Acronyms and Abbreviations Used by the RF/Microwave Industry: Part II

Part two of a two-part list of acronyms and abbreviations used in Microwave Journal articles over the past few years follows. Part one appeared in the February issue.

  • GMDSS Global Maritime Distress Signal System
  • GMSK Gaussian-filtered minimum-shift keying
  • GPIB general-purpose interface bus
  • GPR ground-penetrating radar
  • GPRS General Packet Radio Service
  • GPS Global Positioning System/Satellite
  • GSM Global System for Mobile communications
  • GSM-900 Group Speciale Mobile (European GSM)
  • GSO geostationary orbit
  • G/T receive antenna gain divided by noise temperature
  • HARM high speed antiradiation missile
  • HBT heterojunction bipolar transistor
  • HDSL high bit-rate digital subscriber line
  • HDTV high definition television
  • HEMT high electron mobility transistor
  • HEO high eliptical orbit (satellite)
  • HFC hybrid fiber/coax
  • HFET heterostructure field-effect transistor
  • HGA high gain antenna
  • HLR home location register
  • HMIC hybrid microwave integrated circuit
  • HPA high power amplifier
  • HTS high temperature superconductor
  • IBW instantaneous bandwidth
  • IC integrated circuit
  • IDECM integrated defense electronic countermeasures
  • IDFT inverse discrete Fourier transform
  • IDT interdigital transducer
  • IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
  • IF intermediate frequency
  • IFF identification friend or foe
  • IFM instantaneous frequency measurement
  • IGBT insulated-gate bipolar transistor
  • IGFET insulated-gate field-effect transistor
  • IM intermodulation
  • IMD intermodulation distortion
  • IMDN Intelligent Mobile Data Network
  • IMEI international mobile equipment identity
  • IMP intermodulation products
  • IMPATT impact avalanche and transit time
  • IMR intermodulation rejection
  • IMSI international mobile subscriber identity
  • INMARSAT International Maritime Satellite (organization)
  • INS inertial navigation system
  • IPBO input power backoff
  • IPC Institute for Interconnecting and Packaging Electronic Circuits
  • IPS integrated power systems
  • IQ in phase/quadrature
  • IR infrared
  • IRA impulse radiating antennas
  • IS-95 North American cellular standard
  • ISAR inverse synthetic-aperture radar
  • ISDN integrated services digital network
  • ISI intersymbol interference
  • ISM industrial, scientific and medical (frequency bands)
  • ISO International Standards Organization
  • ITM-2000 International Mobile Telecommunication 2000
  • ITS intelligent transportation systems
  • ITU International Telecommunication Union
  • IVHS Intelligent Vehicle Highway System
  • JDC Japanese Digital Cellular
  • JEDEC Joint Electronic Device Engineering Council
  • JFET junction field-effect transistor
  • JPEG Joint Picture Experts Group (compression standard)
  • KGD known-good die
  • LAN local area network
  • LAO LaAlO3 (substrate)
  • LC inductor/capacitor
  • LCD liquid-crystal display
  • LD laser diode
  • LEC liquid encapsulated Czochralski (semi-insulating substrate)
  • LEO low earth orbit (satellite)
  • LHCP left-hand circular polarization
  • LIDAR light direction and ranging
  • LMS location and monitoring services
  • LNA low noise amplifier
  • LNB low noise block
  • LNBF low noise block feed
  • LO local oscillator
  • LOS line of sight
  • LPE lowpass equivalent
  • LPF lowpass filter
  • LPI low probability of intercept
  • LRRM line-reflect-reflect-match
  • LSG large-signal gain
  • LTCC low temperature cofired ceramic
  • LTP long-term predictor
  • MAC medium access control
  • MBA multibeam antenna
  • MBE molecular beam epitaxy
  • MCE manufacturing cycle efficiency
  • MCF message communication function
  • MCL microstrip constrained lens
  • MCM multichip module
  • MCPA multicarrier power amplifier
  • MCPW microstrip coplanar waveguide
  • MCT metal-oxide semiconductor-controlled thyristor
  • MDS multipoint distribution system
  • MEADS medium extended air defense system
  • MESFET metal semiconductor field-effect transistor
  • MEO medium earth orbit (satellite)
  • MIM metal-insulator-metal (capacitor)
  • MIMIC millimeter-wave and microwave integrated circuit (program)
  • MIR microwave impulse radar
