Bandwidth Calculator
Calculate bandwidth requirements and spectral efficiency.
Spectral Efficiency Reference
| Modulation | Bits/Symbol | Typical SNR |
|---|---|---|
| BPSK | 1 | 6 dB |
| QPSK | 2 | 10 dB |
| 16-QAM | 4 | 16 dB |
| 64-QAM | 6 | 22 dB |
| 256-QAM | 8 | 28 dB |
| 1024-QAM | 10 | 34 dB |
Key Formulas
Nyquist Bandwidth
BW = Data Rate / (2 × bits per symbol)
Minimum theoretical bandwidth for ideal channel
Minimum theoretical bandwidth for ideal channel
Real systems require 1.2-1.5x this bandwidth due to filtering and guard bands.
Shannon-Hartley Theorem
C = BW × log₂(1 + SNR)
Maximum theoretical capacity for given bandwidth and SNR
Maximum theoretical capacity for given bandwidth and SNR
This is the absolute maximum achievable data rate - real systems achieve 50-80% of this limit.