SWLz Dictionary

amateur radio: A hobby and service in which participants, also known as hams, use various types of radio communications equipment to communicate with other radio amateurs for public service, recreation, as well as self-training.

amateur radio operator: An individual who typically uses equipment at an amateur radio station to engage in two-way personal communications with other similar individuals on radio frequencies assigned to the amateur radio service. Amateur radio operators are credited with the discovery of long distance communication on shortwave bands.

amateur radio station: A facility equipped for radio communications in the amateur radio service.

Amplitude Modulation (AM): A method of electronic communication most commonly used for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave.

call sign: A unique designation for a transmitting station. Any amateur radio station on the air must identify itself with a call sign issued by the authorized authority of the country in which the station is located.

Citizens’ Band (CB) radio: A system of short-distance, simplex radio communications between individuals on a selection of 40 channels within the 27 MHz (11 meter) band.

Digital Radio Mondiale: A set of digital audio broadcasting technologies designed to work over the bands currently used for AM broadcast, particularly shortwave.

Digital Signal Processing (DSP): The study and processing of audio signals in a digital representation.