Grammar: Watch for the facial grammar (eyebrows raised). ASL - American Sign Language: free, self-study sign language lessons including an ASL dictionary, signing videos, a printable sign language alphabet chart (fingerspelling), Deaf Culture study materials, and resources to help you learn sign language. ATS: Automatic Transfer Switch, switches equipment to a backup power supply in event of power failure. A method that allows simultaneous frequency and amplitude modulation of a signal.Q Code Three letter codes used instead of sentences or phrases.Q of a circuit The quality factor of a resonant circuit – the ratio of stored power to dissipated power in the Reactance and Resistance of the circuit.QCWA : Quarter Century Wireless Association, a radio amateur club with local chapters in which membership is offered solely to operators who were first licensed twenty-five or more years ago.QRM : Man made noise. Also known as A/D and A-to-D. A device that samples an analogue wave and converts it into a digital signal, in which a series of numbers is used to represent the amplitude of the original wave.ADIF: Amateur Data Interchange Format, a standard specification for the format of exported logbook files.Admittance: The reciprocal of impedance of a component in a series or parallel tuned circuit.AF: Abbreviation for Audio Frequency. The better the S/N ratio, the better the quality of the signal and the easier it is to decode.Simplex : Transmit and receive on the same frequency – most often used when communicating directly (not used when operating via voice repeaters).SK : Silent Key, a term used in memory of a deceased radio operator.
Attenuator: A resistive device to reduce the amplitude or power of a signal. Neither conductor is at ground potential.Bandpass (also Passband): the range of frequencies that a certain filter allows to pass.Base Station: A ham station that has a fixed locationBandpass Filter: a filter designed to pass a certain range of frequencies.Band : The portions of the Electromagnetic Spectrum that are allocated to ham radio operators.Baud: The rate of transmission – in symbols per second, of digital data. The CW equivalent is SOS. Usually refers to transceivers that operate in the 2m and 70cm amateur bands; these are self-contained hand-held radios which include an antenna and battery and transmit at low power.IARU : International Amateur Radio Union.
A device that creates or modifies an electrical signal through the movement of electrons in a low pressure (vacuum) space.Varactor Diode: a component whose capacitance decreases as the reverse bias voltage is increased.VE : Volunteer Examiner, in countries in which government radio inspectors no longer conduct examinations for prospective new licensees but delegate this task to a few experienced radio amateurs.