Oops...sorry bout' that......I read it, but for some reason had it in my head that you were referring to the noise on your S meter. I understand what your getting at now. I didn't realize you had an adjustable NB. Still, like you said, it would be good to not have to use your NB at all, or very little. I don't know about your radio, but what usually happens with most NBers, it that if you have it turned up a bit it will distort the incoming audio. Still readable, but distorted. Have you noticed that with yours? But at least your NB is taking the noise down to nothing as far as the S meter goes. Like I said in my post, I thought you meant you still had S7 noise!!! What does the s meter show with your NB off?

 

You are right about IF NB's tending to distort the audio when the input signal is strong. On my FT100 it is easier to quickly turn the RF gain down during these situations. (The NB is a menu setting)

The noise from the JK with the engine on and NB off is 1 or 2 bars on the meter. I say bars because S units are printed above the bars and are difficult to see while mobile. I just went and looked, and it appears that 2 bars is 1 S unit, 3 bars is 5 S units, 8 bars is S9, 11 bars is +20 and 14 bars is +60dB.

Here is an example. Today on the way home, I worked JY4CI on 14.254 MHz. His signal was 3 or 4 bars peaking to 7 and I had a great copy, even with his Jordanian accent. I gave him a 59 and I got a 55 (perfectly readable fair signal strength.
Remember that RST signal report has little to do with S meter readings.

N4XGI
PS added pics in my gallery of the new magnecor plug wires