2 The decibel scale

2.1 Decibels and the logarithmic scale

The range of powers, voltages and currents encountered in radio en-
gineering is too wide to be expressed on linear scale. Consequently,
a logarithmic scale based on the decibel (dB, one tenth of a bel) is
used. The decibel does not specify a magnitude of a power, voltage
or current but a ratio between two values of them. Gains and losses
in circuits or radio paths are expressed in decibels.
The ratio between two powers is given by:

P1
Gain or loss, dB = 10 log10

where P1 and P2 are the two powers.

As the power in a circuit varies with the square of the voltage or
current, the logarithm of the ratio of these quantities must be multiplied
by twenty instead of ten. To be accurate the two quantities under
comparison must operate in identical impedances:

I11
Gain or loss, dB = 20 log10 ~2

To avoid misunderstandings, it must be realized that a ratio of 6 dB

is 6 dB regardless of whether it is power, voltage or current that is
referred to: if it is power, the ratio for 6dB is four times; if it is
voltage or current, the ratio is two times (Table 2.1 ).

2.2 Decibels referred to absolute values

While the decibel scale expresses ratios only, if a reference value is
added to the statement as a suffix it can be used to refer to absolute
values. For example, a loss of 10dB means a reduction in power
to a level equal to one tenth of the original and if the statement is
- 1 0 d B m the level referred to is 1/10 of a milliwatt. Commonly used
suffixes and, where applicable, their absolute reference levels are as
follows. Table 2.2 shows the relative levels in decibels at 50ohms
impedance.

25
26
Table 2.1 The decibel figures are in the centre column: figures to the left represent
decibel loss, and those to the right decibel gain. The voltage and current figures
are given on the assumption that there is no change in impedance

Voltage or Power dB Voltage o r Power

c urren t ra tio ~-- - current ratio
ratio -t- ~ ratio

1.000 1.000 0 1.000 1.000

0.989 0.977 0.1 1.012 1.023
0.977 0.955 0.2 1.023 1.047
0.966 0.933 0.3 1.035 1.072
0.955 0.912 0.4 1.047 1.096
0.944 0.891 0.5 1.059 1.122
0.933 0.871 0.6 1.072 1.148
0.912 0.832 0.8 1.096 1.202
0.891 0.794 1.0 1.122 1.259
0.841 0.708 1.5 1.189 1.413
0.794 0.631 2.0 1.259 1.585
0.750 0.562 2.5 1.334 1.778
0.708 0.501 3.0 1.413 1.995
0.668 0.447 3.5 1.496 2.239
0.631 0.398 4.0 1.585 2.512
0.596 0.355 4.5 1.679 2.818
0.562 0.316 5.0 1.778 3.162
0.501 0.251 6.0 1.995 3.981
0.447 0.200 7.0 2.239 5.012
0.398 0.159 8.0 2.512 6.310
0.355 0.126 9.0 2.818 7.943
0.316 0.100 10 3.162 10.00
0.282 0.0794 11 3.55 12.6
0.251 0.0631 12 3.98 15.9
0.224 0.0501 13 4.47 20.0
0.200 0.0398 14 5.01 25.1
0.178 0.0316 15 5.62 31.6
0.159 0.0251 16 6.31 39.8
0.126 0.0159 18 7.94 63.1
0.100 0.0100 20 10.00 100.0
3.16 x 10-2 10 -3 30 3.16 x 10 103
10 -2 10 -4 40 102 104
3.16 x 10-3 10 -5 50 3.16 x 102 105
10 -3 10 -6 60 103 106
3.16 x 10-4 10 -7 70 3.16 x 103 107
10 -4 10 -8 80 104 108
3.16 x 10-5 10 -9 90 3.16 x 104 109
10 -5 10 -1~ 100 105 1010
3.16 x 10 -6 10-11 110 3.16 x 105 1011
10 -6 10 -12 120 106 10 TM
 2?

