Dictionary of Ham Radio Terms: Difference between revisions

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{{glossary}}


==A==
Related wiki pages [[FAQ]]


'''[[Electromagnetic Waves |Amplitude]]''' : the height of a wave from the average or median position.
When adding information to these pages, please link to other pages in the wiki wherever possible.


'''Amsat''' : The name for amateur radio satellite organizations world-wide, but in particular the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation


'''AMTOR''' : A specialised form of RTTY protocol. An acronym for AMateur Teleprinting Over Radio.
==A==


'''ARRL''' : The American Amateur Radio League - the national ham radio association for the USA
'''AC''' : Alternating Current


'''[[APRS]]''' : Automatic Position Reporting System.
'''ADC''' : Analogue to Digital Converter. Also known as A/D and A-to-D. A device that samples an analogue wave and converts it into a digital signal, in which a series of numbers is used to represent the amplitude of the original wave.


==B==
'''[[ADIF]]''' : Amateur Data Interchange Format, a standard specification for format of exported logbook files.


'''Balun''' : A passive electronic device that converts between balanced and unbalanced electrical signals using some form of electromagnetic coupling.  
'''Admittance''' : The reciprocal of [[Impedance |impedance]] of a component in a series or parallel tuned circuit.


'''[[Bands |Band]]''' : the portions of the Electromagnetic Spectrum that are allocated to ham radio operators
'''AF''' : Abbreviation for Audio Frequency. AF is in the range 20Hz to 20 000Hz


'''Boat Anchor''' : A slang term used to describe obsolete ham radio gear - often applied to old transceivers
'''AFC''' : Automatic Frequency Control - used to prevent drift in FM receivers


'''BPSK''' : (Biphase Shift Keying). A digital modulation method for transmitting data.
'''AFSK''' : Audio Frequency Shift Keying.


==C==
'''AGC''' : Automatic Gain Control - a feedback system to reduce fading by automatically adjusting gain


'''[[Callsign Databases#Callsign |Callsign]]''' A unique identifier for each radio amteur throughout the world
'''AGL''' : (Height) Above Ground Level, for antenna installations.


'''CNDX''' : Abbreviation for Conditions
'''ALC''' : Automatic Level Control - a feedback system in the transmitter output amplifier used to prevent overload.


'''[[Coaxial Cable]]''' : Cable that has a central conductor and an outer shield as the second conductor. Known as coaxial because the cable is cylindrical and the conductors share the same central axis.
'''[[Current | Ampere]]''' :(A) The unit used for measurement of current. Usually abbreviated to Amps


'''[[Codes and Alphabets#CW Abbreviations |CW Abbreviations]]'''  Used by CW operators to reduce the length of transmissions by shortening words or phrases to a 2 or three letter code
'''[[Electromagnetic Waves |Amplitude]]''' : the height of a wave from the average or median position.
 
==D==
 
'''[[Dipole]]''' : An antenna with two sides, usually of equal length.
 
'''[[Dish or Parabola | Dish]]''' : A highly directional [[Antennas|antenna]], parabolic in shape. Often used at [[Microwave and other bands |microwave]] frequencies.
 
'''DTMF''' Dual Tone Multi Frequency - the allocation of a unique tone to each button on an appliance (made up of two frequencies - high and low) that allows a computer to recognize the tone.
 
'''[[Dummy load |Dummy Load]]''' : An artificila [[Antennas |antenna]] that odes not radiate. used when alligning transceivers.
 
'''[[DXCC]]''' : DX Century Club
 
'''DX''' : Distance
 
==E==
 
'''[[Electromagnetic Waves]]''' : The waves emmitted by an [[Antennas |antenna]], having two dimensions, electric and magnetic.
 
==F==
 
'''[[Feedlines|Feedline]]''' : The wire of cable that jouns a [[Transceivers |transmitter]] or [[Receivers |receiver]] to an [[Antennas |antenna]]
 
'''[[Electromagnetic Waves |Frequency]]''': the number of complete waves that pass a reference point per second. Expressed in Hertz (Hz)
 
==G==
 
'''[[Gain |Gain]]''' : How much more effective an [[Antenna |antenna]] is as a radiator than a half wave [[Dipole |dipole]]
 
==H==
 
'''Hertz''' : HZ - The unit of measure for frequency.
 
