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Radio (and electronics) related abbreviations, acronyms and more

Abbr.Meaning
AAmpere
A-FHSSAdaptive Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum
ACAlternating Current
ACASAirborne Collision Avoidance System
ACELPAdaptice Code Excited Linear Prediction
ADS-BAutomatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast
AFAudio Frequency
AFCAutomatic Frequency Control
AFSKAudio Frequency Shift Keying
AGCAutomatic Gain Control
AISAutomatic Identification System
ALEAutomatic Link Establishment
AMAmplitude Modulation
AMCAutomatic Modulation Control
AMPSAdvanced Mobile Phone System
AMTORAMateur Teleprinting Over Radio
ANLAutomatic Noise Limiter
AOSAcquisition Of Signal (or Satellite)
APRSAutomatic Packet/Position reporting System
APTAutomatic Picture Transmission
AQSAmateur Quinmatic System
ARESAmateur Radio Emergency Service
ARISSAmateur Radio on the International Space Station
ARQAutomatic Repeat reQuest
ARRLAmerican Radio Relay League
ARSAutomatic Repeater Shift
ASASAirborne Separation Assurance System
ASCAutomatic Squelch Control
ASKAmplitude Shift Keying
ASTRIDThe police/fire/ambulance TETRA network in Belgium
ATCAir Traffic Controller
ATTAttenuator
ATVAmateur TeleVision
AWIAntenna Warning Indicator
BCBroadCasting
BERBit Error Rate
BGABall Grid Array (A type of surface-mount package for IC's)
Bit bangingHex editing
BJTBipolar Junction Transistor
BMSBattery Management System
BNCBayonet Neill Concelman (A type of RF connector)
BOSNETThe police/fire/ambulance TETRA network in Germany
BPLBroadband over Power Lines
BSMBlind Spot Monitoring (A vehicle lane change collision warning system)
BWBand width
C2000The police/fire/ambulance TETRA network in the Netherlands
CASCarrier Activated Squelch
CCConstant Current
CCKComplementary Code Keying
CDMACode Division Multiple Access
CERDIPCERamic Dual In-line Package
CMECoronal Mass Ejection
CMOSComplementary Metal-Oxide Semiconductor
COFDMCoded Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiplex
CORCarrier Operated Relay
COSCarrier Operated Switch
CPFSKContinuous Phase Frequency Shift Keying
CPMContinuous Phase Modulation
CSSChirp Spread Spectrum
CTCCommunications Transistor Corporation
CTCSSContinuous Tone Coded Squelch System (Same as PL)
CVConstant Voltage
CWContinuous Wave
D-STARDigital Smart Technologies for Amateur Radio
DABDigital Audio Broadcasting
DAB+Digital Audio Broadcasting Plus (Newer and more efficient compression)
DATVDigital Amateur TeleVision
DCDirect Current
DCSDigital Coded Squelch
DECTDigital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications
DFDissipation Factor
DFDirection Finding
DIMMDual In-line Memory Module
DIPDual In-line Package
DMODirect Mode Operation (TETRA)
DMRDigital Mobile Radio
DPMRDigital Personal Mobile Radio
DQPSKDifferential Quadrature Phase Shift Keying
DRMDigital Radio Mondiale
DRODielectric Resonator Oscillator
DSBDouble Side Band
DSCDigital Selective Calling
DSSDigital Spread Spectrum
DSSSDirect Sequence Spread Spectrum
DTMFDual Tone Multi Frequency (also known as Touch Tone)
DUTDevice Under Test
DWDual Watch
ECCEuropean Communications Committee
ECRExalted Carrier Reception
ECSSExalted Carrier Selectable Sideband
EHFExtremely High Frequency (30 - 300 GHz)
EMCElectroMagnetic Compatibility
EMEEarth-Moon-Earth (Moonbounce)
EMGEmergency
EMIElectroMagnetic Interference
EMSEmergency Medical Service
EOMEthernet Over Mains
EPIRBEmergency Position Indicating Radio Beacon
ERCEuropean Radiocommunications Committee
ESDElectroStatic Discharge
ESREquivalent Series Resistance
ETSIEuropean Telecommunications Standards Institute
EWFEmergency Warning Function
FFarad (Capacitance)
FCCFederal Communications Commission
FECForward Error Correction
FETField Effect Transistor
FHSSFrequency Hopping Spread Spectrum
FIPSFederal Information Processing Standard
FMFrequency Modulation
FM-NFrequency Modulation Narrow (Same as NFM)
FM-WFrequency Modulation Wide (Same as WFM)
FPGAField-Programmable Gate Array
FRSFamily Radio Service
FSKFrequency Shift Keying
FSTVFast Scan TeleVision (See also ATV)
FUNFunction
GFWGlobal Frequency Warning
GHzGigaHertz (1 GHz = 1000 MHz)
GMDSSGlobal Marine Distress and Safety System
GMRSGeneral Mobile Radio Service
GMSKGaussian Minimum Shift Keying
GNDGround
