The dbm Calculator & Reference table for 50 Ohms
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The dbm Calculator & Reference table for 50 Ohms



What is dBm?
A logarithmic ratio with a reference power of P0 = 1.000 milliwatt = 0 dBm.
dBm is defined as power ratio in decibel (dB) referenced to one milliwatt (mW) and the "m" in dBm stands for milliwatt.
With the known impedance value you can convert voltage V to level dBm (power) and vice versa.

Reference voltage at 600 ohms- 1 mW according to 0 dBm
600
Reference voltage at 50 Ohm - 1 mW according to 0 dBm
50



Enter two values, the third value will be calculated.
Voltage V, level L, and impedance
Z
Voltage V   V RMS
 Power level L   dBm re 1 mW 
Impedance Z   Ω
 


Table based on 50 Ohms

Vrms

dBm

Watts

 

Vrms

dBm

Watts

 

Vrms

dBm

Watts

μV

dBm

 

 

mV

dBm

 

 

V

dBm

W

0.7

-110

 10 fW

 

1.1

-46

 

 

1.1

+14

0.025

0.8

-109

S 3 

 

1.2

-45

 

 

1.2

+15

0.032

0.9

-108

 

 

1.4

-44

 

 

1.4

+16

0.04

1

-107

 

 

1.5

-43

 S 9 +30

 

1.5

+17

0.05

1.1

-106

 

 

1.7

-42

 

 

1.7

+18

0.063

1.2

-105

 

 

1.9

-41

 

 

1.9

+19

0.08

1.4

-104

 

 

2.2

-40

 100 nW

 

2.2

+20

0.1 W

1.5

-103

S 4 

 

2.5

-39

 

 

2.5

+21

0.13

1.7

-102

 

 

2.8

-38

 

 

2.8

+22

0.16

1.9

-101

 

 

3.1

-37

 

 

3.1

+23

0.2

2.2

-100

 100 fW

 

3.5

-36

 

 

3.5

+24

0.25

2.5

-99

 

 

3.9

-35

 

 

3.9

+25

0.3

2.8

-98

 

 

4.4

-34

 

 

4.4

+26

0.4

3.1

-97

S 5 

 

5

-33

S 9 +40 

 

5

+27

0.5

3.5

-96

 

 

5.6

-32

 

 

5.6

+28

0.63

3.9

-95

 

 

6.3

-31

 

 

6.3

+29

0.8

4.4

-94

 

 

7

-30

 1 uW

 

7

+30

1 W

5

-93

S9 VHF/UHF

 

7.9

-29

 

 

7.9

+31

1.2

5.6

-92

 

 

8.9

-28

 

 

8.9

+32

1.5

6.3

-91

S 6 

 

9.9

-27

 

 

9.9

+33

2

7

-90

 1 pW

 

11

-26

 

 

11.2

+34

2.5

7.9

-89

 

 

13

-25

 

 

12.5

+35

3.1

8.9

-88

 

 

14

-24

 

 

14.1

+36

3.9

9.9

-87

 

 

15

-23

 

 

15.8

+37

5

11

-86

 

 

17

-22

 

 

17.7

+38

6.3

13

-85

S 7 

 

19

-21

 

 

19.9

+39

7.9

14

-84

 

 

22

-20

 10 uW

 

22.3

+40

10 W

16

-83

 

 

25

-19

 

 

 

 

 

18

-82

 

 

28

-18

 

 

 

 

 

20

-81

 

 

32

-17

 

 

 

 

 

22

-80

 10 pW

 

35

-16

 

 

 

 

 

25

-79

S 8 

 

40

-15

 

 

 

 

 

28

-78

 

 

45

-14

 

 

 

 

 

32

-77

 

 

50

-13

 

 

 

 

 

35

-76

 

 

56

-12

 

 

 

 

 

40

-75

 

 

63

-11

 

 

 

 

 

45

-74

 

 

71

-10

 100 uW

 

 

 

 

50

-73

S 9 

 

79

-9

 

 

 

 

 

56

-72

 

 

89

-8

 

 

 

 

 

63

-71

 

 

100

-7

 

 

 

 

 

71

-70

 100 pW

 

112

-6

 

 

 

 

 

79

-69

 

 

126

-5

 

 

 

 

 

89

-68

 

 

141

-4

 

 

 

 

 

100

-67

 

 

158

-3

 

 

 

 

 

112

-66

 

 

178

-2

 

 

 

 

 

126

-65

 

 

199

-1

 

 

 

 

 

141

-64

 

 

224

0

 1 mW

 

 

 

 

158

-63

 S 9 +10

 

251

+1

 

 

 

 

 

177

-62

 

 

282

+2

 

 

 

 

 

200

-61

 

 

316

+3

 

 

 

 

 

223

-60

 1 nW

 

354

+4

 

 

 

 

 

251

-59

 

 

398

+5

 

 

 

 

 

282

-58

 

 

446

+6

 

 

 

 

 

316

-57

 

 

501

+7

 

 

 

 

 

354

-56

 

 

562

+8

 

 

 

 

 

398

-55

 

 

630

+9

 

 

 

 

 

446

-54

 

 

707

+10

 10 mW

 

 

 

 

500

-53

S 9 +20 

 

793

+11

 

 

 

 

 

561

-52

 

 

890

+12

 

 

 

 

 

630

-51

 

 

1000

+13

 

 

 

 

 

707

-50

 10 nW

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

793

-49

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

890

-48

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

1000

-47

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 


Understanding the DB ratio:

This tutorial video gives the basics of the typical amplitude units used on a spectrum analyzer. It gives a basic description of the electronic definition of the decibel (dB), some of the properties of the dB, why it is used. It describes that the dB is a relative measurement. These relative measurements can be expressed as absolute measurements when a known reference is used/implied. This is where the terms dBm, dBu, dBmv, etc. come from. Finally, the term dBc is described. Each of the descriptions is followed with practical examples and demonstrations on an oscilloscope and spectrum analyzer.