• Ham Radio Glossary (B)

    From Daryl Stout@316:36/20 to All on Fri Mar 10 00:03:49 2023
    From QRZ.Com, the Icom handout, and Part 97 Of The FCC Rules -
    Ham Radio Glossary - An overview of amateur radio terms.

    Backscatter
    Form of ionosphere propagation via the E and F layers allowing stations
    to hear other stations within the skip zones.

    Balun
    A simple transformer used to change and unbalanced input to a balanced
    output.

    Band
    A range of frequencies

    Bandplan
    A list of what modes can be operated on a range of frequencies, per
    amateur radio license class.

    Bandwidth
    The width of a frequency band outside of which the mean power of the transmitted signal is attenuated at least 26 dB below the mean power
    of the transmitted signal within the band.

    Bank
    Memory Bank

    Barefoot
    Refers to running your transmitter without an amplifier (in other words,
    the "power out" is being produced entirely by the transmitter, without
    any assistance from an amplifier).

    Battery Memory Effect
    Common to Nicked Cadmium (Ni-Cad), and Ni-MH (Nickel Metal Hydride)
    batteries, the condition where if you fail to completely discharge the
    battery prior to recharging, you will get considerably less usage time
    the next time you use it. Lithium Ion (Li-ion) batteries are free from
    this effect.

    Beacon
    An amateur station transmitting communications for the purposes of
    observation of propagation and reception or other related experimental activities.

    BCI
    Broadcast Interference

    BFO
    Beat Frequency Oscillator

    Bird
    1. nickname for "satellite", in the case of Amateur Radio, examples include RS-12/13 (Radio Sputnik) and AO-40 (AMSAT-OSCAR).
    See http://www.amsat.org/amsat/sats/n7hpr/satsum.html and http://www.hampubs.com/satellite .

    2. brand name of a high-end, high quality directional wattmeter.

    Birdie
    A signal produced within a radio, typically by it's microprocessor or
    related circuitry, that appears at specific intervals across the tuning
    dial of a receiver. Usually it is a product of mixed intermediate
    frequencies within the radio. Considered bad form.

    BNC
    Bayonet Neill-Concelman. A type of antenna connector.

    Boat Anchor
    Slang for a large, heavy, usually old radio, typically restored (courtesy
    of VE3FFK).

    BPF
    Band Pass Filter

    BPSK
    "Binary Phase Shift Keying"; a modulation technique used in LowFER and
    MedFER operation, as well as HF operation. For more information, see http://www.computerpro.com/~lyle/watsbpsk.htm (courtesy of KØLR).

    Brass Pounder
    Refers to someone who sends telegraphy by old fashioned "straight" key,
    i.e., without any keyers, etc., or paddles.

    Broadcasting
    Transmissions intended for reception by the general public, either direct
    or relayed.

    Bug
    A mechanical keying device for transmitting Morse Code semi-automatically.

    Bureau See "QSL Bureau"

    Buro See "QSL Bureau"

    Busy lockout
    Inhibits transmit on a frequency in use.
    --- SBBSecho 3.14-Win32
    * Origin: The Thunderbolt BBS - Little Rock, Arkansas (316:36/20)