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Attenuation is a general term that refers to any reduction in the strength of a signal.

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Attenuation is a general term that refers to any reduction in the strength of a signal. Attenuation
occurs with any type of signal, whether digital or analog. Sometimes called loss, attenuation is a
natural consequence of signal transmission over long distances. The extent of attenuation is
usually expressed in units called decibels (dBs).
If Ps is the signal power at the transmitting end (source) of a communications circuit and Pd is the
signal power at the receiving end (destination), then Ps > Pd. The power attenuation Ap in decibels
is given by the formula:

Ap = 10 log10(Ps/Pd)
Attenuation can also be expressed in terms of voltage. If Av is the voltage attenuation in decibels,
Vs is the source signal voltage, and Vd is the destination signal voltage, then:
Av = 20 log10(Vs/Vd)
In conventional and fiber optic cables, attenuation is specified in terms of the number of decibels
per foot, 1,000 feet, kilometer, or mile. The less the attenuation per unit distance, the more
efficient the cable. When it is necessary to transmit signals over long distances via cable, one or
more repeaters can be inserted along the length of the cable. The repeaters boost the signal
strength to overcome attenuation. This greatly increases the maximum attainable range of
communication.

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This was first published in November 2006

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'attenuation' is part of the:
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Related Terms
attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio (ACR) or headroom
Attenuation-to-crosstalk ratio (ACR), also called headroom, is the difference, expressed as a figure in decibels (dB),
between ... See complete definitionq

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