[TowerTalk] return loss

[w8ji.tom]

Hi Tom,

> Gentlemen,
> Saturday I received my AEA CIA-HF, sn#0073 ver.1.3. Since then I have
> been trying to familiarize myself with it. I'm getting "return loss"
> figures in DB. Would someone be kind enough to tell me about this as I
> only have a vague idea about it.

"Return Loss" is another fancy way of describing "SWR". Both are ratios. 

Any ratio can be expressed in dB, since dB is by definition a ratio. DB
save use paper and ink, because a large difference can be expressed in a
small number.

For example, "you are 100,000,000 times louder than W8JI" is harder to
understand or write than the common expression "+ 80dBji's". Either one is
JUST as accurate and correct. Expressing something differently does not
change accuracy. Sometimes it does make a comparison or change easier to
understand.

Since return loss and SWR are different ways of saying exactly the same
thing, use the one that you are comfortable with and that is easiest to
work with in whatever application you have. Don't let yourself get sucked
into the notion that 3dB return loss means half your transmitter's power is
"lost" by reflection.

73 Tom

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