Remote LNA Voltage Drop Calculator | Bias Tee Power Check

Posted by GPIO Labs on

Remote LNA Voltage Drop Calculator
Remote LNA Power

Remote LNA Voltage Drop Calculator

Your bias tee outputs a clean 12 V. The LNA at the far end of 100 ft of coax doesn't see 12 V — it sees whatever's left after the cable's own DC resistance eats into it. This calculator tells you exactly how much voltage actually reaches the LNA, and whether it's enough.

Bias Tee & LNA

Cable Run

V at the LNA

Voltage drop across the cable
Power lost in the cable (I²R)
Margin above minimum operating voltage
Maximum cable length before brownout
DC resistance figures are published inner + outer (shield) conductor values per manufacturer datasheets (Times Microwave LMR series; Belden 9201 for RG-58), summed as round-trip loop resistance. Voltage drop = current × loop resistance × (length / 1000 ft). Assumes the DC path runs through the coax itself, as in a standard bias tee installation — not a separate power conductor. Figures are planning estimates; conductor resistance rises with temperature and connector/contact resistance isn't included — verify against your actual components for critical installs.

Once you know what voltage your run actually delivers, pick the bias tee and LNA that work together on it.