In a directional coupler, where is the signal power level higher?

In a directional coupler, the tap port allows a portion of the signal to be extracted, while the majority of the signal continues to the output port. The amount of signal extracted at the tap port is indicated by the tap's specification—in this case, 12 dB or 7 dB.

For a tap specification of 7 dB, this means that the tap port receives a power level that is higher than the output port because the 7 dB implies that there is a loss of 7 dB from the input to the output. Since the tap is designed to take off a portion of the signal, the output power level will be lower compared to the signal at the tap port. A lower dB value indicates a smaller loss, resulting in a higher signal level at the tap port relative to the output port.

Therefore, in this scenario, a 7 dB tap will present a higher power level at the tap port compared to the output port, making option C the correct choice.