Abbreviations and Glossary of Terms
| Glossary | ||
|---|---|---|
| ACARS | Aircraft Communications Addressing and Reporting System | An older airband communications protocol. Now largely superseded by VDL2. |
| ADS-B | Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast | An FAA-mandated automated surveillance system with periodic aircraft position and data broadcasts intended to enhance aviation safety |
| AGC | Automatic Gain Control | A means of automatically controlling the output signal level at a desirable level |
| AIS | Automatic Identification System | A maritime tracking system using transponders on vessels. |
| ALE 2G | Automatic Link Establishment, 2G ALE | ALE is a worldwide digital standard for initiating and then sustaining HF radio communications between stations |
| AM | Amplitude Modulation | A radio transmission modulation mode |
| APRS | Automatic Position Reporting System | A wide area digital position and data broadcasting system |
| ARRL | Amateur Radio Relay League | A national association of radio amateurs in the U.S. |
| ASK | Amplitude Shift Keying | A radio transmission digital modulation technique |
| BPSK | Binary Phase Shift Keying | A modulation technique for sending digital data |
| CPU | Central Processing Unit | A digital circuit or microchip that is the principal "brains" of a computer board or system |
| CW | Continuous Wave | A radio transmission modulation mode |
| Digipeater | Digipeater refers to a digital packet repeater | Digipeaters are used to build APRS or Winlink networks to increase the area of coverage. There are even satellite APRS digipeaters. |
| DMR | Digital Mobile Radio | A digital standard for voice and data in non-public radio networks |
| DRM | Digital Radio Mondiale | A digital broadcast mode used on the HF bands |
| DSB | Double SideBand | A radio transmission modulation mode |
| D-STAR | Digital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio | A digital standard developed by Icom specifically for amateur radio |
| DX | DX is shorthand for "Distance" | DX refers to making contacts over long distances and with low power transmitters (typically 5 watts or less). "DXing" is a challenging and popular facet of amateur radio. |
| FAX | Facsimile | A digital protocol for sending image data |
| FM | Frequency Modulation | A radio transmission modulation mode |
| FREEDV | FREE Digital Voice | An open-source digital protocol for sending voice over HF |
| FSK | Frequency Shift Keying | A radio transmission digital modulation technique |
| GLONAS | GLObal NAvigation Satellite System | A Russian satellite-based global positioning system similar to GPS. |
| GNSS | Global Navigation Satellite System | A system that uses a network of satellite constellations (GPS, Galileo, GLONASS, and BeiDou) for precise positions. |
| GPS | Global Positioning System | A satellite-based worldwide positioning system operated as a service by the U.S. Government |
| HF | "High Frequency" radio band | A radio band ranging from 3 to 30 MHz |
| HFDL | High Frequency Data Link | An HF aeronautical message and data sharing service. |
| ITU | International Telecommunication Union | One of the most important international standards bodies |
| kbps | kilo (1024) bits per second | An abbreviation used to express a digital data rate of a signal or channel |
| LoRa | An abbreviation for Long Range digital radio communication protocol | A proprietary physical radio communicatiOn protocol invented by Cycleo with chips and modules designed and produced by Semtech |
| MF | "Medium Frequency" radio band | A radio band ranging from 300 Khz to 3 MHz |
| MHz | An abbreviation for Mega Hertz | Used to express a frequency in millions of cycles per second |
| MUF | Maximum Useable Frequency | The maximum frequency that can be used for HF communications using ionospheric reflection. |
| P25 | Project 25 | A set of standards for interoperability of public safety radio services. P25 Info 🔗 P25 for Beginners: Understanding Project 25 Digital Voice |
| PARC | Palomar Amateur Radio Club | PARC Website 🔗 Palomar Amateur Radio Club Home |
| PM | Phase Modulation | A radio transmission modulation mode |
| POCSAG | Radio Paging Code #1 | POCSAG is an acronym of the (British) of the Post Office Code Standardization Advisory Group for a digital protocol for pager data. It is commonly used on 150-165MHz. |
| PSK | Phase Shift Keying | A radio transmission digital modulation technique |
| QSO | A Q-Signal | One of the Q-Codes that are amateur radio shorthand, particularly for CW. When used in conversation it often refers to a two-way contact or communication. |
| RTTY | Radio TeleTYpe | RTTY Information 🔗 Radioteletype (Wikipedia) |
| SAM | Synchronous Aamplitude Modulation | A radio transmission demodulation technique |
| SDR | Software Defined Radio | Radios in which a large portion of the signal processing is done digitally either by software or by digital processing devices controlled by software |
| SFI | "Solar Flux Index/td> | A measure of the Sun's radio emissions, taken at 10.7cm (2.8GHz). It is used as a measure of solar activity. |
| SHF | "Super High Frequency" radio band | A radio band ranging from 3 to 30 GHz |
| SITOR | SImplex Teletype Over Radio | A set of 2 digital teletype protocols. SITOR-A is for point-to-point and SITOR-B for broadcasts. SITOR-B is used in maritime broadcasts |
| SK | An abbreviation for "Silent Key" | Denotes an amateur radio operator that is deceased |
| SMA | An abbreviation for "SubMiniature type A" connector | A common type of RF coaxial cable connector |
| Squitter | An ADS-B transponder burst transmission or broadcast | A common term for an ADS-B burst transmission |
| SSB | Single Sideband | A radio transmission modulation mode |
| SSTV | Slow Scan TeleVision | SSTV is a technique used (primarily by amateur radio operators) to send still images using voice frequencies. |
| STEM | Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics | An acronym for science and technology-oriented curricula, particularly in education |
| TNC | Terminal Node Controler | A device that links a computer to a transceiver for communication of digital data. |
| UAT | Universal Access Transceiver | A part of the ADS-B System operating on 978MHz that supports broadcast and receive. Only used in the US. |
| UHF | "Ultra High Frequency" radio band | A radio frequency band ranging from 300 MHz to 3 GHz |
| VDL2 | VHF Data Link Mode 2 | An aircraft digital messaging system clustered around the high end of the airband (136MHz to 137MHz). It superseded ACARS. |
| VLF | "Very Low Frequency" radio band | A radio band ranging from 3 to 30 KHz |
| VHF | "Very High Frequency" radio band | A radio frequency band ranging from 30 to 300 MHz |
| WIRES-X | Wide-coverage Internet Repeater Enhancement System | A proprietary Yaesu Internet-linking technology. |
| WSPR | Weak Signal Propagation Reporter | A project for testing propagation paths between amateur stations |