If an RF signal voltage is reduced by 6 dB, what happens to its size?

When the RF signal voltage is reduced by 6 dB, this corresponds to a specific change in the signal's amplitude. The decibel (dB) scale is logarithmic, and a decrease of 6 dB indicates a reduction in voltage.

In terms of voltage, a decrease of 6 dB means that the voltage is halved. This is grounded in the formula used to calculate decibels for voltage, where a change of 6 dB corresponds to a factor of 2 in terms of voltage. Therefore, if the original signal was at a certain voltage level, after a -6 dB reduction, the new voltage level will be half of that original level.

This principle is crucial in understanding how decibel levels work in electronic signals, as it highlights the relationship between the dB scale and actual voltage levels in practical applications. Thus, a 6 dB reduction results in the signal being half its original size.