How to decode Technical Abbreviations

Technical abbreviations and how to decode them AC alternating current AF audio frequency (often called low frequency in continental Europe). AGC automatic gain control aircheck recording of a radio programme with the music removed (apart from the opening and close of records), so that presenters can review their programmes without having to listen through the records airplane dial round dial on radio receivers (like the old Zenith consoles had). Most times they have a vernier tuning knob and span 300 degrees or so. ANB Army-Navy-British (on headsets, etc.) APC automatic picture control (to maintain contrast level) AVC automatic volume control (in radio, effectively the same as AGC) AVO a particular make of multimeter (AVO stands for amps, volts, ohms) but often applied to any multimeter AWG American Wire Gauge. Almost the same as our SWG. BA (humorous) boatanchor BGM background music boatanchor (humorous) Although there are different interpretations of this term, generally any radio that is Œhollow state¹ or tube-type is liable to be considered a boatanchor. Units produced from WWII until the mid 1960s are probably the most popular examples of the genre. The origin of the term Œboatanchor¹ becomes self-evident after carrying a DX100 (a classic anchor) to your car and noticing how much longer your arms have become. Boatanchors may be transmitters or receivers... and no 'anchor' station is complete without an assortment of like-aged station accessories like microphones, transmit/receive relays, vintage SWR bridges and so on. bottle (humorous) valve bug, dead bug (humorous) integrated circuit cascade in cascade = in series condenser older name for capacitor CRT cathode ray tube (TV picture tube) crystal triode early name for transistor CTV colour television DAT digital audio tape DC direct current DSP digital signal processing DVM digital voltmeter EHT extra high tension (measured in thousands of volts) elco Continental name for ELectrolytic COndenser (capacitor) FAQ frequently-asked question firebottle (humorous) valve Flower Power (humorous) Germanium transistor, so-called because of the common misprint in books arising from confusion during the hippy (flower power) era with the flower Geranium fluid state see Hollow State freezing lotion aerosol can of freezing liquid (useful for identifying faulty capacitors and transistors) GB grid bias, Gaumont-British Griefkit (humorous) name applied to a certain brand of do-it-yourself radio and electronics construction kits, popular in the USA and Britain from the 1950s-1980s HF high frequency (means what we call radio frequency in continental Europe) hollow state (humorous) thermionic, the opposite of solid state HT high tension (measured in hundreds of volts) ident short for station identification, either visual (television) or audio (radio and television) i.p.s. inches per second (tape recording speed) ISEP International Standard Equipment Practice. A style of plug-in cards and racks popular in the 1960s and 70s. LF low frequency (means what we call audio frequency in continental Europe) LO London (BBC/ITV telegraphic code), local oscillator LOPT or LOPTX line output transformer LT low tension NIB new in box (as new condition, in the original box, but its sales history is unknown). NOS new old stock, i.e. old stock which is unused and unsold OB outside broadcast, called a 'remote' in the USA O/C or open open circuit OT old-time, old-timer OTR old-time radio P as B programme as broadcast, i.e. a recording made 'live' at the time of broadcast, with nothing deleted PCB printed circuit board or Poly Chlorinated Biphenol, a hazardous substance p&p postage and packing PWB printed wiring board (alternative expression for PCB) Q abbreviation for capacitor or transistor on circuit diagram Rat Shack colloquial name for a nation-wide chain of electronics hobby shops in the USA, often used semi-humorously resistance older name for resistor RS can stand for Radio Shack (Tandy) or RS (Radiospares) when used as a prefix to part numbers. Check the context. RTR ready to run or reel-to-reel RTTY Radio teletype (teletypewriter traffic sent by radio circuit rather than by wire) sand-state solid-state or silicon (humorous) SASE self-addressed, stamped envelope S/C or short short circuit s/h shipping and handling (i.e. postage and packing) shunt in shunt = in parallel smoothing bomb electrolytic capacitor (colloquial) solid state device using semiconductor technology or components sustaining programme unsponsored programme provided without advertisements or idents by the network, which can then be re-broadcast by other stations without the need to obliterate commercials or another station¹s ident SWG Standard Wire Gauge three-wire fuse (humorous) transistor (also known as solid state electric fire) tranny (colloquial) transformer or transistor transcribed programme recorded programme as opposed to a programme transmitted live transmission copy the play-out copy of a programme which was recorded prior to being transmitted TTY teletype (often used as a synonym for teleprinter) tube USA: (electronic) valve UK: if used as an abbreviation, generally means a CRT tx transmitter, transmission, transmission date U Unit of height (1.75") in 19" equipment rack practice. Panels are measured in number of U height. U/S useless, unserviceable vacuum state see hollow state vacuum tube valve VF video frequency or voice frequency (i.e. audio frequency) according to context VOM volt-ohm meter, multimeter VT valve, thermionic or valve, transistor (abbreviation used on circuit diagrams), or videotape VTR video tape recorder VTVM vacuum tube voltmeter, i.e. VVM VVM valve voltmeter x general cypher used for shortening words (see examples below) xistor transistor xmtr transmitter xtal crystal Copyright © 1996 Andy Emmerson

Page maintained by webmaster@Brighton-UK.com