GPGround Plane
GPRGround Penetrating Radar
GPSGlobal Positioning System
GSMGlobal System for Mobile communication
GTOGeostationary Transfer Orbit
HHenry (Inductance)
HALTHighly AcceLerated Testing
HEOHigh Earth Orbit
HFHigh Frequency (3 - 30 MHz)
HRPTHigh Resolution Picture Transmission
HTHandie Talkie (Portable transceiver)
HzHertz
I/OInput/Output
IARUInternational Amateur Radio Union
ICIntegrated Circuit
ICSIntermittent Communication Service
IDIdentification
IDASIcom Digital Advanced System
IFIntermediate Frequency
IFSSInterference Free Signal Strength
IFTIntermediate Frequency Transformer
IPIngress Protection
IPIntercept Point
IRLPInternet Radio Linking Project
ISMIndustrial, Scientific & Medical
ISSInternational Space Station
ITARInternational Traffic in Arms Regulations
ITUInternational Telecommunication Union
IVTIn-Vehicle Technology
JEDECJoint Electronics Device Engineering Council
JFETJunction gate Field Effect Transistor
KDRKortDistansRadio (Swedish, = Short distance radio)
KHzKiloHertz (1 KHz = 1000 Hz)
LCRLast Channel Recall
LDMOSLaterally Diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor
LDOLow Drop Out
LEOLow Earth Orbit
LFLow Frequency (30 - 300 KHz)
LIDARLaser Imaging Detection And Ranging
LNALow Noise Amplifier
LNBLow Noise Block downconverter
LOSLoss Of Signal (or Satellite)
LPAMLow Power AM (Max 1 W in the UK)
LPDLow Power Device
LSBLower Side Band
LUFLowest Usable Frequency
LVDLow Voltage Directive
LVDSLow-Voltage Differential Signaling
LWLongWave
MCUMicroController Unit
MCWModulated Continuous Wave
MDSMinimum Discernable Signal
MECOMain Engine CutOff
MELFMetal Electrode Leadless Face
MELPMixed-Excitation Linear Predictive
MELPeMixed-Excitation Linear Predictive enhanced
MEPTManned Experimental Propagation Transmitter
MERModulation Error Ratio
MFMedium Frequency (300 - 3000 KHz)
MFMellanfekvens (Swedish) = Intermediate Frequency
MFSKMultiple Frequency Shift Keying
MHzMegaHertz (1 MHz = 1000 KHz)
MIMCOMarconi International Marine COmpany
MMIMan-Machine Interface
MMICMonolithic Microwave Integrated Circuit
MOSFETMetal Oxide Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor
MPPTMaximum Power Point Tracker (A type of solar charger)
MSKMinimum Shift Keying
MUFMaximum Usable Frequency
MURSMulti Use Radio System
MWMedium Wave
NNeill (A type of RF connector)
NAVTEXNAVigational TEleX
NBNoise Blanker
NDBNon-Direactional Beacon
NFMNarrow Frequency Modulation (Ambiguous, usually a BW of approximately 10 or 16 KHz, depending
on manufacturer, but in modern terms, a BW of max ~10 KHz (±2.5 KHz deviation) would be more correct)
NIMNetwork Interface Module (Basically a tuner and demodulator in one unit)
NOAANational Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration
NOMSNew Old Military Stock
NOSNew Old Stock
NPTHNon-Plated Through Holes
NRNoise Reduction
NRCNoise Reduction Circuit
NTSCNational Television Systems Committee. (525 lines)
NVISNear Vertical Incidence Skywave
OFDMOrthogonal Frequency Division Multiplexing
OIRTOrganisation Internationale de Radiodiffusion et de Television
OOKOn-Off Keying
PAPower Amplifier
PALPhase Alternating Line
PAMPulse Amplitude Modulation
PASPersonal Access System
PBTPass Band Tuning
PCBPrinted Circuit Board
PCMPulse Code Modulation
PDIPPlastic Dual In-line Package
PDSLPower line Digital Subscriber Line
PFCPower Factor Correction
PHEMTPseudomorphic High Electron Mobility Transistor
PHSPersonal Handy-phone System
PIMPassive InterModulation
PLPrivate Line (Same as CTCSS, but a Motorola trademark)
PLBPersonal Locating Beacon
PLCPower Line Communication/Carrier
PLLPhase Locked Loop
PLNPower Line Networking
PLTPower Line Telecom
PMPhase Modulation
PMRPersonal Mobile Radio
POCSAGPost Office Code Standardization Advisory Group
PPMPulse Position Modulation
PSKPhase Shift Keying
PSOCProgrammable System-On-Chip
PSOPPlastic Small Outline Package
PTHPlated Through Holes
PTSPost & TeleStyrelsen (Swedish Post & Telecom Agency)
PTTPush To Talk
QAMQuadrature Amplitude Modulation
QFNQuad Flat No-lead package
QFPQuad Flat Package
QPSKQuad Phase Shift Keying
QSOPQuarter size Outline Package
RACESRadio Amateur Civil Emergency Service
RADARRAdio Detection And Ranging
RAKELRAdioKommunikation för Effektiv Ledning. The police/fire/ambulance TETRA network in Sweden
RAPSRäddningstjänst, Ambulans, Polis och SOS Alarm (Sweden)
