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SESK: Stuff Everyone Should Know · sesk.info/hame-ssb-pep-to-average

What is the approximate ratio of peak envelope power to average power in an unprocessed SSB phone signal?

About 2.5 to 1.

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  1. 2.5 to 1 ✔
  2. 1 to 1
  3. 25 to 1

Why: Speech has loud peaks but a much lower average. Peak envelope power in a plain SSB voice signal is roughly 2.5 times the average power.

Huh, didn't know that: Speech characteristics are what determine that PEP-to-average ratio (E8A07).

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References

Answer: 2.5 to 1. Speech has loud peaks but a much lower average. Peak envelope power in a plain SSB voice signal is roughly 2.5 times the average power.

  1. NCVEC 2024-2028 Amateur Extra Question Pool, E8A06 (4th errata, Feb. 4, 2026) www.ncvec.org/downloads/2024-2028%20Extra%20Class%20Question%20Pool%20and%20Syllabus%20Public%20Release%20with%204th%20Errata%20Feb%204%202026.pdf
    A. 2.5 to 1
    Checked 2026-10-11.
  2. NCVEC 2024-2028 Amateur Extra Question Pool, E8A07 (4th errata, Feb. 4, 2026) www.ncvec.org/downloads/2024-2028%20Extra%20Class%20Question%20Pool%20and%20Syllabus%20Public%20Release%20with%204th%20Errata%20Feb%204%202026.pdf
    B. Speech characteristics
    Checked 2026-10-11.

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