This Signal-to-Noise Ratio calculator converts signal and noise voltage levels to a dB ratio. To use this tool simply enter the levels and select the appropriate units.
Formula
SNR (dB) = 20*Log10(S/N)
Note that since the signal and noise values are represented as voltage levels, there’s a square or 20*log relationship to convert to power ratio.
Example Calculations
If the signal and noise voltage levels are the same, the SNR is 0 dB.
For a signal level of 9V and Noise level of 3V, the SNR is 9.54 dB.
Can SNR be negative?
Yes, SNR can be a negative value. This is the case when the noise is greater than the signal. Practically this means that the signal is buried in the noise. A related question is:
Can the signal be detected if the SNR is negative?
The answer is Yes. An example of this is with Direct Sequence Spread Spectrum Systems such as CDMA, a signal can be below the noise and still be detected.
Is High SNR better than Low SNR?
In general, a high SNR is always better than low SNR. However there is a limit for every modulation scheme beyond which a higher SNR makes no difference to performance.
For instance, BPSK modulation requires an SNR of 7 dB for an error rate lower than 10-5. In this case improving the SNR to 10 dB will not provide any benefit if your BER requirement is the same.
How to convert from SNR to volt?
SNR is a ratio expressed in decibel or dB. It is a relative quantity and as such does not have units. You can use this calculator to convert from dB to linear signal-to-noise voltage ratio.