Avery Fineman wrote:
Is there a standard RF input level per "S" Unit?

If so, please post the location. Thanks.

There is an IARU recommendation, which originated in Region1
(Europe/Africa) and I believe has been adopted by IARU world-wide.

The Region 1 recommendation is:
http://www.algonet.se/~k-jarl/ssa/IARU/smeter.html
Google should also bring up the full technical paper behind this, and
probably the current IARU recommendation. ISTR there's something on the
ARRL website too.

The 1990 Region 1 recommendation simply states that:

STANDARDISATION OF S-METER READINGS
1. One S-unit corresponds to a signal level difference of 6 dB,

2. On the bands below 30 MHz a meter deviation of S-9 corresponds to an
available power of -73 dBm from a continuous wave signal generator
connected to the receiver input terminals,

3. On the bands above 144 MHz this available power shall be -93 dBm,

4. The metering system shall be based on quasi-peak detection with an
attack time of 10 msec +/- 2 msec and a decay time constant of at least
500 msec.


IARU functions very much like an
Entmoot...only...not...quite...so...hoom...hasty. In 2004, they are just
starting to think about the gap between 30MHz and 144MHz:
http://home.hccnet.nl/a.dogterom/Vie...4_19_Chair.rtf


But all the other comments about S-meters are true as well: that no
S-meter actually conforms to this recommendation; that it makes no
practical difference; and that hardly anyone cares.

There's a very good web page with lots of practical measurements, at:
http://www.seed-solutions.com/gregor...rimentation/SM
eterBlues.htm


--
73 from Ian G3SEK 'In Practice' columnist for RadCom (RSGB)
http://www.ifwtech.co.uk/g3sek