Home FAQ What is the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR)?

What is the Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR)?

VSWR (Voltage Standing Wave Ratio) is a measure of how well an antenna is able to convert a signal at a particular frequency into photons that are actually launched when transmitting. It is important to note that all common forms of antennas work equally well whether they are transmitting or receiving signals. A VSWR of 1.0 is the absolute best that an antenna can be and from that the value rises as the energy that cannot be converted into photons is reflected back into the transmission line. A VSWR of 1.5 indicates that 96% of the energy is converted, for a VSWR of 2.0 it drops to 89%, and for 3.0 it is 75%.