Table 2.2 Relative levels in decibels at 50 ohms impedance

dB #V Voltage dBV dBm dBW Power

-2O lOOnV -140 -127 -157 200 aW

-19 115 -139 -126 -156 250
-18 125 -138 -125 -155 315
-17 140 -137 -124 -154 400
-16 160 -136 -123 -153 500
-15 180 -135 -122 -152 630
-14 200 -134 -121 -151 800
-13 225 -133 -120 -150 lfW
-12 250 -132 -119 -149 1.25
-11 280 -131 -118 -148 1.6
-10 315 -130 -117 -147 2.0
-9 355 -129 -116 -146 2.5
-8 400 -128 -115 -145 3.15
-7 450 -127 -114 -144 4.0
-6 500 -126 -113 -143 5.0
-5 565 -125 -112 -142 6.3
-4 630 -124 -111 -141 8.0
-3 710 -123 -110 -140 10
-2 800 -122 -109 -139 12.5
-1 900 -121 -108 -138 16
0 1 ~V -120 -107 -137 20
1 1.15 -119 -106 -136 25
2 1.25 -118 -105 -135 31.5
3 1.4 -117 -104 -134 40
4 1.6 -116 -103 -133 50
5 1.8 -115 -102 -132 63
6 2.0 -114 -101 -131 80
7 2.25 -113 -100 -130 100
8 2.5 -112 -99 -129 125
9 2.8 -111 -98 -128 160
10 3.15 -110 -97 -127 200
11 3.55 -109 -96 -126 250
12 4.0 -108 -95 -125 315
13 4.5 -107 -94 -124 400
14 5.0 -106 -93 -123 500
15 5.65 -105 -92 -122 630
16 6.3 -104 -91 -121 800
17 7.1 -103 -90 -120 1 pW
18 8.0 -102 -89 -119 1.25
19 9.0 -101 -88 -118 1.6
20 10.0 -100 -87 -117 2.0
21 11.5 -99 -86 -116 2.5
22 12.5 -98 -85 -115 3.15
23 14 -97 -84 -114 4.0
24 16 -96 -83 -113 5.0
25 18 -95 -82 -112 6.3

(continued overleaf)
28

Table 2.2 (continued)

dB #V Voltage dBV dBm dBW Power

26 20 -94 -81 -111 8.0

27 22.5 -93 -80 -110 10
28 25 -92 -79 -109 12.5
29 28 -91 -78 -108 16
30 31.5 -90 -77 -107 20
31 35.5 -89 -76 -106 25
32 40 -88 -75 -105 31.5
33 45 -87 -74 -104 40
34 50 -86 -73 -103 5O
35 56.5 -85 -72 -102 63
36 63 -84 -71 -101 8O
37 71 -83 -70 -100 100
38 80 -82 -69 -99 125
39 90 -81 -68 -98 160
40 100 -80 -67 -97 200
41 115 -79 -66 -96 250
42 125 -78 -65 -95 315
43 140 -77 -64 -94 400
44 160 -76 -63 -93 500
45 180 -75 -62 -92 630
46 200 -74 -61 -91 800
47 225 -73 -60 -90 1 nW
48 250 -72 -59 -89 1.25
49 280 -71 -58 -88 1.6
50 315 -70 -57 -87 2.0
51 355 -69 -56 -86 2.5
52 400 -68 -55 -85 3.15
53 450 -67 -54 -84 4.0
54 500 -66 -53 -83 5.0
55 565 -65 -52 -82 6.3
56 630 -64 -51 -81 8.0
57 710 -63 -50 -80 10
58 800 -62 -49 -79 12.5
59 900 -61 -48 -78 16
60 1 mV -60 -47 -77 20
61 1.15 -59 -46 -76 25
62 1.25 -58 -45 -75 31.5
63 1.4 -57 -44 -74 40
64 1.6 -56 -43 -73 50
65 1.8 -55 -42 -72 63
66 2.0 -54 -41 -71 80
67 2.25 -53 -40 -70 100
68 2.5 -52 -39 -69 125
69 2.8 -51 -38 -68 160
70 3.15 -50 -37 -67 200
71 3.55 -49 -36 -66 250
72 4.0 -48 -35 -65 315
 29
Table 2.2 (continued)
dB #V Voltage dBV dBm dBW Power

