RF Wireless 4G & 5G

dBm Adder (Power Sum) Calculator

Combine dBm values correctly, in milliwatts.

Your numbers

dBm
dBm
dBm
dBm

Your results

Combined power (dBm)
Combined power (dBm)
—
Combined power (mW)
—
Above the strongest signal (dB)
—

dBm Adder (Power Sum) Calculator by TheCalcTools

How the dBm Adder (Power Sum) Calculator works

Enter the power of each signal in dBm.

Each is converted to milliwatts: P = 10^(dBm/10).

The milliwatts are added and converted back to dBm.

The formula

P_total = 10 log₁₀(Σ 10^(Pᵢ/10))

Worked example

Using the default values shown in the calculator:

Power 1 (dBm)-90 dBm
Power 2 (dBm)-93 dBm
Power 3 (dBm; −200 to ignore)-200 dBm
Power 4 (dBm; −200 to ignore)-200 dBm
  1. −90 dBm and −93 dBm add as 1.0e-9 mW + 5.0e-10 mW → -88.24 dBm.
  2. That is 1.76 dB above the strongest signal.

Result:

Combined power (dBm)-88.24
Combined power (mW)1.501 × 10^-9
Above the strongest signal (dB)1.76

Frequently asked questions

What does adding two equal signals give?

Two equal powers add 3 dB: −90 dBm plus −90 dBm = −87 dBm.

Can I subtract dBm values?

Subtract in milliwatts, not in dB. The difference of two dBm values is a ratio in dB, not a power.

Sources and further reading

More in RF Wireless 4G & 5G · All calculators

This calculator gives estimates for information only. Check important results independently before you rely on them. See our disclaimer.