Stole from another site and I see a few missing.
A
Amateur operator - A person holding a written authorization to be the control operator of an amateur station.
Amplifier - A device usually using tubes or transistors to increase the voltage, current or power of signal.
ANSI RF protection guide - Standards formulated by the American National Standards Institute that provide RF exposure guidelines.
Antenna - A device that picks up or sends out radio waves (signals).
Antenna switch - A switch used to connect one transmitter, receiver, or transceiver output impedance. Also called an antenna tuner or transmatch.
Autopatch - A device that allows repeater users to make telephone calls through a repeater.
B
Beam antenna - A directional antenna. A beam antenna must be rotated to provide coverage in different directions.
Broadcasting - Transmissions intended to be received by the general public, either direct or relayed. This is not legal to do in amateur radio.
C
Capacitor - An electronic component composed of two or more conductive plates seperated by an insulating material. A capacitor stores energy in an electric field.
Chirp - A slight shift in transmitter frequency each time you key the transmitter.
Closed repeater - A repeater that restricts to those who know a special code.
Coaxial cable - Coax (pronounced ko-aks). A type of feed line with one conductor inside the other.
Code key - A device used as a switch to generate Morse code. Also called a hand key, a straight key, or a telegraph key.
Code-practice oscillator - A device that produces an audio tone, used for learning Morse code.
Conductor - A material that has a loose grip on its electrons, so an electrical current can pass through.
Connected - The condition in which two packet-radio stations are sending information to each other. Each is acknowledging when the data has been received correctly.
Continuous wave (CW) - Morse code telegraphy.
Control operator - An amateur operator designated by the licensee of a station to be responsible for the transmissions of an amateur station.
Control point - The locations at which the control operator function is performed.
CQ - "Calling any station": the general call when requesting a conversation with anyone.
CTCSS - Continuous tone-coded squelch system; a sub-audible tone system used on some repeaters. When added to a carrier, a CTCSS tone allows a receiver to accept a signal. Also called PL.
Cubical quad antenna - An antenna built with its elemnets in the shape of four-sided loops.
Current - A flow of electrons in an electrical circuit.
CW (continuous wave) - The FCC emission type that describes international Mores code telegraphy communication without audio modulation of the carrier. Hams usually produce Morse code signals by interrupting the continuous-wave from a transmitter to form the dots and dashes. This is on/off keying of a radio-frequency signal. Another name for international Morse code.
D
Dash - The long sound used in Morse code. Pronounce this as "dah" when verbally sounding Morse code charactors. Dashes are three times longer then dots.
Data - Computer-based modes, Such as RTTY and packet.
DE - The Morse code abbreviation for "from" or "this is."
Delta loop antenna - A variation of the cubical quad with triangular elements.
Detector - The stage in a receiver in which the modulation (voice or other information) is recovered from the RF signal.
Digipeater - A packet-radio station used to retransmit signals that are specifically addressed to be retransmitted by that station.
Digital communications - Computer based communications modes. (Also see data).
Dipole antenna - See half-wave dipole. A dipole need not be 1/2 wavelength long.
Director - An element in front of the driven element in a Yagi and some other directional antennas.
Direct wave - A (usually VHF or UHF radio wave that travels in a straight line-of-sight path between the transmitter and receiver.
Dot - The short sound used in Morse code. Pronounce this as "dit" when verbally sounding Morse code charactors if the dot comes at the end of the character. If the dot comes at the beginning or in the middle of the character, pronounce it as "di."
Driven element - The part of an antenna that connects directly to the feed line.
Duplex operation - Receiving and transmitting on two different frequencys. (Also see simplex operation).
DX - Distance, foreign countries.
E
Earth ground - A circuit connection to a ground rod driven into the earth or to a cold-water pipe made of copper that goes into the ground.
Earth station - An amateur station located on, or within 50 km of, the Earth's surface intended for communications with space stations or with other Earth stations by means of one or more objects in space.
F
Feed line (feeder) - The wires or cable used to connect a transmitter, receiver, or transceiver to an antenna. Also called transmission line.
Filter - A circuit that will allow some signals to pass through it but will greatly reduce the strengh of others.
Frequency - The number of complete cycles of an alternating current that occur per second.
Frequency bands - A group of frequencies where amateur communications are authorized.
Frequency-modulated (FM) voice - A mode of voice (phone) communications used on repeaters.
Frequency priviledge - Permission to use a particualr group of frequencies.
Front-end overload - Interference to a receiver caused by a strong signal that overpowers the reciever RF amplifier or "front end."
Fuse - A thin metal strip mounted in a holder. When too much current passes through the fuse, the metal strip melts and opens the circuit.
G
Gain - A measure of the directivity of an antenna, as compared with another antenna such as a dipole.
General-coverage receiver - A receiver used to listen to a wide range of frequencies. Most general-coverage receivers tune from frequencies below the standard broadcast band to at least 30 MHz. These frequencies include the shortwave-broadcast bands and the amateur bands from 160 to 10 meters.
Grace period - The time FCC allows following the expiration of an amateur license to renew that license without having to retake the exam. Those who hold a expired license may not operate an amateur station until the license is renewed.
Ground connection - A connection made to the earth for electricity safety. This conection can be made inside (to a cold-water pipe) or outside (to a ground rod).
Ground rod - A copper or copper-clad steel rod that is driven into the earth. A heavy copper wire from the ham shack connects all station equioment to the ground rod.
H
Half-wave dipole - A basic antenna used by radio amateurs. It consists of a lengh of wire or tubing, opened and fed at the center. The entire antenna is 1/2 wavelengh long at the disired operating frequency.
Hand key - A simple switch used to send Morse code. Also called a code key or a telegraph key.
Harmonics - Signals from a transmitter or oscillator occurring on whole number multiples of the disired operating frequency
Henry - The basic unit of inductance.
Hertz (Hz) - An alternating-current frequency of one cycle per second. It is the basic unit of frequency.
High-pass filter - A filter designed to pass high-frequency signals.
I
Inductance - The ability of a coil to store energy in s magnetic field.
Inductor - An electrical component usually composed of a coil of wire wound on a central core. An inductor stores energy in a magnetic field.
Input frequency - A repeater's receiving frequency. To use a repeater, transmit on the input frequency and receive on the output frequency.
Insulator - A materiel that mantains a tight grip on its electrons, so that an electrical current cannot pass through it (within voltage limits).
Inosphere - A region of charged (ionized) gases high in the atmosphere. The ionoshere bends radio waves as they travel through it, returning them to earth.
K
K - The Morse code abbreviation for "any station respond."
Key click - A click or thump at the beginning or end of a CW signal.
Key-click filter - A ciruit in a transmitter that reduces or eliminates key clicks.
Key-operated on-off switch - A good way to prevent unauthorized persons from using your station is to install a key-operated switch that controls station power.
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