73 4.5 -47 -34 -64 40O

74 5.0 -46 -33 -63 500
75 5.65 -45 -32 -62 63O
76 6.3 -44 -31 -61 800
77 7.1 -43 -30 -60 1 I~W
78 8.0 -42 -29 -59 1.25
79 9.0 -41 -28 -58 1.6
8O lOmV -40 -27 -57 2.0
81 11.5 -39 -26 -56 2.5
82 12.5 -38 -25 -55 3.15
83 14 -37 -24 -54 4.0
84 16 -36 -23 -53 5.0
85 18 -35 -22 -52 6.3
86 2O -34 -21 -51 8.0
87 22.5 -33 -20 -50 10
88 25 -32 -19 -49 12.5
89 28 -31 -18 -48 16
90 31.5 -30 -17 -47 20
91 35.5 -29 -16 -46 25
92 40 -28 -15 -45 31.5
93 45 -27 -14 -44 40
94 50 -26 -13 -43 50
95 56.5 -25 -12 -42 63
96 63 -24 -11 -41 80
97 71 -23 -10 -40 100
98 80 -22 -9 -39 125
99 90 -21 -8 -38 160
100 100 -20 -7 -37 200
101 115 -19 -6 -36 250
102 125 -18 -5 -35 315
103 140 ~'7 -4 -34 400
104 160 --'6 -3 -33 500
105 180 --'5 -2 -32 630
106 200 ~"4 -1 -31 800
107 225 w" 3 0 -30 1 mW
108 250 1 -29 1.25
109 280 w'l 2 -28 1.6
110 315 3 -27 2.0
111 355 -9 4 -26 2.5
112 40O -8 5 -25 3.15
113 45O -7 6 -24 4.0
114 50O -6 7 -23 5.0
115 565 -5 8 -22 6.3
116 630 -4 9 -21 8.0
117 710 -3 10 -20 10
118 80O -2 11 -19 12.5

(continued overleaf)
30

Table 2.2 (continued)

dB I~V Voltage dBV dBm dBW Power

119 900 -1 12 -18 16

120 1V 0 13 -17 20
121 1.15 1 14 -16 25
122 1.25 2 15 -15 31.5
123 1.4 3 16 -14 40
124 1.6 4 17 -13 5O
125 1.8 5 18 -12 63
126 2.0 6 19 -11 8O
127 2.25 7 20 -10 100
128 2.5 8 21 -9 125
129 2.8 9 22 -8 160
130 3.15 10 23 -7 2O0
131 3.55 11 24 -6 250
132 4.0 12 25 -5 315
133 4.5 13 26 -4 400
134 5.0 14 27 -3 5OO
135 5.65 15 28 -2 630
136 6.3 16 29 -1 800
137 7.1 17 30 0 1W
138 8.0 18 31 1 1.25
139 9.0 19 32 2 1.6
140 10 20 33 3 2.0
141 11.5 21 34 4 2.5
142 12.5 22 35 5 3.15
143 14 23 36 6 4.0
144 16 24 37 7 5.0
145 18 25 38 8 6.3
146 20 26 39 9 8.0
147 22.5 27 40 10 10
148 25 28 41 11 12.5
149 28 29 42 12 16
150 31.5 30 43 13 20
151 35.5 31 44 14 25
152 40 32 45 15 31.5
153 45 33 46 16 40
154 50 34 47 17 50
155 56.5 35 48 18 63
156 63 36 49 19 80
157 71 37 50 20 100
158 80 38 51 21 125
159 90 39 52 22 160
160 100 40 53 23 200
161 115 41 54 24 250
162 125 42 55 25 315
163 140 43 56 26 400
164 160 44 57 27 500
165 180 45 58 28 630
 31

Table 2.2 (continued)

dB tx V Voltage dBV dBm dBW Power

166 200 46 59 29 800

167 225 47 60 30 1 kW
168 250 48 61 31 1.25
169 280 49 62 32 1.6
170 315 50 63 33 2.0
171 355 51 64 34 2.5
172 400 52 65 35 3.15
173 450 53 66 36 4.0
174 500 54 67 37 5.0
175 565 55 68 38 6.3
176 630 56 69 39 8.0
177 710 57 70 40 10
178 800 58 71 41 12.5
179 900 59 72 42 16
180 l kV 60 73 43 20

Decibel glossary
dBa stands for dB 'adjusted'. This is a weighted circuit noise
power referred to - 8 5 d B m , which is 0dBa. (Historically
measured with a noise meter at the receiving end of a line.
The meter is calibrated on a 1000 Hz tone such that 1 mW
(0 dBm) gives a reading of +85 dBm. If the 1 m W is spread
over the band 300-3400 Hz as random white noise, the meter
will read +82 dBa.)
dBa0 circuit noise power in dBa referred to, or measured at, a point
of zero relative transmission level (0 dBr). (A point of zero
relative transmission level is a point arbitrarily established in a
transmission circuit. All other levels are stated relative to this
point.) It is preferable to convert circuit noise measurement
values from dBa to dBa0 as this makes it unnecessary to
know or to state the relative transmission level at the point
of measurement.
dBd used for expressing the gain of an antenna referred to a dipole.
dBi used for expressing the gain of an antenna referred to an
isotropic radiator.
dB IxV decibels relative to 1 microvolt.
dbm decibels relative to 1 milliwatt. The term dBm was originally
used for telephone and audio work and, when used in that con-
text, implies an impedance of 600 f2, the nominal impedance
of a telephone line. When it is desired to define a relative
transmission level in a circuit, dBr is preferred.
32

