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RF Power Unit Conversion
This calculator converts between common units of measurement for RF power, including dBm (decibels relative to one milliwatt), dBW (decibels relative to one watt), mW (milliwatt), and W (watt).
The SI unit of power is the watt – equivalent to 1 joule per second. In radio and RF systems, however, the power level at different points can vary by many orders of magnitude. As a result, it is common for radio systems to use a logarithmic expression of power levels (and factors) – the decibel. Most commonly, RF systems use two points of reference for decibel power levels – either 1 watt (as in dBW – meaning decibels relative to one watt), or 1 milliwatt (as in dBm – decibels relative to one milliwatt).
This calculator provides a quick and easy way to convert between the different units. Simply type a value into one of the boxes and the other three will update to reflect the unit conversion.
