Peak envelope power
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Peak envelope power (PEP) is the average power over a single radio frequency cycle at the crest of the modulation. PEP is normally considered the power output at the occasional or continuously repeating crest of the modulation envelope under normal operating conditions. Many regulatory authorities use PEP to set maximum power standards for radio transmitters.[1]
PEP vs. average power
PEP is equal to steady carrier power, or radiotelegraph dot or dash average power, in a properly-formed CW transmission. PEP is also equal to average power in a steady FM, FSK, or RTTY transmission.
Although average power is the same as PEP for complex modulation forms, such as FSK, the peak envelope power bears no particular ratio or mathematical relationship to longer-term average power in distorted envelopes, such as a CW waveform with power overshoot, or with amplitude modulated waveforms, such as SSB or AM voice transmissions. Typical average power of a SSB voice transmission, for example, is 10-20% of PEP. The percentage of longer term average power to PEP increases with processing, and commonly reaches ~50% with extreme speech processing.