dBm Cheatsheet
I recently used an oscilloscope to probe some RF signals, and I wanted to calculate the peak-to-peak voltage to expect from a known power output (in dBm) into a 50 ohm load. So I made this cheatsheet:
dBm | Watts | V RMS | Vpk-pk |
---|---|---|---|
0 | 1m | 223.61m | 316.23m |
1 | 1.26m | 250.89m | 354.81m |
2 | 1.58m | 281.5m | 398.11m |
3 | 2m | 315.85m | 446.68m |
4 | 2.51m | 354.39m | 501.19m |
5 | 3.16m | 397.64m | 562.34m |
6 | 3.98m | 446.15m | 630.96m |
7 | 5.01m | 500.59m | 707.95m |
8 | 6.31m | 561.67m | 794.33m |
9 | 7.94m | 630.21m | 891.25m |
10 | 10m | 707.11m | 1 |
11 | 12.59m | 793.39m | 1.12 |
12 | 15.85m | 890.19m | 1.26 |
13 | 19.95m | 998.81m | 1.41 |
14 | 25.12m | 1.12 | 1.58 |
15 | 31.62m | 1.26 | 1.78 |
16 | 39.81m | 1.41 | 2 |
17 | 50.12m | 1.58 | 2.24 |
18 | 63.1m | 1.78 | 2.51 |
19 | 79.43m | 1.99 | 2.82 |
20 | 100m | 2.24 | 3.16 |
21 | 125.89m | 2.51 | 3.55 |
22 | 158.49m | 2.82 | 3.98 |
23 | 199.53m | 3.16 | 4.47 |
24 | 251.19m | 3.54 | 5.01 |
25 | 316.23m | 3.98 | 5.62 |
26 | 398.11m | 4.46 | 6.31 |
27 | 501.19m | 5.01 | 7.08 |
28 | 630.96m | 5.62 | 7.94 |
29 | 794.33m | 6.3 | 8.91 |
30 | 1 | 7.07 | 10 |
31 | 1.26 | 7.93 | 11.22 |
32 | 1.58 | 8.9 | 12.59 |
33 | 2 | 9.99 | 14.13 |
34 | 2.51 | 11.21 | 15.85 |
35 | 3.16 | 12.57 | 17.78 |
36 | 3.98 | 14.11 | 19.95 |
37 | 5.01 | 15.83 | 22.39 |
38 | 6.31 | 17.76 | 25.12 |
39 | 7.94 | 19.93 | 28.18 |
40 | 10 | 22.36 | 31.62 |
41 | 12.59 | 25.09 | 35.48 |
42 | 15.85 | 28.15 | 39.81 |
43 | 19.95 | 31.59 | 44.67 |
44 | 25.12 | 35.44 | 50.12 |
45 | 31.62 | 39.76 | 56.23 |
46 | 39.81 | 44.62 | 63.1 |
47 | 50.12 | 50.06 | 70.79 |
48 | 63.1 | 56.17 | 79.43 |
49 | 79.43 | 63.02 | 89.13 |
50 | 100 | 70.71 | 100 |
51 | 125.89 | 79.34 | 112.2 |
52 | 158.49 | 89.02 | 125.89 |
53 | 199.53 | 99.88 | 141.25 |
54 | 251.19 | 112.07 | 158.49 |
55 | 316.23 | 125.74 | 177.83 |
56 | 398.11 | 141.09 | 199.53 |
57 | 501.19 | 158.3 | 223.87 |
58 | 630.96 | 177.62 | 251.19 |
59 | 794.33 | 199.29 | 281.84 |
60 | 1k | 223.61 | 316.23 |
Here is a printable PDF and the source file (LibreOffice Calc).