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Callsign A unique identifier for each radio amateur and licensed radio station throughout the world
Capacitor : A passive electronic component composed of two conducting plates separated by a dielectric (insulating material).
Capacitive Hat : Also known as a capacity hat. A system of wires, or at VHF and above a solid metal disk, added to the top of a vertical antenna to reduce its inductance and increase its bandwidth.
Carrier Frequency : The centre frequency of a radio signal.
Carrier Power : The average power supplied to the antenna when no modulation is taking place.
Cavity filter : A very narrow RF filter used to pass one single frequency, common in repeater operations where the receiver must be protected from overload by a transmitter on the same band on the same antenna tower.
Circular Polarization: A method of polarizing the antenna such that the emmitted electric field rotates around the axis of the antenna
CLOVER : A PSK mode that allows full duplex communications.
CNDX : Abbreviation for Conditions
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.
Color Code : Also spelt colour code. Coloured bands on resistors and other components that show their value.
Condenser : old name for Capacitor
Conductor : A material through which electricity flows easily.
Core : The material used in the centre of an Inductor coil.
CQ : Request for contact - specifically "calling any operator"
CQ Magazine : Published by CQ Communications.
Cross Modulation : distortion caused by two or more carriers interfering with each other.
CTCSS : Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System - a sub-audible tone that is frequently used on repeaters. The signal "opens" the repeater for use.
Current : The flow of electricity through a conductor - usually associated with electron movement, but current is actually the transfer of charge between atoms.
CW : Continuous Wave - used in Morse code transmissions.
CW Abbreviations Used by CW operators to reduce the length of transmissions by shortening words or phrases to a 2 or three letter code.