New Ham Operator FAQ and Terminology

(numeral)-(Centi-)Meter Band

Examples:

6-meter band = approx. 50 MHz

2-meter band = 144-148 Mhz

70-centimeter band = 440 MHz

10-minute Rule

FCC Requirement: give your FCC Amateur Call Sign every 10 minutes or less, during a conversation, AND at the End of the Conversation.
more at Tymkrs.tumblr.com
more at W5YI.org

73

"So long!", typically used at end of a Ham conversation ("QSO")

AGM Battery

AGM (absorbed glass mat) is a special design glass mat designed to wick the battery electrolyte between the battery plates. AGM batteries contain only enough liquid to keep the mat wet with the electrolyte and if the battery is broken no free liquid is available to leak out.
More at BatteryStuff.com

Analog

A less common definition is radio receiver and transmitter implementations that are based on digital signal processing, but may transmit or receive analog radio transmission standards, for example FM radio.
More at ExplainThatStuff.com

APRS

Automatic Packet Reporting System (APRS) is an amateur radio-based system for real time tactical digital communications of information of immediate value in the local area. In addition, all such data are ingested into the APRS Internet System (APRS-IS) and distributed globally for ubiquitous and immediate access.
more on APRS at Wikipedia.org
more at APRS.org
more at Amateur-Radio-Wiki.net

ARES

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES) consists of licensed amateurs who have voluntarily registered their qualifications and equipment, with their local ARES leadership, for communications duty in the public service when disaster strikes. 
more on ARES at ARRL.org

ARL (ref. NTS): ARRL Numbered Radiograms

Numbered messages have been established for some of the more common texts sent during emergencies and holiday seasons. When this common text can be used, an ARL NUMBER is substituted for the text and sent. The delivering station reads the actual text to the address, not the ARL NUMBER.
The letters ARL are inserted in the preamble in the check and in the text before spelled out numbers, which represent texts from this list. Note that  ARL is included in the text before spelled out numbers, which represent texts from this list. Note that some ARL texts include insertion of numerals or words.
More at NTS.EMA.ARRL.org
more at TexasTrafficNet.org
More on Public Service abbreviations at ARRL.org

ARRL: Amateur Radio Relay League, ("The League")

ARRL is the national association for Amateur Radio in the US. Founded in 1914 by Hiram Percy Maxim as The American Radio Relay League, ARRL is a noncommercial organization of radio amateurs. ARRL numbers within its ranks the vast majority of active radio amateurs in the nation and has a proud history of achievement as the standard-bearer in amateur affairs. ARRL’s underpinnings as Amateur Radio’s witness, partner and forum are defined by five pillars: Public Service, Advocacy, Education, Technology, and Membership. 

The ARRL web site

Balun

an electrical device that converts between a balanced signal (two signals working against each other where ground is irrelevant) and an unbalanced signal (a single signal working against ground or pseudo-ground).

More at Wikipedia.org

California Condor Connection (massively linked repeater system)

Condor Connection web site

Conventional Radio

Conventional system is the most basic radio communications system. Conventional, as its name implies, refers to a "traditional" method of frequency utilization. Conventional radios operate on fixed channels and each user group is permanently assigned a fixed frequency or a set of frequencies.
More at About2wayRadio.com

Cross-band Repeater

Cross-band repeating is a relatively inexpensive means for extending the range of handheld radios.
Many mobile-type dual-band radios (VHF/UHF) can receive signals on one band, and simultaneously re-transmit on the other band.  With the proper settings, a dual-band FM mobile can "repeat", for example, signals heard from a VHF repeater at some distance away, to a UHF handie-talkie carried by an Operator inside a building, or down in a ravine, as well as in the other direction.
More at CVARC.org

CW

"Continuous Wave" aka Morse Code transmission

Decibel

a unit used to measure the intensity of a sound or the power level of an electrical signal by comparing it with a given level on a logarithmic scale.

