mW to dBm conversion is a
simple process on a calculator.
You should understand that in this conversion "dB" is referenced to "m" or
milliWatt.
The formula for the conversion is: 10 times Log(base 10) of the mW value
equals dBm value
Example:
find the dBm value for 2mW
first get your calculator and find the
Log(base 10) of 2 this should equal .30103
then multiply by 10 as the above formula shows
the result is 3.0103 dBm
Not exactly what you will find in the rounded off table versions. For
those who wish a more exacting approach to understanding the mW and W
values for the whole number dBm, see the spreadsheet that I have assembled
for you below.
Remembering that Logs are Exponents and my mathematics professors always
stressed to show you work. |
| dBm |
mW |
W |
|
dBm |
mW |
W |
| 0 |
1 |
0.001 |
|
30 |
1000 |
1 |
| 1 |
1.258925412 |
0.001258925 |
|
31 |
1258.925412 |
1.258925412 |
| 2 |
1.584893192 |
0.001584893 |
|
32 |
1584.893192 |
1.584893192 |
| 3 |
1.995262315 |
0.001995262 |
|
33 |
1995.262315 |
1.995262315 |
| 4 |
2.511886432 |
0.002511886 |
|
34 |
2511.886432 |
2.511886432 |
| 5 |
3.16227766 |
0.003162278 |
|
35 |
3162.27766 |
3.16227766 |
| 6 |
3.981071706 |
0.003981072 |
|
36 |
3981.071706 |
3.981071706 |
| 7 |
5.011872336 |
0.005011872 |
|
37 |
5011.872336 |
5.011872336 |
| 8 |
6.309573445 |
0.006309573 |
|
38 |
6309.573445 |
6.309573445 |
| 9 |
7.943282347 |
0.007943282 |
|
39 |
7943.282347 |
7.943282347 |
| 10 |
10 |
0.01 |
|
40 |
10000 |
10 |
| 11 |
12.58925412 |
0.012589254 |
|
41 |
12589.25412 |
12.58925412 |
| 12 |
15.84893192 |
0.015848932 |
|
42 |
15848.93192 |
15.84893192 |
| 13 |
19.95262315 |
0.019952623 |
|
43 |
19952.62315 |
19.95262315 |
| 14 |
25.11886432 |
0.025118864 |
|
44 |
25118.86432 |
25.11886432 |
| 15 |
31.6227766 |
0.031622777 |
|
45 |
31622.7766 |
31.6227766 |
| 16 |
39.81071706 |
0.039810717 |
|
46 |
39810.71706 |
39.81071706 |
| 17 |
50.11872336 |
0.050118723 |
|
47 |
50118.72336 |
50.11872336 |
| 18 |
63.09573445 |
0.063095734 |
|
|
|
|
| 19 |
79.43282347 |
0.079432823 |
|
|
|
|
| 20 |
100 |
0.1 |
|
|
|
|
| 21 |
125.8925412 |
0.125892541 |
|
|
|
|
| 22 |
158.4893192 |
0.158489319 |
|
|
|
|
| 23 |
199.5262315 |
0.199526231 |
|
|
|
|
| 24 |
251.1886432 |
0.251188643 |
|
|
|
|
| 25 |
316.227766 |
0.316227766 |
|
|
|
|
| 26 |
398.1071706 |
0.398107171 |
|
|
|
|
| 27 |
501.1872336 |
0.501187234 |
|
|
|
|
| 28 |
630.9573445 |
0.630957344 |
|
|
|
|
| 29 |
794.3282347 |
0.794328235 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