Table 2.3 Binary decibel values

Bits Max. value Decibels (dB)

1 2 6.02
2 4 12.04
3 8 18.06
4 16 24.08
5 32 30.10
6 64 36.12
7 128 42.14
8 256 48.16
9 512 54.19
10 1024 60.21
11 2048 66.23
12 4096 72.25
13 8192 78.27
14 16 384 84.29
15 32 768 90.31
16 65 536 96.33
17 131072 102.35
18 262144 108.37
19 524 288 114.39
20 1048 576 120.41
21 2 097152 126.43
22 4194 304 132.45
23 8 388 608 138.47
24 16 777 216 144.49
25 33 554 432 150.51
26 67108 864 156.54
27 134 217 728 162.56
28 268 435 456 168.58
29 536 870 912 174.60
30 1073 741824 180.62
31 2147 483 648 186.64
32 4 294 967 296 192.66

dBm0 dBm referred to, or measured at, a point of zero transmission

level.
dBmp a unit of noise power in dBm, measured with psopho-
metric weighting, dBmp = 10 lOgl0 pWp - 90 = dBa - 84 =
d B m - 2.5 (for flat noise 3 0 0 - 3 4 0 0 Hz).
pWp = picowatts psophometrically weighted.
dBm0p the abbreviation for absolute noise power in dBm referred
to or measured at a point of zero relative transmission level,
psophometrically weighted.
dBr means dB 'relative level'. Used to define transmission level
at various points in a circuit or system referenced to the zero
transmission level point.
 33
dBrn a weighted circuit noise power unit in dB referenced to 1 pW
( - 9 0 d B m ) which is 0dBrn.
dBrnc weighted noise power in dBrn, measured by a noise measuring
set with 'C-message' weighting.
dBrnc0 noise measured in dBrnc referred to zero transmission level
point.
dBu decibels relative to 0.775 V, the voltage developed by 1 mW
when applied to 600 f2. dBu is used in audio work when the
impedance is not 600 f2 and no specific impedance is implied.
dbV decibels relative to 1 volt.
dbW decibels relative to 1 watt.

Note: To convert dBm to dB IxV add 107 (e.g. - 2 0 d B m = - 2 0 +

107 = 87 dB I~V.
The beauty of decibel notation is that system gains and losses can
be computed using addition and subtraction rather than multiplication
and division. For example, suppose a system consists of an antenna
that delivers a - 4 . 7 dBm signal at its terminals (we conveniently
neglect the antenna gain by this ploy). The antenna is connected to
a 40dB low-noise amplifier (A1) at the head end, and then through
a 370metre long coaxial cable to a 20dB gain amplifier (A2), with
a loss (L1) of - 4 8 dB. The amplifier is followed by a bandpass fil-
ter with a - 2 . 8 d B insertion loss (L2), and a - 1 0 d B attenuator (L3).
How does the signal exist at the end of this cascade chain?

S1 - 4 . 7 dBm
A1 40.0 dB
A2 20.0 dB
L1 -48.0 dB
L2 - 2 . 8 dB
L3 - 10.0 dB
Total: - 5 . 5 dBm

Converting dBm to watts

lodBm/lO
e
1000

Converting any dB to ratio

P1
Power levels: 2P~ "- lodB/lO
34

V1 __ 10dB/20
Voltage levels"
v2
I1
Current levels: = 10~B/2~
12

Binary decibel values

Binary numbers are used in computer systems. With the digitization of

RF systems it is necessary to understand the decibel values of binary
numbers. These binary numbers might be from an analogue-to-digital
converter (ADC or A/D) that digitizes the IF amplifier output, or
a digital-to-analogue converter (DAC or D/A) used to generate the
analogue signal in a direct digital synthesis (DDS) signal generator.