mW to dBm Conversion

The mW to dBm conversion calculator is a user-friendly tool that simplifies the conversion of power from milliwatts to decibel-milliwatts. To use the calculator, simply input the power value in milliwatts and click the “Convert” button. The result in dBm will be displayed in the output field. If you want to start over, click the “Reset” button to clear the fields.

mW to dBm Conversion Calculator

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How to Convert mW to dBm?

In the realm of electrical engineering, power measurements are often expressed in decibels (dBm) to convey power levels in a more convenient and practical manner. The dBm unit is essentially a logarithmic scale of power levels referenced to 1 milliwatt (mW).

To calculate power levels in dBm, we use the formula P_(dBm) = 10 ⋅ log₁₀( P_(mW) / 1mW), where P (mW) represents the power level in milliwatts. This formula essentially takes the logarithm of the power level, multiplies it by 10 and then references it to 1 milliwatt.

For example, a power level of 1mW is equivalent to 0 dBm since 10⋅log₁₀(1mW/1mW) = 0. Similarly, a power level of 10mW would be equal to 10dBm, a power level of 100 mW would be equal to 20 dBm, and so on.

Example

Let’s say we have a signal with a power level of 10 mW. We want to convert this to dBm.

The formula for converting mW to dBm is:

P_(dBm) = 10 ⋅ log₁₀( P_(mW) / 1mW)

Using this formula, we can calculate the dBm value for our 10 mW signal:

P_(dBm) = 10 ⋅ log₁₀(10) = 10 dBm

Therefore, our signal has a power level of 10 dBm.

In other words, 10 dBm represents the same power level as 10 mW, but on a logarithmic scale. The dBm unit is commonly used in telecommunications and RF (radio frequency) engineering to express power levels.