Thread: Jargon
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Old 12-06-2007, 01:07 PM   #3
KB5LJE
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Memphis, TN
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M

Mayday - From the french m'aidez (help me), mayday is used when calling for emergency assistance in voice modes.

Microphone - A device that converts sound waves into electrical energy.
Modem - Short for modulator/demodulator. Amodem modulates a radio signal to transmit data and demodulates a received signal to recover transmitted data.
Moniter mode - One type of packet radio receiving mode. In moniter mode, everything transmitted on a packet frequency is displayed by the monitoring TNC. This occurs whether or not the transmissions are addressed to the monitoring station.
Morse code - (see CW)
Multimode transceiver - Transceivers capable of SSB, CW, and FM operation.

N

Narrow-band direct-printing telegraphy - The technical term for radioteletype (RTTY).

National Electrical Code - A set of guidelines governing electrical safety, including antennas.
Network - A term used to describe several packet stations linked together to transmit data over long distances.

O

Ohm - The basic unit of electrical resistance, used to describe the amount of opposition to current.

One-way communications - Transmissions that are not intended to be answered. The FCC strictly limits the types of one-way communications allowed on the amateur bands.
Open - A repeater That can be used by all hams who have a license that authorizes operation on the repeater frequencies.
Operator License - The portion of an Amateur Radio license that gives permission to operate an amateur station.
Output frequency - A repeater's transmitting frequency. To use a repeater, transmit on the imput frequency and receive on the output frequency.

P

Packet Radio - A digital communications system in which information is broken into short bursts. The bursts (packets) also contain addressing and error-correctiong information.

Phone - Another name for voice communications.
Power - The rate of energy comsumption. We calculate power in an electrical circuit by multiplying the voltage applied to the circuit times the current through the circuit. (P = IE).
Propagation - The study of how radio waves travel.

Q

QSL card - A postcard that serves as a confirmation of communication between to hams.

Quarter-wavelengh vertical antenna - An antenna constructed of a quarter-wavelengh long radiating element placed perpendicular to the earth.

R

Radioteletype (RTTY) - Radio signals sent from one teleprinter machine to another. Anything that one operator types on his teleprinter will be printed on the others machine. Also known as narrow-band direct-printer telegraphy.

Receiver - A device that converts radio waves into signals we can see or hear.
Reflecto - An element behind the driven element in a Yagi and some other directional antennas.
Repeater station - An amateur station that automatically retransmits the signals of other stations. Reapeaters extend the range of retransmitted signals.
Resistance - The ability to oppose an electric current.
Rig - The radio amateur's term for a transmitter, receiver, or transceiver.

S

S meter - A meter in a receiver that shows the relative strengh of a received signal.

Shack - The room where an Amateur Radio operator keeps his or her station equipment.
Simplex operation - Receiving and transmitting on the same frequency.
SOS - A Morse code call for emergency assistance.
SSB - Emission mode that describes the type of voice emissions used on the HF bands. Abreviation for single sideband. Station license - The portion of an Amateur Radio license that authorizes an amateur station at a specific location. The station license also lists the callsign of that station.
SWR meter - A device used to measure SWR. A measuring instrument that can indicate when a antenna system is working well.

T

Terminal node controller (TNC) - A TNC accepts information from a computer and converts the information into packets. The TNC also receives packets and extracts information to be displayed by a computer.

Ticket - A commonly used name for an Amateur Radio license.
Time-out timer - A device that limits the amount of time that any one person can talk through a repeater.
Transceiver - A radio transmitter and receiver combined into one unit.
Transmission line - The wires or cable used to connect a transmitter or receiver to a antenna.
Transmitter - A device that produces radio-frequency signals.

V

Vertical antenna - A common amateur antenna, usually made of metel tubing. The radiating element is vertical. There are usually four or more radial elements paraell to or on the ground.

Voice communications - Hams can use several voice modes, including FM and SSB.

Y

Yagi antenna - The most popular type of amateur directional (beam) antenna. It has one driven element and one or more additional elements.


NUM

73 - Ham lingo for "best regards." Used on both phone and CW towards the end of a contact.

88 - Love and Kisses
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