  • MLC main lobe clutter
  • MLCM multilevel coded modulation
  • MLDD matched-line directional divider
  • MMC metal-matrix composite
  • MMI man-machine interface
  • MMIC monolithic microwave integrated circuit
  • MMW millimeter wave
  • MOCVD metal-organic chemical vapor deposition
  • MODEM modulator/demodulator
  • MoM method of moments
  • MOS metal-oxide semiconductor
  • MPEG Motion Picture Experts Group
  • MPIE mixed potential integral equation
  • MPM microwave power module
  • MQW multiquantum well
  • MQW-FP multiquantum well Fabry-Perot optical transmitter
  • MS mobile station
  • MSBVW magnetostatic backward volume waves
  • MSC mobile switching center
  • MSFVW magnetostatic forward volume waves
  • MSI medium-scale integration
  • MSMT micro surface-mount technology
  • MSOP mini (micro) small outline package
  • MSS mobile satellite system
  • MSSW magnetostatic surface waves
  • MSW magnetostatic wave
  • MTA microwave transition analyzer
  • MTBF mean time between failures
  • MTD moving-target detection
  • MTI moving-target indicator
  • MTTF mean time to failure
  • MU minimum stability factor
  • MUNDI multiplexed network for distributed and interactive services (UK)
  • MUX multiplexer
  • MVDS multipoint video distribution system
  • NADC North American Dual-mode (or Digital-mode) Cellular
  • N-AMPS narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone System/Service
  • NEMA National Electrical Manufacturers Association
  • NGA noise gain analyzer
  • NGSO nongeostationary orbit
  • NIC network interface card (WLAN)
  • NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
  • NMC network management center
  • NMR nuclear magnetic resonance
  • NODS near obstacle detection system
  • NPR noise power ratio
  • NPRM notice of proposed rule making
  • NQR nuclear quadruple resonance
  • NRZ nonreturn to zero
  • NSSN National Standards System Network
  • NTSC National Television Systems Committee
  • OAD optical admittance diagram
  • OBU onboard unit
  • OCDMA orthogonal code-division multiple access
  • OCPAR optically controlled phased-array radar
  • OCXO oven-controlled crystal oscillator
  • OEIC optoelectronic integrated circuit
  • OEM original equipment manufacturer
  • OFDM orthogonal frequency-division multiplex
  • OFHC oxygen-free high conductivity (copper)
  • OFS operational fixed service
  • OMC operations and maintenance center
  • OOK on-off keying
  • OPBO output power backoff
  • OPIP output power intercept point
  • OPLL optical phase-locked loop
  • OQPSK offset-quadrature phase-shift keying
  • OSI open systems interconnection
  • OTDR optical time-domain reflectometer
  • OTH over the horizon
  • PA power amplifier
  • PAA phased-array antenna
  • PACS personal access communications system (US version of PHS)
  • pACT personal air communications technology
  • PAE power-added efficiency
  • PAL programmable array logic
  • PAL phase-alternation line (video)
  • PAM pulse amplitude modulation
  • PAN public-access network
  • PBX personal branch exchange
  • PCI peripheral component interconnect
  • PCIA Personal Communication Industry Association
  • PCM pulse code modulation
  • PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association
  • PCN personal communications network
  • PCS personal communications service
  • PCU power conditioning unit
  • PD pulsed Doppler
  • PDC personal digital cellular
  • PDF probability distribution function
  • PDH plesiochronous-digital hierarchy
  • PDIP plastic dual-in-line package
  • PEBB power electronic building block
  • PECVD plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition
  • PEEC partial element equivalent circuit
  • PEP peak envelope power
  • PEP primary entry point
  • PHEMT psuedomorphic high electron mobility transistor
  • PHP Personal Handyphone, JPHP (Japan, 1895.15 to 1905.15 MHz)
  • PHS personal handyphone system (Japan)
  • PHY physical layer (WLAN)
  • PIC photonic integrated circuit
  • PIM passive intermodulation
  • PIN positive-intrinsic-negative (diode junction)
  • PLL phase-locked loop
  • PLMN private land mobile network
  • PM phase modulation
  • PMD polarization-mode dispersion
  • PMOS positive metal-oxide semiconductor
  • PMR private mobile radio
  • PN pseudorandom noise