RDDRadar detector detector
RDFRadio Direction Finding
REDRadio Equipment Directive
RFRadio Frequency
RFIDRadio Frequency IDentification
RITReceiver Incremental Tuning
RMDRReciprocal Mixing Dynamic Range
RMSRoot Mean Square
RORadio Operator
RoHSRestriction of certain Hazardous Substances
RPTRepeater
RSGBRadio Society of Great Britain
RSSRadio Service Software (Motorola)
RSSIReceived Signal Strength Indicator
R&TTERadio & Telecommunications Terminal Equipment
RTTYRadio TeleTYpe
RXReceive/Receiver
RöVRöntgenverordnung (X-ray regulation), in Germany
SAMESpecific Area Message Encoding
SARSearch And Rescue
SARLSouth African Radio League
SARTSearch And Rescue Transponder
SCRSilicon Controlled Rectifier (A type of thyristor)
SDRSoftware Defined Radio
SHFSuper High Frequency (3 - 30 GHz)
SINEThe police/fire/ambulance TETRA network in Denmark
SIMMSingle In-line Memory Module
SIPSingle In-line Package
SIPPSingle In-line Pin Package
SIRESPThe police/fire/ambulance TETRA network in Portugal
SITORSImplex Telex Over Radio
SKSilent Key (Deceased)
SMASurface-Mount Assembly (Module assembled with SMT)
SMCSurface-Mount Components
SMDSurface-Mount Device
SMPSurface-Mount Packages (SMD case forms)
SMTSurface-Mount Technology
SoCSystem-On-a-Chip
SODSmall Outline Diode
SOICSmall Outline Integrated Circuit
SOJSmall Outline J-leaded package
SOPSmall Outline Package
SOTSmall Outline Transistor
SRBRShort Range Business Radio
SRDShort Range Device
SSBSingle Side Band
SSDVSlow Scan Digital Video - A packetised digital form of SSTV
SSOPShrink Small Outline Package
SSPASolid State Power Amplifier
SSRSecondary Surveillance Radar
SSTSpread Spectrum Technology
SSTVSlow Scan TeleVision
STSSpecial Telecommunications Service. The police/fire/ambulance TETRA network in Romania
SWShortwave
SwMISwitching and Management Infrastructure
SWRStanding Wave Ratio
TACTalkAround Channel
TACSTotal Access Communication System. A variant of AMPS
TBSTETRA Base Station
TCATime of Closest Approach
TCXOTemperature Compensated Xtal Oscillator
TDMATime Division Multiple Access
TDOATime Difference Of Arrival
TEATETRA Encryption Algorithm
TEPTransEquatorial Propagation
TETRATErrestial Trunked RAdio
TETRONThe police/fire/ambulance TETRA network in Austria
THzTeraHertz (1 THz = 1000 GHz)
TMCTraffic Message Channel
TMOTrunked Mode Operation (TETRA)
TNCTerminal Node Controller (Basically a packet modem with advanced functions)
TNCThreaded Neill Concelman (A type of RF connector)
TSTuning Steps
TSOPThin Small Outline Package
TSOTThin Small Outline Transistor
TSSOPThin Shrink Small Outline Package
TT&CTelemtry, Tracking and Command
TVTeleVision
TWSTraffic Warning System (Safety alerts)
TXTransmit/Transmitter
UHFUltra High Frequency (300 - 3000 MHz)
UMTSUniversal Mobile Telephone System
USBUpper Side Band
VVolt
VccPositive supply (originally on a bipolar component). Most common in all modern IC datasheets
VddPositive supply (originally on a FET/CMOS component)
VDMOSVertical laterally Double-diffused Metal Oxide Semiconductor
VeeNegative supply or ground (originally on a bipolar component). Most modern datasheets now refers to Gnd
VFDVacuum Fluorescent Display
VFOVariable Frequency Oscillator
VHFVery High Frequency (30 - 300 MHz)
VIRVEThe police/fire/ambulance TETRA network in Finland
VLFVery Low Frequency (3 - 30 KHz)
VMSKVery Minimum Shift Keying
VNAVector Network Analyzer
VoIPVoice over Internet Protocol
VORVHF Omnidirectional Radio range
VOXVoice Operated switch / Voice Operated eXchange
VPAVoltage Probe Antenna
VppProgramming voltage (usually on a memory chip or MCU)
VSBVestigial Side Band
WSPRWeak Signal Propagation Reporter
VssNegative supply or ground (originally on a FET/CMOS component). Most modern datasheets now refers to Gnd
VSWRVoltage Standing Wave Ratio
VTSVessel Traffic Service
VTVMVacuum Tube VoltMeter
WDECTWideband Digital Enhanced Cordless Telecommunications
WEEEWaste Electrical and Electronic Directive
WFMWide Frequency Modulation (Normal broadcast FM quality, about 150-230 KHz BW)
WiRES-IIWide-coverage InteRnet Enhancement System version 2 (A VoIP system introduced in 2002 by Yaesu)
WVDCWorking Volts Direct Current
XFCTransmit Frequency Check
XITTransmitter Incremental Tuning
XTALCrystal
ZFZwischenFrequenz (German) = Intermediate frequency