Antenna Gain to ERP

Antenna gain directly impacts Effective Radiated Power (ERP) by concentrating RF energy along the horizon, increasing signal strength in specific directions without altering the transmitter's output power. For instance, a 4-watt transmitter coupled with an antenna exhibiting 10 dB of gain achieves an ERP of 40 watts, while 20 dB of gain results in 160 watts ERP. The relationship between antenna gain in decibels (dB) and the watt multiplier is logarithmic, where each 3 dB increase in gain approximately doubles the ERP.

The provided table illustrates this principle, showing how a base 4-watt transmit power is transformed into significantly higher ERP values across a range of antenna gains from 1.2 dB to 100 dB. A 1.2 dB gain yields 4.8 watts ERP, whereas a 100 dB gain results in 400 watts ERP. This technical documentation from Firestik Antenna Company clarifies the practical implications of antenna selection on signal propagation.