A reception report is a means by which radio stations (usually short- and

medium-wave Medium wave (MW) is the part of the medium frequency (MF) radio band used mainly for AM radio broadcasting. The spectrum provides about 120 channels with more limited sound quality than FM stations on the FM broadcast band. During the daytime ...

broadcasters) receive detailed feedback from their listeners about the quality and content of their broadcasts. A reception report consists of several pieces of information which help the station verify that the report confirms coverage of their transmission, and usually include the following information: *Date, time and frequency (in

kHz The hertz (symbol: Hz) is the unit of frequency in the International System of Units (SI), equivalent to one event (or cycle) per second. The hertz is an SI derived unit whose expression in terms of SI base units is s−1, meaning that on ...

) of the transmission *Station name *Description of the

interval signal An interval signal, or tuning signal, is a characteristic sound or musical phrase used in international broadcasting, numbers stations, and by some domestic broadcasters, played before commencement or during breaks in transmission, but most co ...

, if heard *Programme details *Name of announcers or programme host, if heard *Details of the overall signal quality (normally using the

SINPO SINPO, an acronym for Signal, Interference, Noise, Propagation, and Overall, is a Signal Reporting Code used to describe the quality of broadcast and radiotelegraph transmissions. SINPFEMO, an acronym for Signal, Interference, Noise, Propagation ...

code) The listener's location relative to the station is also useful; this indicates how well the station's

transmitter In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the ...

is performing and in which direction(s) its antenna is beaming the signal. The station also evaluates a reception report in light of the listener's receiver and antenna. Upon receipt of a correct report, a broadcaster sometimes issues a letter or

postcard A postcard or post card is a piece of thick paper or thin cardboard, typically rectangular, intended for writing and mailing without an envelope. Non-rectangular shapes may also be used but are rare. There are novelty exceptions, such as wood ...

(known as a

QSL card A QSL card is a written confirmation of either a two-way radiocommunication between two amateur radio or citizens band stations; a one-way reception of a signal from an AM radio, FM radio, television or shortwave broadcasting station; or the re ...

) to the sender, thanking them and confirming that the details are correct. "QSL" is part of the amateur radio

Q code The Q-code is a standardised collection of three-letter codes that each start with the letter "Q". It is an operating signal initially developed for commercial radiotelegraph communication and later adopted by other radio services, especially ...

, meaning "I acknowledge receipt". One aspect of

DXing DXing is the hobby of receiving and identifying distant radio or television signals, or making two-way radio contact with distant stations in amateur radio, citizens' band radio or other two-way radio communications. Many DXers also attempt to ...

is collecting QSL cards and letters from stations heard (similar to a birdwatcher's "life list"). QSLing a radio station involves writing an accurate reception report, mailing it to the station and awaiting a reply. Since QSLing is a voluntary act on the station's part, several techniques are used to improve a listener's success rate.

Useful reception reports

Station engineers and other personnel are primarily interested in whether or not their station is heard, and how well; therefore, a complete and accurate reception report (whether by postal or e-mail) is generally appreciated. To begin, report the frequency, date and time the station was heard. For medium-wave (AM) stations, the time should be that of the

time zone A time zone is an area which observes a uniform standard time for legal, commercial and social purposes. Time zones tend to follow the boundaries between countries and their subdivisions instead of strictly following longitude, because it ...

in which the station is located. Thus, if a listener hears stations from the

Eastern time zone The Eastern Time Zone (ET) is a time zone encompassing part or all of 23 states in the eastern part of the United States, parts of eastern Canada, the state of Quintana Roo in Mexico, Panama, Colombia, mainland Ecuador, Peru, and a small p ...

of North America (such as Ontario and New York), EST or EDT should be given (depending on the time of year). Stations in the

Central time zone The North American Central Time Zone (CT) is a time zone in parts of Canada, the United States, Mexico, Central America, some Caribbean Islands, and part of the Eastern Pacific Ocean. Central Standard Time (CST) is six hours behind Coordina ...

(such as

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

) use CST or CDT, which is one hour earlier than Eastern time. If a listener is uncertain of the time zone, they should clearly indicate their local time or even better use UTC It is helpful to jot down programming as it is heard. Useful details include: *

Station identification Station identification (ident, network ID or channel ID or bumper) is the practice of radio and television stations and networks identifying themselves on-air, typically by means of a call sign or brand name (sometimes known, particularly in th ...

*Program name *Names of station announcers (such as a

talk show A talk show (or chat show in British English) is a television programming or radio programming genre structured around the act of spontaneous conversation.Bernard M. Timberg, Robert J. Erler'' (2010Television Talk: A History of the TV Talk Sh ...

host) *Commercials (good indicators, because the station keeps a logbook of commercials *Names of network programs, such as "

CNN CNN (Cable News Network) is a multinational cable news channel headquartered in Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. Founded in 1980 by American media proprietor Ted Turner and Reese Schonfeld as a 24-hour cable news channel, and presently owned by ...

News" or " TSN Sports" The purpose of providing this information is to prove to the station that you heard their program and not that of another station. The more detail a listener can provide, the better the chance of eliciting a QSL. Include information, also, about how well the signal was received. For medium-wave reports, an indication of signal strength and any interference ( co- or adjacent-channel interference, with identity of interfering station if possible) is usually sufficient. International shortwave broadcasters are familiar with the

code: *Signal strength *Interference (includes human-generated noise—for example, power-line hum) *Noise ("white noise", or thunderstorm static) *Propagation disturbance ( fading) *Overall reception quality Each letter receives a value between 5 and 1, where 5 is the best and 1 the worst. Many shortwave listeners (known as "program listeners") desire nothing more than music and news from a broadcaster; however, for DXers a QSL collection is tangible proof of what they have heard. Some listeners use pre-printed forms if they are unfamiliar with the language spoken by station personnel.Writing Useful Reception Reports http://www.dxinginfo.com/dx-reception-reports.html While major international broadcasters have not required return postage for a QSL, the growing popularity of e-mailed reception reports and e-QSLs has largely eliminated the necessity for

international reply coupon An international reply coupon (IRC) is a coupon that can be exchanged for one or more postage stamps representing the minimum postage for an unregistered priority airmail letter of up to twenty grams sent to another Universal Postal Union (UPU) m ...

s (IRCs), mint stamps from the verifying station's country or "green stamps" (US dollar bills).

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Reception Report Radio International broadcasting