A transmitter has an output of 100 watts. The cable and connectors have a composite loss of 3 dB, and the antenna has a gain of 6 dBd. What is the Effective Radiated Power?

Effective Radiated Power (ERP) is calculated by taking the transmitter power and applying system losses and antenna gains. In this scenario, you start with 100 watts of transmitter output power. The feedline loss is 3 dB, and the antenna gain is 6 dBd (gain relative to a dipole). Combining these gives a net system gain of +3 dB (6 dB gain minus 3 dB loss). In decibel math, a 3 dB increase represents exactly a doubling of power. Therefore, 100 watts doubled results in an ERP of 200 watts.