EMC Related Formulae

Term Conversion
↔ Linear Voltage
Log↔

V = 10((dBµV − 120) / 20)

dBm to dBuV dBµv = 90 + 10 log( Z ) + dBm
dBµV to Volts

dBm = dBµV − 90 − 10 log( Z )

dBµV = 20 log (V ) + 120
dBuV to dBm
Volts to dBµV

dBm = dBµA + 10 log( Z ) − 90

V = 10(dBV / 20)
dBuA to dBm
dBV to Volts
dBm to dBuA dBµA = dBm − 10 log( Z ) + 90
Volts to dBV dBV = 20 log (V )
dBuA to dBuV dBµV = dBµA + 20 log( Z )
dBV to dBµV dBµV = dBV + 120
dBuV to dBuA dBµA = dBµV − 20 log( Z )
dBµV to dBV dBV = dBµV − 120

V V2
Volts to Amps & Watts A= W=
↔ Linear Power
Log↔ Z Z

W = 10((dBm − 30) / 10)

Amps to Volts & Watts V = A* Z W = A2 * Z
dBm to Watts

Watts to dBm dBm = 10 log(W ) + 30 Watts to Volts & Amps V = W *Z A=

W
Z

dBW to Watts W = 10(dBW / 10)

RF related, Field Strength & Power Density
Watts to dBW dBw = 10 log(W )
dBuV/m to V/m V / m = 10(((dBµV / m) − 120) / 20)
dBW to dBm dBm = dBW + 30
V/m to dBuV/m dBµV / m = 20 log (V / m ) + 120
dBm to dBW dBW = dBm − 30
dBuv/m to dBmW/m2 dBm / m2 = dBµV / m − 115.8

↔ Linear Current
Log↔
dBmW/m2 to dBuV/m dBµV / m = dBm / m 2 + 115.8

dBuA to uA µA = 10(dBµA / 20) dBuV/m to dBuA/m dBµA / m = dBµV / m − 51.5

uA to dBuA dBµA = 20 log( µA) dBuA/m to dBuV/m dBµV / m = dBµ A / m + 51.5

dBA to A A = 10(dBA / 20) dBuA/m to dBpT dBpT = dBµA / m + 2

A to dBA dBA = 20 log( A) dBpT to dBuA/m dBµA / m = dBpT − 2

dBuA to dBA dBA = dBµA − 120

W/m2 to V/m V / m = (W / m 2 ) * 377
dBA to dBuA dBµA = dBA + 120
(V / m ) 2
V/m to W/m2 W / m2 =
377
↔ Linear Impedance
Log↔
4π (turns)( amps )
Z = 10(dB(ohms) / 20)
wound coil Flux Density µT =
dB(ohms) to ohms 20( radius, m )

ohms to dB(ohms) dB(ohms ) = 20 log (Z ) µT

uT to A/m A/m =
1.25

A/m to uT µ T = 1.25 * ( A / m)

Robert Richards Page 1 03/30/03

 Antenna (Far Field) Current Probe
Gain, dBi to numeric dB(ohm) to Zt (transfer impedance)

Gainnumeric = 10( dBi / 10) Z t = 10( dB (ohm) / 20)

Gain, numeric to dBi Zt to dB(ohm)

dBi = 10 log(Gainnumeric ) dB (ohm) = 20 log( Z t )

Gain, dBi to Antenna Factor Conductance (Gt) in dB(s) to transfer impedance, (Zt) in
dB(ohms)
AF = 20 log( MHz ) − dBi − 29.79
Z t = −Gt
Antenna Factor to gain in dBi
Transfer Impedance in Zt (dB(ohms)), to Conductance in Gt
dBi = 20 log( MHz ) − AF − 29.79 (dB(s))

Field Strength given Watts, Numeric Gain, Distance in Gt = −Z t

meters
Power needed for BCI Probe (50Ω), given voltage level into
30 * watts * Gainnumeric 50Ω load (V) and Probe Insertion Loss I L .
V /m =
Meters

(( I L + 10 log(V 2 / 50)) / 10)

Field Strength given Watts, dBi gain, Distance in meters watts = 10

30 * watts * 10(dBi / 10 ) Watts needed for 150 Ohm EM Clamp

V /m =
Meters
(( I L + 10 log(V 2 / 150)) / 10)
watts = 10
Transmit Power needed, given desired V/m, Antenna
numeric gain, Distance in meters.
Conducted current level using current measuring probe
given probe factor in dB(ohm) and probe terminal voltage in
(V / m * meters ) 2 dBuv
watts =
30 * Gainnumeric
dBµA = dBµV − dB (ohm)
Transmit Power needed, given V/m, Antenna dBi gain,
Distance in meters Conducted current level, given probe factor in Zt (ohms) and
terminal voltage in dBuv
(V / m * meters ) 2
watts = dBµA = dBµV − 20 log( Zt )
30 *10 ( dBi / 10)
dB calculations

Amplitude Modulation
V 
Compute db delta (volts) dB = 20 log  1 
Peak power, given CW power and modulation %.(sine wave  V2 
AM)
 A1 
W peak = WCW (1 + ( Mod % * 0.01)) 2 Compute dB delta (amps) dB = 20 log  
 A2 

Average power, given CW power level and modulation %

(sine wave AM) W 
Compute dB delta (watts) dB = 10 log  1 
 W2 
Wcw * ( 2 + ( Mod % * 0.01) 2 )
Wavg = compute new voltage w/ db delta
2

 ( dB∆ + 20 log(V
Average power, given peak power and modulation %  given ) 
 20 
W peak * (2 + ( Mod % * 0.01) 2 ) Vnew = 10 
Wavg =
2 * (1 + ( Mod % * 0.01)) 2 compute new wattage w/ db delta

 ( dB∆ + 10 log(W
 given ) 
 
10
Wnew = 10 

Robert Richards Page 2 03/30/03

VSWR/reflection coefficient/return loss Misc

VSWR given Fwd/Rev Power Linear interpolation with log of freq

Prev Log ( FX / FL )
1+ Value = * ( XU − X L ) + X L
Pfwd Log ( FU / FL )
VSWR =
Prev
1− where FL = lower frequency
Pfwd FU = Upper frequency
XL = Value at lower frequency
XU = Value at upper frequency
VSWR given reflection coefficient FX = Frequency of desired value

1+ ρ
VSWR = TEM Cell Power Needed
1− ρ
(V * Height * 0.5) 2
Reflection coefficient, ρ, given Z1/Z2 ohms Watts =
Z

Z1 − Z 2
ρ= where V = field strength in V/m
Z1 + Z 2 Z = TEM cell impedance in ohms

Reflection coefficient, ρ, given fwd/rev power

Prev
ρ=
Pfwd

Return Loss, given fwd/rev power

 Pfwd 
RL ( dB ) = 10 log  
 P 
 rev 

Return Loss, given VSWR

 VSWR − 1 
RL( dB ) = −20 log 
 VSWR + 1 

Return Loss, given reflection coefficient

RL( dB ) = −20 log( ρ )

Mismatch loss, given fwd/rev power

 Pfwd 
ML ( dB ) = 10 log  
 Pfwd − Prev 
 

Mismatch loss, given reflection coefficient

ML(dB) = −10 log(1 − ρ 2 )

Robert Richards Page 3 03/30/03