Glossary of Frequently Used Shortwave Radio Terms

There are many terms and abbreviations used by amateur radio enthusiasts, and if you are going to get involved in this hobby, you will need to know them. Below are some of the most used amateur radio terms and their definitions.

American Radio Relay League (ARRL): The US national association for ham operators.

Amplitude Modulation (AM): Changes the power output of a transmitter to go along with changes in the modulating audio signal.

Association of North American Radio Clubs (ANARC): An association for amateur radio listener clubs.

Audio Filter: Rejects frequencies. Bandpass filters reject frequencies that are lower than a specific frequency, while low pass filters reject frequencies that are higher than a specific frequency.

Automatic Gain Control (AGC): Helps keep volume at a constant level.

Band: Frequency range

Bandwidth: How much frequency space is in a signal.

Beacon: A station that makes one-way transmissions for navigation.

Beat Frequency Oscillator (BFO): This allows the user to be able to receive CW, FSK and SSB signals.

Broadcast Listener (BCL): Someone who listens to amateur radio just for program content.

Call Sign: A group of letters that identify a radio station.

Channel: Frequency

Continuous Wave (CW): Output of a radio that is constant, but can be interrupted for the sending and receiving of Morse code messages.

Control Operator: A person who operates an amateur radio station.

CQ: A general call sent out by stations in hopes that others will receive it. Calling CQ shows that stations will communicate.

Cutoff Frequency: A filter will reject signals after a specific frequency.

Continuous Wave (CW): Constant transmitter out output that can be interrupted to send and receive Morse code messages.

Decibel (Db): Basically, a level of power.

Delay: The length of time between transmissions.

Digital Signal Processing (DSP): This converts analog signals to digital, processes information, then returns the signals back to their original analog form.

DXing: Listening to distant radio stations, D meaning distant, X meaning transmitter or radio.

Dynamic Range: This is a measurement of the strongest signal that your receiver can handle. Measured in decibels (dB), the minimum measurement you should strive for is 70 dB, although it is preferable for it to be more than 100 dB.

Feedline: Cable that connects an antenna to a receiver.

Filter: Allows certain frequencies to pass through and rejects others.

Frequency: Basically, a station number on your dial. A group of frequencies makes up a band.

Frequency Steps: Tuning or scanning of a frequency in steps.

Gigahertz (GHz): Equal to 1,000 MHz or 1,000,000 KHz

Greenwich Mean Time (GMT): International time and date system.

Ground: A connection point that is does not conduct electricity.

Ground Wave: A radio wave that is propagated along the surface of the earth.

Handle: An amateur radio operator’s name.

Hertz (Hz): One cycle of a radio wave per second.

High Frequency (HF): Frequencies that range from 3 to 30 MHz.

Hyperscan: Extremely fast scanning in a receiver. Also known as turbo scan.

Input Frequency: Repeater stations listen to this frequency to locate signals to retransmit.

Ionosphere: The part of the Earth’s atmosphere that is electrically charged, between 40 and 400 miles above the surface of the earth.

Ionospheric Storm: The sun’s release of charged particles which can cause interference.

Longwave (LW): Radio signals that are 300 KHz or less.

Lower SideBand (LSB): Your transmitter's carrier has a higher frequency than the sideband.

Kilohertz (KHz): 1,000 hertz.

Kilowatt (kW): 1,000 watts of transmitter power.

Lockout: Removing a channel from a scanner.

Lower Sideband (LSB): This sideband has a lower frequency than the transmitter’s carrier.

Lowest Usable Frequency (LSB): The lowest frequency that can be used for short wave.

Medium Wave (MW): Radio signals that are between 300 and 3000 Khz.

Megahertz (MHz): 1,000,000 hertz or 1,000 kilohertz.

Megawatt: 1,000,000 watts of transmission power.

Memories: Basically, these are pre-set frequencies.

Mobile Station: A two-way radio unit in that you would use wile in motion, in a car, for example.

Modulated CW: Sending Morse code, using audio, over an AM transmitter.

Narrow-Band (NBFM): In the higher frequencies, and mainly used for military communications.

Noise Blanker: Reduces, but does not eliminate, static (noise) caused by outside interference, including power lines, appliances, storms and more.

Open Repeater: A repeater station that anyone can use.

Out: Lets others know you have finished the transmission.

Over: The word used to let someone know that it is their turn to transmit.

Pass: When satellite signals can be heard on the ground.

Passband Tuning: Lets the user move the tuner slightly above or below the intended frequency, to provide a better signal.

Patch: The connection between a two-way radio and a telephone.

Path: The route from the transmitter to the receiver.

Priority Channel: Your scanner will automatically tune into this channel when it is available.

Propogation: How signals travel from transmitting stations to receiving stations.

Quad: Directional antenna.

Radio teletype (RTTY): Displays letters or numbers on a monitor.

Real Time: Transmissions with no delay.

Receiver Incremental Tuning (RIT): Allows radio tuning in steps.

Repeater: A station that receives signals on one frequency, and transmits them on another.

RF Gain: Adjust sensitivity of the receiver.

Scanning: The name pretty much explains itself. Your receiver will automatically tune through a number of frequencies, stopping wherever there is a signal.

Sensitivity: How a radio reacts to weak signals.

Shack: Where your station is located and operates .

Short Wave (SW): Radio signals that are between 1.7 MHz and 30 MHz.

Sideband (SB): This is a signal that is the same as the bandwidth of the modulating frequency, either higher or lower than am AM frequency. This is needed for most voice communications.

Single Side Band (SSB): Suppresses one sideband and transmit’s the other.

Squelch: Helps to quiet audio until you get above the level of audio you seek.

Time Out: If your transmission is too long, the repeater’s timer circuit will stop sending.

Transceiver: A combination transmitter and receiver.

Transponder: Emits a signal when it receives a signal on certain frequencies.

Trunking: Switching incoming signals between repeater stations for the prevention of interference.

Ultra High Frequency (UHF): Radio signals that are between 300 and 3000 MHz.

UHF Low: Frequencies between 450 and 470 MHz.

UHF-T: Frequencies between 470 and 512 MHz.

Upper Side Band (USB): Sideband that has a higher frequency than the transmitter’s carrier.

Variable Bandwidth Tuning: Enables receiver selectivity to be constantly changing.

Very High Frequency (VHF): Radio signals that are between 30 to 300 Mhz.

VHF High Band: Frequencies between 150 and 175 MHz.

VHF Low Band: Frequencies between 30 and 300 MHz.

VOX: A circuit that turns a transmitter on and off when the microphone is in use.

Wavelength: The distance between two specific points on two radio waves.

The following are radiotelegraph communications abbreviations:

QRL: frequency is busy.

QRM: interference.

QRN: static

QRO: increase transmitter power

QRP: reduce transmitter power

QRS: send more slowly

QRT: stop transmitting

QRU: I do not have any messages for you

QRV: Ready to communicate

QRX: Wait

QRZ: Who is this?

QSL: I confirm

QSO: contact between two or more stations

QSY: change frequency

QST: a transmission for all amateur radio operators

QTH: station location