I have a wireless router that has the option to adjust the transmission power from .025 - .5w. I am wondering how this power is rated and tested and if it can be as different as a 1watt tube amp and a 1 watt solid state amp as I know there is a very large difference in what would be heard with the 2 1watt amplifiers.

The reason I'm asking is that the routers obviously use a solid state device but when RF power transmission laws were created I suspect that most were of the tube variety (if you know better, please correct me).

So what I am wondering is if the transmission of RF waves from a tube source would be greater than that from the same "rated" power of a solid state device.

 

I have a wireless router that has the option to adjust the transmission power from .025 - .5w. I am wondering how this power is rated and tested and if it can be as different as a 1watt tube amp and a 1 watt solid state amp as I know there is a very large difference in what would be heard with the 2 1watt amplifiers.

The reason I'm asking is that the routers obviously use a solid state device but when RF power transmission laws were created I suspect that most were of the tube variety (if you know better, please correct me).

So what I am wondering is if the transmission of RF waves from a tube source would be greater than that from the same "rated" power of a solid state device.

Don't confuse device power with radiated power. The ratings are for radiated power, and for the same antenna configuration at the same frequency, 1W radiated from a tube amp should be the exact same amount of power as 1W radiated from a transistor amplifier.

The power consumption of the amplifiers themselves, however, will be totally different.

You also get into directionality, and "effective radiated power" if an antenna configuration transmits a high power density in a small beam, but a small amount of power overall.

 

The differences you perceive in audio amplifiers may also be attributed to misleading specifications or any of several other factors.

 

...and if it can be as different as a 1watt tube amp and a 1 watt solid state amp as I know there is a very large difference in what would be heard with the 2 1watt amplifiers.

What you believe is incorrect. A 1 watt from a tube amp and a 1 watt from a SS amp output the same power - 1 watt. Harmonics may be different from the two amps, but power is power, regardless of the way it is generated.