dB Units

Decibel (dB) is a mathematical expression showing the relationship

between two values.

The RF power level at either transmitter output or receiver input is

expressed in Watts, but it can also be expressed in dBm. The relation
between dBm and Watts can be expressed as follows:

P dBm = 10 x Log P mW

For example: 1 Watt = 1000 mW; P dBm = 10 x Log 1000 = 30 dBm

100 mW; P dBm = 10 x Log 100 = 20 dBm

dBm Watt
0 0.001
10 0.01
20 0.1
30 1
40 10

What is an antenna and how does it work?

Antennas are fundamental components of all radio systems and use

free space as the carrying medium. They are used to interface the
transmitter or receiver to free space.

The operation of a simple transmitting antenna can be illustrated by

thinking of an open-circuit cable with two conductors. At the open end,
a phase reversal results, causing some of the incident voltage to be
radiated away from the transmission line instead of reflected as is
normally the case. The radiated energy is in the form of transverse
electromagnetic waves and the amount of radiation emitted can be
varied by the increasing or decreasing the distance between the
conductors

Basically, a transmitting antenna transmits by exciting it at the base

(or at a pair of antinodes), while in a receiving antenna, the applied
electromagnetic field is distributed throughout the entire length of the
antenna to receive the signal.

The magnetic field that the transmitting antenna radiates will produce
an electric current on any metal surface that it strikes. However, if the
metal that the signal strikes has a certain length relation to the
wavelength the induced current will be much stronger on the object.

We stated before that as a signal at 2.4GHz travels through the air, it

completes a cycle in approximately 12 cm. If the signal strikes a 12 cm
antenna or fractions of it (1/2 or 1/4 wavelength = 6 or 3 cm), then
the induced current will be much higher than if the signal struck a
metal object that was not some appreciable fraction of the wavelength.
This is known as antenna resonance. Every antenna has at least one
exact resonance point.
Note that an antenna also transmits a stronger signal if it is resonant
on the frequency used.

Antennas have a number of important parameters, those of most

interest include the gain, radiation pattern, bandwidth and polarization.