(in general use) a degree of loudness. "his voice went up several decibels"

Digital Radio

Today the most common meaning is digital radio broadcasting technologies. In these systems, the analog audio signal is digitized, compressed using formats such as mp2, and transmitted using a digital modulation scheme.
Examples:

• More on D-Star from Icom, Inc.
• More on System Fusion from Yaesu/Vertex
• More on DMR from Motorola

More on Digital Radio at Wikipedia.org

Duplex

simultaneous transmission and reception;
e.g. Landline or Cellular Telephone

More on Duplex Communications at Wikipedia.org

EchoLink

EchoLink is a computer-based Amateur Radio system distributed free of charge that allows radio amateurs to communicate with other amateur radio operators using Voice over IP (VoIP) technology on the Internet for at least part of the path between them.

[ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Echolink More on EchoLink at Wikipedia.org]

[1]

Elmer

An experienced Ham who helps a New Ham.

Evergreen Intertie

The Evergreen Intertie is an interconnected group of amateur radio repeaters located in the Northwestern United States. FM repeaters operating in the VHF and UHF bands are interconnected (linked) by full duplex UHF radios. The network is open to all licensed amateurs, and access codes are available. 

[More at EvergreenIntertie.org]

FEMA

The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) is an agency of the United States Department of Homeland Security, initially created by Presidential Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1978 and implemented by two Executive Orders on April 1, 1979.
More at FEMA.gov
Specific to EmComm: ICS online Education and Testing (see "ICS")

More on ICS Training and Resources at FEMA.gov

FL-Digi

a suite of free software programs for sending/receiving digital information via Narrow-Band frequencies, including repeaters.

see NBEMS

Half-Duplex

(of a communications system or computer circuit) allowing the transmission of signals in both directions but not simultaneously.
During a radio conversation using a repeater, such as on UHF or VHF frequencies, the repeater is operating in Full-Duplex, meaning it is Transmitting on one frequency, and simultaneously receiving on another frequency.  The 2 (or more) Ham Operators are each either Transmitting or Receiving, but not simultaneously.

Ham Radio: What Is Ham Radio?

More at HowStuffWorks.com

HF

"High Frequency", usually refers to frequency bands below 50 MHz.

HT

"Handie-Talkie", a hand-held radio.

ICS

ICS

Incident Command System

A method of organizing multiple resources, agencies, and personnel so that everyone knows where they belong in the "org chart", and everybody uses the same Clear Language in communications and documentation.

see also FEMA

IRLP

The Internet Radio Linking Project, also called IRLP, is a closed-source project that links amateur radio stations around the world by using Voice over IP (VoIP). Each gateway consists of a dedicated computer running custom software that is connected to both a radio and the Internet.
More on IRLP at Wikipedia.org
[www.IRLP.net  More on IRLP at IRLP.net]

Machine: ham jargon for a Radio Repeater.

"I’m hearing you through the machine just fine!"

Morse Code (aka "CW")

Morse code is a method of sending text messages by keying in a series of electronic pulses, usually represented as a short pulse (called a "dot") and a long pulse (a "dash"). The code was devised by Samuel F. B. Morse in the 1840s to work with his invention of the telegraph, the first invention to effectively exploit electromagnetism for long-distance communication. The early telegrapher, often one who was at a railroad station interconnected with others along miles of telegraph pole lines, would tap a key up and down to send a succession of characters that the receiving telegrapher could read from tape (later operators learned to read the transmissions simply by listening). In the original version, the key down separated by a pause (key up) from the next letter was a dot (or, as it sounded to the telegrapher, a "dit") and the key down quickly twice in succession was a dash (a "dah" or "dit-dit"). Each text character was represented by a dot, dash, or some combination.
More on Morse Code at Wikipedia.org
More on CW at Amateur-Radio-Wiki.net

NBEMS

Narrow Band Emergency Messaging Software (NBEMS) is an Open Source software suite that allows amateur radio operators to reliably send and receive data using nearly any computer (Windows, Mac, and Linux) and any analog radio without requiring a dedicated digital infrastructure or specialized modem hardware. NBEMS works on both VHF/UHF FM and on HF. 

