What is duty cycle in pulsed RF?

Duty cycle is the ratio of pulse width (on-time) to the pulse repetition interval (PRI). It is expressed as a fraction or percentage. For example, a 1 µs pulse at 1 kHz PRF has a PRI of 1000 µs and a duty cycle of 0.1% (1/1000).

How is average power related to peak power?

Average power equals peak power multiplied by duty cycle. If a transmitter outputs 1 kW peak with a 1% duty cycle, the average power is 10 W. This is critical for thermal design.

What is the difference between PRF and PRI?

PRF (Pulse Repetition Frequency) is the number of pulses per second in Hz or kHz. PRI (Pulse Repetition Interval) is the time between the start of successive pulses. They are reciprocals: PRI = 1 / PRF.

What units does this calculator use?

Pulse width is in microseconds (µs), PRF in kilohertz (kHz), PRI in microseconds (µs), power in watts (W) or dBm selectable per field, and duty cycle as a percentage.

Can I enter power in dBm?

Yes. Toggle the unit selector next to any power field between W and dBm. The calculator converts automatically: P(W) = 10^((P(dBm) - 30) / 10).

What is a typical radar duty cycle?

Pulse radars typically operate at duty cycles between 0.1% and 10%. Continuous-wave (CW) radars have a duty cycle of 100%. High-duty-cycle pulse-Doppler radars can reach 20–50%.

Pulsed RF Calculator

Name: Pulsed RF Calculator
Availability: InStock
Author: Nham Vu

Enter any two pulsed RF parameters and instantly calculate duty cycle, average power, PRF, pulse width, and PRI.

Input Parameters

Enter any two parameters and click Calculate.

Pulse Width (PW)

µs

Pulse Repetition Frequency (PRF)

kHz

Pulse Repetition Interval (PRI)

µs

Duty Cycle

Peak Power

Average Power

Results

Enter parameters on the left and click Calculate to see results.

Key Formulas

Duty Cycle

DC = PW / PRI

PRI & PRF

PRI = 1 / PRF

Average Power

P_avg = P_peak × DC

dBm Conversion

P_W = 10^((dBm−30)/10)

Summary

Enter any two pulsed RF parameters and instantly calculate duty cycle, average power, PRF, pulse width, and PRI.

How it works

Select the two parameters you already know using the input fields.
Enter the numeric values with appropriate units (microseconds, kHz, watts, dBm).
Click "Calculate" to compute all derived pulsed RF parameters.
Review duty cycle, average power, PRF, PRI, and pulse width in the results panel.
Use "Reset" to clear all fields and start a new calculation.

Use cases

Design radar waveforms by specifying PRF and pulse width.
Verify transmitter average power from peak power and duty cycle.
Convert between pulse width and PRF for system budget analysis.
Check thermal constraints by computing duty cycle before hardware tests.
Calculate PRI from PRF for timing diagram generation.
Validate radar ambiguity requirements using PRF targets.
Estimate average power for link budget calculations.
Confirm dBm and watt consistency in mixed-unit system designs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Last updated: 2026-07-01 · Reviewed by Nham Vu