In a very simple sense, a capacitor is a device that stores energy in an electric field between two charged "plates" for a short period of time. The electric charge is then used or dissipated at an appropriate time. The capacitor essentially works along the same lines as the battery you might find in a …
A rheostat is an electrical component that has an adjustable resistance. It is a type of potentiometer that has two terminals instead of three. The two main types of rheostat are the rotary and slider. The symbol for a rheostat is a resistor symbol with an arrow diagonally across it. Rheostats are used in many …
A multimeter is used to take measurements of electrical properties for a circuit such as the voltage, current, or resistance. A modern multimeter combines the abilities of legacy voltmeters, ohmmeters, and ammeters. Some of the uses of a multimeter include electrical testing on electrical power sources, motors, and other electrical circuits or components. They are …
A solid state relay is a device that controls voltage to allow or prevent a voltage or current from passing through a circuit without using any moving parts. Solid state relays are commonly found in control systems that use large amounts of power and must be switched on and off on a regular basis. Solid …
Amplitude modulation is a type of modulation where the carrier signal’s amplitude is varied in accordance with the information bearing signal. The amplitude modulated signal’s envelope or boundary embeds the information bearing signal. The total power of the transmitted signal varies with the modulating signal, whereas the carrier power remains constant. A nonlinear device combines …
Capacitive reactance is a term used to describe an effect in capacitors that causes the capacitor’s resistance to change depending on changes in the electric field passing through it. Capacitive reactance is similar to resistance in that it can allow or block varying amounts of voltage in a circuit, but is different because it is …
Yagi Antennas are one of the most well-known directional antennas in use throughout the world and are used for communications in the medium range of three to five miles between two points. They can also be used as a bridge antenna to connect clients to an access point. The original inventors of the antenna design …
The Ku band (Kurtz-under band) is primarily used for satellite communications, particularly for editing and broadcasting satellite television. This band is split into multiple segments broken down into geographical regions, as the ITU (International Telecommunication Union) determines. The Ku band is a portion of the electromagnetic spectrum in the microwave range of frequencies ranging from …
More properly known as the Bayonet Neill-Concelman connector, the BNC connector is one of several radio frequency connectors on the market today. The name of the connector is derived from a combination of two things: 1) the connecting technology employed; and 2) the names of the two inventors of the device. Paul Neill of Bell …
A photodetector is a device that imprints the image of an object or scene onto a material. Photodetectors are made in various ways and can be used for different purposes. Most photodetectors fall into the phototube, thermal detector, or camera category. These photodetectors are used for communication, navigation, and record keeping. Types of Photodetectors Phototube …