[2] More at W1HKJ.com Download FL-digi programs from SourceForge.net

NBEMS: digital modes on voice channels

More at KB9UKD.com
Examples of Digital Modes
Listen to Audio of various Digital Modes
More at WB8NUT.com
More at W1HKJ on Fldigi
Signal Identification Guide
List of Amateur Radio Modes
Digital Modes Samples
More at ARRL.org on Digital Data Modes
some Digital Modes on YouTube.com
More at W4CN.org on Digital Modes

Net

an organized, often scheduled, group conversation on a frequency or repeater
More on Wikipedia

[http:/www.amateur-radio-wiki.net/index.php?title=Nets More on Amateur-Radio-Wiki.net]

NTS: National Traffic System

The National Traffic System (NTS) is an organized network of amateur radio operators sponsored by the American Radio Relay League for the purpose of relaying messages throughout the US and Canada.
National Traffic System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Radio: What Is Radio?

[http:/electronics.howstuffworks.com/radio.htm More at HowStuffWorks.com on Radio]

Sealed Lead-Acid Battery

A VRLA battery (valve-regulated lead-acid battery), more commonly known as a sealed battery or maintenance free battery, is a type of lead-acid rechargeable battery. Due to their construction, they can be mounted in any orientation, and do not require constant maintenance. 
VRLA battery - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia More at Wikipedia.org=

Simplex

Simplex: direct between 2 or more radios, no repeater involved.
Simplex communication is a communication channel that sends information in one direction only. A "duplex" communication channel requires two simplex channels operating in opposite directions.
[3]

Spectrum

In telecommunication, a band - sometimes called a frequency band - is a specific range of frequencies in the radio frequency (RF) spectrum, which is divided among ranges from very low frequencies (vlf) to extremely high frequencies (ehf). Each band has a defined upper and lower frequency limit.
More at Dictionary.Reference.com

Talk-Around

"TA": commercial radios use "Talk-Around" to refer to bypassing the repeater, i.e., Simplex Communication, direct radio-to-radio.   Generally a "TA" switch on the radio itself.

Trunking Radio

The concept of "trunking" is taken from telephone company technology and practice. It refers to the sharing of common "resources" among a number of different users on the same system without overhearing or interfering with each other\’s conversations. Trunked takes advantage of the probability that in any given number of user units, not everyone will need "resources" access at the same time. Therefore with a given number of users, fewer discrete "resources" are required.
[4]

Vancouver Island Ham Network

"Island Trunk System"

[http:/www.islandtrunksystem.org/cms/ The Vancouver Island Trunk System site]

WIN System: Western Intertie Network System

The WIN System is a series of 71 linked, or Intertied repeaters, most are 440, or UHF repeaters, but we have some 2-meter and 220 repeaters as well, that cover a great deal of California, 16 States, and four Countries around the world.  The WIN System is owned and operated by Shorty, K6JSI, with a lot of help from the faithful WIN System membership.
The WIN System is an OPEN Repeater system.  It is not a Closed or a Private system.

We like to call it a ‘member supported’ system. We encourage all hams to stop in and get acquainted. However it is the membership that keeps the WIN System ‘on the air.’ Membership is open to any licensed amateur radio operator who wants to get involved with a growing, vibrant group, on the leading edge of technology. More at WinSystem.org

Winlink 2000

Winlink 2000 is a versatile digital network messaging technology that allows radio operators to send e-mail messages over HF, VHF or UHF frequencies to other radio operators, and virtually every e-mail address available.
More at Winlink.org

WWARA

Western Washington Amateur Relay Association: provides Frequency Coordination for the Western Washington region.
[5]

Yagi Antenna

a highly directional radio antenna made of several short rods mounted across an insulating support and transmitting or receiving a narrow band of frequencies.
[6]