Decibel Conversion: Power
dB = 10 log [P2/P1]
Decibels relative to Power
Decibel Conversion: Voltage
dB = 20 log [V1/V2]
Decibels relative to Voltage across same resistance
Decibel Conversion: Current
dB = 20 log [I1/I2]
Decibels relative to Current through same resistance
Decibel Conversion: Milliwatts
dBm = 10 log [Signal (mW)/1mW]
Decibels relative to one milliwatt
Decibel Conversion: Microvolts
dBmV = 20 log [Signal (mV)/1mV]
Decibels relative to one microvolt across same resistance
Decibel Conversion: Microamps
dBmA = 20 log [Signal (mA)/1mA]
Decibels relative to one microamp through same resistance
Power Conversion: dBw to dBm
dBm = dBw + 30
Conversion from dBw to dBm.
Voltage Conversion: dBv to dBmv
dBmv = dBv + 120
Conversion from dBv to dBuv.
Voltage to Power Conversion: dBmv to dBm
dBm = dBmV - 107
Where the constant 107 is as follows:
* RF systems are matched to 50W
P = V2 / R
10Log10[P] = 20Log10[V] - 10Log10[50W]
V = (PR)0.5 = 0.223 V = 223000 mV
For a resistance of 50W and a power of 1 mW:
20Log10[223000mV] = 107 dB Power Density
dBw/M2 = 10Log10[V/M - A/M]
Decibel-Watts per square meter.
dBm/M2 = dBw/M2 + 30
Where the constant 30 is the decibel equivalent of the factor 1000 used to convert between W and mW:
10Log10[1000] = 30
Electric Field Voltage
V/M = 10{[(dBmV/M) -120]/20}
Electric Field Voltage in volts per meter Electric Field Current
dBmA/M = dBmv/M - 51.5
Where the constant 51.5 is a conversion of the characteristic impedance of free space (120p) into decibels: 20Log10[120p] = 51.5
A/M = 10{[(dBmA/M) -120]/20}
Electric Field Current in amps per meter Conversion Units
dB = decibels (Log10)
m = micro = 10E-6
m = milli = 10E-3
dBw = decibels relative to one watt
dBm = decibels relative to one milliwatt
dBV = decibels relative to one volt
dBmV = decibels relative to one microvolt
dBmA = decibels relative to one microamp
V = Volts
A = Amps
I = Current
R = Ohms (50)
W = Watts
P = Power
M = Meter