Calculators

Calculations: System Operating Margin (SOM)

The System Operating Margin can be calculated by the formula listed below. SOM is the difference between the signal a radio is actually receiving vs. what it needs for good data recovery (i.e. receiver sensitivity). For further information on this formula, please review the figure below.

Note: This calculator is valid for frequencies below 6 GHz. The final values represent a first order approximation and should only be used as a guide. No guarantees or warranties are implied accordingly.

System Operating Margin Example

Notes: When calculation the system operating margin and you are using an amplifier on the receive side, do not add the amps RX gain to the SOM equation.