Two numbers that tell the other station how well you're getting them: how readable, and how strong. "You're five by nine."
When someone asks “how copy?” they want a signal report — a quick, standard read on their transmission so they know whether to change antenna, power, or frequency. Readability first, then strength: “five by nine” is readability 5, strength 9.
First Number:
| Readability | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 | Unreadable |
| 2 | Barely — occasional words |
| 3 | Readable with difficulty |
| 4 | Readable, almost no trouble |
| 5 | Perfectly clear |
Second Number:
| Strength | Meaning |
|---|---|
| 1 | Faint, barely perceptible |
| 3 | Weak |
| 5 | Fairly good |
| 7 | Moderately strong |
| 9 | Extremely strong |
| 9+ | Stronger than S9 |
On CW (Morse) a third number is added for tone (T), giving the RST report — but for voice, readability and strength are all you need.
