Here, you can convert decibel milliwatts (dBm) to milliwatts (mW) and vice versa. – dBm and mW are two crucial units used in fibre optics, wireless communications and signal analysis. We also converted the mW value to W, kW, and MW for your convenience. Understanding this conversion is paramount for accurately measuring and interpreting power levels in various applications.
The Fundamental Formula
dBm (decibel-milliwatts) is a unit that expresses relative power levels in electrical systems. It provides a more compact representation of power than absolute units like milliwatts (mW) or watts (W). Here’s the key concept:
- dBm is a logarithmic unit, meaning that equal increases in dBm don’t correspond to equal increases in actual power. A small change in dBm can represent a significant change in absolute power.
The Reference Point: 1 mW = 0 dBm
dBm is based on a reference power level of 1 milliwatt (mW). This value is assigned 0 dBm. Any power level above or below 1 mW is expressed as a positive or negative dBm value.
Conversion Formulas:
At the core of this calculation lies the formula for converting dBm to mW
Convert mW to dBm:
\(P(dBm)=10\ \log_{10}(\frac{P(mW)}{1mW})\)
Convert dBm to mW:
\(P(mW)=1mW\ \ 10^{P(dBm)/10)}\)
Explanation:
- dBm is a unit of power referenced to 1 milliwatt (mW).
- The formula uses the concept of exponents to represent the relative power level in dBm.
- 10^(P(dBm)/10) calculates the multiplier based on the dBm value.
- 1 mW serves as the reference power level (0 dBm).
Rules of Thumb
While the formula provides precision, sometimes you may need quick estimates. Here are some handy rules of thumb:
- 0 dBm = 1 mW
- +3 dB increase doubles the power in mW
- -3 dB decrease halves the power in mW
- +10 dBm multiplies mW by 10
- -10 dBm divides mW by 10
Also, here is the dBm to mW conversion table for more reference
