something simpler will usually suffice. [Quick Guide to Reception Reports http://www.dxinginfo.com/dx-guide-reception-reports-quick.html]

Most short-wave listeners want nothing more than the basic service provided by broadcasters: music, news, and information. But for some DXers, collecting QSLs is a major reward of short-wave listening. A QSL is a card or letter from the station slating that you indeed heard them. And you get a QSL after sending the station an accurate reception report. One of the many rewards of short-wave listening, besides music and news from faraway places, is writing to the stations and collecting their QSLs that come in reply. A QSL is a card or letter from the station saying that you did hear them. To get a QSL you must write a reception report to the station.Writing a reception report is no more difficult than writing a one-page letter. And it really shouldn't be any longer than that. Some DXers use pre-printed forms and fill in the spaces for all necessary reception information, but this lacks the personal touch. However, pre-printed forms in languages other than your own are useful. A good way to send reception reports with a personal touch is to use your own form letter as a guide for each letter you write. And if you can't type your letter, it's best to print by hand to make it easy to read. There are three Main/basic things a reception report requires: A report of the signal, a brief description of program details to prove it was their station you heard, and a description of your receiving equipment and antenna. Right now, we'll concentrate on how to report the station's reception. This includes 5 things: The signal strength, interference, noise, fading, and the overall rating. You can do this verbally in a paragraph or use the SINPO code. S-I-N-P-O, Signal, Interference, Noise, Propagation, and Overall reception. [ Writing Useful Reception Reports http://www.dxinginfo.com/dx-reception-reports.html]

ee also

SINPO

References