'''[[HF]]''' : High Frequency. Frequencies in the range 3MHz to 30MHz
 
==I==
 
'''[[IRLP]]''' Internet Radio Linking Project. A method of linking cross-world linking of repeaters so that very basic equipment can be used to communicate with hams in other countries.
 
==J==
 
==K==
 
''Kilohertz''' : one thousand Hertz (HZ) or one thousand cycles per second.
 
==L==
 
'''[[Log Periodic (LPDA) |LPDA]]''' : Log Periodic Dipole Array. A multiband [[Antenna]]
 
==M==
 
'''[[Codes and Alphabets#Morse Code |Morse Code]]''' The code used by [[CW]] operators instead of voice communications
 
==N==
 
==O==
 
'''OM''' : abbreviation meaning Old Man
 
'''OSCAR''' : Orbiting Satellite Carrying Amateur Radio
 
'''OCF''' : Off Centre Fed [[Dipole]]. A dipole that has sides of unequal length. These are multiband wire antennas
 
==P==
 
'''[[Electromagnetic Waves |Period]]''' : the time it taks in seconds for a complete wave to pass a reference point.
 
'''[[Codes and Alphabets#Phonetic Alphabet |Phonetic Alphabet]]''' Specific, easily identfiable, non-confusable words are used instead of the letters of the alphabet
 
==Q==
 
'''[[Codes and Alphabets#Q Code |Q Code]]''' Three letter codes used instead of sentences or phrases.


==R==
'''AMSAT''' : The name for amateur radio [[Satellites |satellite]] organizations world-wide, but in particular the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.


'''[[Codes and Alphabets#RSQ code |RSQ code]]''' Used to describe the readability, strength and quality of digital modes.
'''AM''' : Amlpitude Modulation


'''[[Codes and Alphabets#RST code | RST code]]''' Used to describe the readability, strength and tone of voice or CW transmissions.
'''Amplifier''' : A device that is used to increase voltage, current or power.


'''[[Codes and Alphabets#RSV code |RSV code]]''' used to describe the readability, stength and video quality of SSTV transmissions
'''AMTOR''' : A specialised form of RTTY protocol. An acronym for AMateur Teleprinting Over Radio or AMateur Teletype over Radio.


==S==
'''Analog''' (also analogue): a continuously varying signal.


'''[[SSTV]]''' : Slow Scan Television
'''ANC, ANR''' : Active noise control, active noise reduction. Also referred to as automatic noise cancellation or antinoise on some transceivers.


'''[[SWR]]''' : Standing Wave Ratio. The ration of the height of a standing wave on a transmission line to the height of an adjacent node.
'''[[Antennas | Antenna]]''': a device to either radiate radio signals or to receive them from another station.


==T==
'''Antenna Switch''' " A switch used to change the output of a transceiver from one [[Antennas | antenna]] to another.


'''Transmission Line''' : Also known as [[Feedlines |feedline]].
'''[[Antenna tuner | Antenna Tuner]]''' : A device used to match the output [[Impedance | impedance]] of a transmitter to that of an antenna.


==U==
'''Anti-VOX''' : Transceiver circuitry used in voice-operated (VOX) stations to prevent audio from the receiver's speaker from actuating the voice-operated transmitter.


'''[[UHF]]''' : Ultra High Frequency. Frequencies in the range 300MHz to 3 000MHz
'''[[APRS]]''' : Automatic Position Reporting System, Automated Packet Reporting System.


==V==
'''[[Clubs|ARC]]''' : Amateur Radio Club (also '''ARA, ARS''' - Amateur Radio Association, Amateur Radio Society) - usually prefixed by the name of the community or region served


'''[[VHF]]''' : Very High Frequency. Frequencies in the range 30MHz to 300MHz
'''[[ARDF]]''' : Amateur Radio Direction Finding


==W==
'''[[ARES]]''' : Amateur Radio Disaster Services, Amateur Radio Emergency Services


'''[[Electromagnetic Waves |Wavelength]]''' : the distance in metres between corresponding points on a wave.
'''[[ARRL]]''' : The American Radio Relay League [http://www.arrl.org/]- the national ham radio association for the USA


==X==
'''[[ARISS]]''' : Amateur Radio on the International Space Station.  A program that allows schools, with the help of an amateur club, to contact the amateur station on board the International space station.


'''XCVR''' : Transceiver
'''ASL''' : '''A'''bove '''S'''ea '''L'''evel. Vertical height in metres or feet above sea level.


