Well, let's answer that question first so you can move on to better things in life. And the answer is:
No it is not, because I use an S-Value indicator (S-Meter) that follows a Standard! The so called 6dB per S-Point (6dB/S) standard!
And that's it, 73 and catch you on the bands (as they say).
Oh, hello you are still here. So, it looks like you would like to know a bit more about this phenomena. Well, then read the below or maybe this "What is your S-Meter Really Displaying".
As far as I know, most Amateur Radios Transceivers from the three main manufactures, ICOM; YAESU and KENWOOD seem to display a 3dB/S scale below S9 (-73dBm).
So if I read a Noise Floor (NF) of S3 on my S-Meter, which by using the 6dB/S standard would be -109dBm or -2.0dBμV NF. And my QSO partner, i.e. you, is stating a NF of S2 which, using the applied 3dB/S scale would be a NF of -94dBm or -13dBμV.
So is my NOISE FLOOR really worse than yours?
Let's have a look at the below two Tables, the left one is scaled in 6dB per S-Value i.e. my S-Meter and the right in 3dB per S-Value like your S-Meter.
Doesn't that shed some light on this (issue)?
According to the IARU Handbook (Ver 9.0) Paragraph 4.1.3 S-Meter Standards:
One S-point corresponds to a level difference of 6dB.
On the bands below 30 MHz a meter deviation of S-9 correspond to an available power of a CW signal generator connected to the receiver input terminals, of -73dBm.
On the bands above 30 MHz a meter deviation of S-9 correspond to an available power of a CW signal generator connected to the receiver input terminals, of -93dBm.
It has been a Standard for quite a while, but it seems that it has not been adapted widely.
Signal Level Strength Meter Calibration and IARU Standards
