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P

PACTOR : An FSK mode that combines packet and AMTOR technologies.

Parabolic Antenna : An antenna in the shape of a dish with a parabolic cross section.

Parallel circuit : usually used to describe a tuned circuit in which the capacitive and inductive elements are parallel to each other.

Period : the time it taks in seconds for a complete wave to pass a reference point.

Phonetic Alphabet Specific, easily identifiable, non-confusable words are used instead of the letters of the alphabet.

Pi pad  : one of the possible configurations used in Attenuators

Polarization : Used to describe the orientation of the electric field produced by an antenna compared to the surface of the Earth.

Portable: A mode of operation in which a station may be moved for rapid deployment from a temporary location, but is not able to operate while mobile. In CW, portable operators may identify using /P. Portable stations differ from mobile stations in that large antennas or other structures must be folded or stowed away in order to move the station to a new location. While well-suited to field day or emergency/disaster operations, portable stations normally do not have a mobile station's ability to continue transmission while in motion.

Power : The rate of energy consumption. Calculated by multiplying voltage by current, P = VI

Propagation : How well a signal is transferred from the sending station to the receiving station, as a function of the path type (ground wave, sky wave reflection or direct line-of-sight) and related atmospheric conditions.

PSK : Phase Shift Keying - a digital mode.