'''XTAK''' : Crystal
'''[[Attenuators | Attenuator]]''' : A resistive device to reduce the amplitude or power of a signal.


'''XYL''' : wife of an amteur operator
'''ATS''' : Automatic Transfer Switch, switches equipment to a backup power supply in event of power failure.


==Y==
'''[[ATV]]''' : Amateur Television - "moving picture" ham TV transmissions.


'''YL''' : Young lady
'''Az/El''' : used to describe an antenna rotator that can change both the '''Az'''imuth (horizontal) and the '''E'''levation (vertical) direction of the antenna.


==Z==
'''Azimuth''' : The horizontal direction (angle) measured clockwise from North.


'''Zulu''' : (z) Time compared to GMT


==Numbers==


73 : Goodbye
{{operation}}

Latest revision as of 00:54, 2 April 2011

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z 0 - 9

Related wiki pages FAQ

When adding information to these pages, please link to other pages in the wiki wherever possible.


A

AC : Alternating Current

ADC : Analogue to Digital Converter. Also known as A/D and A-to-D. A device that samples an analogue wave and converts it into a digital signal, in which a series of numbers is used to represent the amplitude of the original wave.

ADIF : Amateur Data Interchange Format, a standard specification for format of exported logbook files.

Admittance : The reciprocal of impedance of a component in a series or parallel tuned circuit.

AF : Abbreviation for Audio Frequency. AF is in the range 20Hz to 20 000Hz

AFC : Automatic Frequency Control - used to prevent drift in FM receivers

AFSK : Audio Frequency Shift Keying.

AGC : Automatic Gain Control - a feedback system to reduce fading by automatically adjusting gain

AGL : (Height) Above Ground Level, for antenna installations.

ALC : Automatic Level Control - a feedback system in the transmitter output amplifier used to prevent overload.

Ampere :(A) The unit used for measurement of current. Usually abbreviated to Amps

Amplitude : the height of a wave from the average or median position.

AMSAT : The name for amateur radio satellite organizations world-wide, but in particular the Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation.

AM : Amlpitude Modulation

Amplifier : A device that is used to increase voltage, current or power.

AMTOR : A specialised form of RTTY protocol. An acronym for AMateur Teleprinting Over Radio or AMateur Teletype over Radio.

Analog (also analogue): a continuously varying signal.

ANC, ANR : Active noise control, active noise reduction. Also referred to as automatic noise cancellation or antinoise on some transceivers.

Antenna: a device to either radiate radio signals or to receive them from another station.

Antenna Switch " A switch used to change the output of a transceiver from one antenna to another.

Antenna Tuner : A device used to match the output impedance of a transmitter to that of an antenna.

Anti-VOX : Transceiver circuitry used in voice-operated (VOX) stations to prevent audio from the receiver's speaker from actuating the voice-operated transmitter.

APRS : Automatic Position Reporting System, Automated Packet Reporting System.

ARC : Amateur Radio Club (also ARA, ARS - Amateur Radio Association, Amateur Radio Society) - usually prefixed by the name of the community or region served

ARDF : Amateur Radio Direction Finding

ARES : Amateur Radio Disaster Services, Amateur Radio Emergency Services

ARRL : The American Radio Relay League [1]- the national ham radio association for the USA

ARISS : Amateur Radio on the International Space Station. A program that allows schools, with the help of an amateur club, to contact the amateur station on board the International space station.

ASL : Above Sea Level. Vertical height in metres or feet above sea level.

Attenuator : A resistive device to reduce the amplitude or power of a signal.

ATS : Automatic Transfer Switch, switches equipment to a backup power supply in event of power failure.

ATV : Amateur Television - "moving picture" ham TV transmissions.

Az/El : used to describe an antenna rotator that can change both the Azimuth (horizontal) and the Elevation (vertical) direction of the antenna.

Azimuth : The horizontal direction (angle) measured clockwise from North.


Operating procedures
Operation Callsigns and ITU prefixes * Codes and Alphabets * Modes * Morse code * Nets * UK licensing * Terminology
DX and Contesting Awards and Certificates * DXCC * DX cluster * Field day * Gridsquares * Logging * QSL and QSL Bureaus * Records - Distance
Emergencies Emergency Frequencies * ARES * IRESC * SATERN * Weather spotting
QRP Trail-Friendly Radio
Utilities Beacons (/B) and Time Beacons
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