A TRIAC is used in AC power control applications in order to switch high voltages over both parts of the AC waveform. As a result, TRIAC circuits are used in a number of applications that require power switching. The TRIAC was developed after the thyristor, which controls AC current over one half of the cycle. …
A Ham radio antenna tower is usually a metal tower that hams use to support their antennas. There's also an interesting story behind birth of the terms Ham or amateur radio. The actual signification of the term 'ham' was lost but there are several theories that explain its provenience. For example some say it was …
A spot beam is a beam of radio signals that is directed towards a specific area on the Earth’s surface. Spot beams are the opposite of broad beams, which are beams that are directed towards a large area of the Earth’s surface. While broad beams are used for general telecommunication and surveillance, spot beams are …
Ham Radio Software, also known as Amateur Radio Software, refers to computer programs designed exclusively for ham radio equipment. Once thought to be a means of communication between radio enthusiasts, ham radio now coexists with software including data and contest loggers, log books, Morse code tutors, and antenna design aids. In the 21st century there …
Uplink refers to a transmission of data in which data flows from a ground-based transmitter to an orbital satellite receiver. Uplink is used to send data to a satellite in Earth’s orbit in order to make changes to the way the satellite functions or simply redirect data to another ground-based receiver. Uplink is used in …
An electrical shunt is a component used to transfer currents away from parts of a circuit. Components used as shunts include the resistor, capacitor, diode, and gas discharge tube. The main uses for electrical shunts are to reduce current load in meters, filter out high frequencies, and protect circuits from surges. The term shunt is …
The Frequency-Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) is a means of transmitting radio signals by shifting a carrier across a number of channels with a pseudorandom sequence that the sending and receiving station knows beforehand. The method is used as a multiple access process in the FH-CDMA (Frequency Hopping Code Division Multiple Access) transmission scheme. What Are …
Four digit security codes protect Kenwood car stereos from theft. If a thief steals a Kenwood car stereo, he/she will not be able to use the stereo until the secret four digit security code is entered. Unfortunately, many legitimate owners are also locked out of their Kenwood car stereos due to these security codes. This …
Azimuth is a measurement at an angle used in the spherical coordinate system. To find a point of interest, the observer creates a vector that is then projected in a perpendicular fashion onto a reference plane. The resulting angle between the projected vector and the reference vector located on the reference plane is the azimuth. …
In order to understand how sunspots effect radio reception, you need to understand that the light waves and radio waves that the sun emits are both categorized as electromagnetic (EM) radiation. While light waves are visible to the human eye, they are still electromagnetic waves that oscillate. There are many electro magnetic waves, some oscillate …