  • PNF planar near field (range)
  • PON passive optical network
  • POCSAG Post Office Code Standardization Advisory Group (paging)
  • POFS private operational fixed service
  • POTS plain-old telephone service
  • PPM periodic permanent magnet (focused)
  • PPM pulse position modulation
  • PQFP plastic quad flat pack
  • PRBS pseudorandom binary/bit sequence
  • PRF pulse repetition frequency
  • PROM programmable read-only memory
  • PSA polysilicoelf-aligned (bipolar transistor)
  • PSD power spectral density
  • PSK phase-shift keying
  • PSTN public switched telephone network
  • PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene
  • PTO public telecommunications operator
  • PTT post, telephone and telegraph (Europe)
  • P1dB 1 dB compression point
  • QAM quadrature (quaternary) amplitude modulation
  • QIFM quadrature intermediate frequency mixer
  • QPSK quadrature phase-shift keying
  • QRNS quadratic residue number system
  • QWIP quantum well infrared photodetector
  • QWR quarter-wave rule
  • RACH random-access channel
  • RADAR radio detection and ranging
  • RAM radar-absorbing material
  • RAM random-access memory
  • RAP radar-absorbing paint
  • RAS radio astronomy synthesis
  • RBER residual bit error ratio
  • RBW resolution bandwidth
  • RCS radar cross section
  • RDS radio data system
  • RELP residually excited linear predictive coder
  • RF radio frequency
  • RFID radio frequency identification
  • RFMU radio frequency monitoring unit
  • RFS radio frequency simulator
  • RHCP right-hand circular polarization
  • RIN relative intensity noise
  • RISC reduced instruction set computing
  • RLL radio local loop
  • RMS root mean square
  • ROTHR relocatable over-the-horizon radar
  • RRC raised-root cosine
  • RRE radar range equation
  • RSSI received signal strength indicator
  • RSU roadside unit (auto toll collecting)
  • RwoH reliability without hermeticity
  • RWR radar-warning receiver
  • RX receiver/receive
  • SA selective availability (GPS error introduction/correction)
  • SAR search and rescue
  • SAR synthetic aperture radar
  • SAT supervisory audio tone
  • SATCOM satellite communications (SATCOM Agency, Department of Defense)
  • SAW surface acoustic wave
  • SBN single-sideband phase noise
  • SCFL source-coupled field-effect transistor logic
  • SCPI industry-standard commands for programmable instruments
  • SCSI small computer standard/system interface
  • SDH synchronous digital hierarchy (European telecommunication)
  • SDLA successive detection log amplifier
  • SDMA spatial-division multiple access
  • SEAD suppression of enemy air defenses
  • SEM scanning electron microscope
  • SES severely errored seconds
  • SFDR spurious-free dynamic range
  • SHF super high frequency
  • SIGINT signal intelligence
  • SIM subscriber identity module
  • SINAD signal-to-noise and distortion (ratio)
  • SIR stepped impedance resonator
  • SLM spatial light modulator
  • SMI sample matrix inversion
  • SMP subminiature push-on (connector)
  • SMP surface-mount package
  • SMR specialized mobile radio
  • SMS short message service
  • SMT surface-mount technology
  • SNA scalar network analyzer
  • SNR signal-to-noise ratio
  • SOIC small-outline integrated circuit
  • SOLT short-open-load-thru (calibration)
  • SONET synchronous optical network (US telecommunications)
  • SOT small-outline transistor
  • SP3 third-order suppression
  • SPC statistical process control
  • SPRE satellite position reporting equipment
  • SSB single sideband
  • SSBW surface-skimming bulk wave
  • SSD simultaneous signal detection
  • SSG small-signal gain
  • SSI small-scale integration
  • SSOP shrink small outline package
  • SSOT shrink small outline transistor
  • SSPA solid-state power amplifier
  • SSR surface search radar
  • STALO stable local oscillator
  • STM synchronous transport module (1 STM = 155 Mbps)
  • STOVL short takeoff, vertical landing (aircraft)
  • STW surface transverse wave
  • SWR standing wave ratio
  • TACAN tactical air navigation
  • TACS Total Access Communication System
  • TAG technical advisory group
  • TARD towed active radar device
  • TBCCO thallium barium calcium copper oxide
  • TCH traffic channel
  • TCM trellis-coded modulation
  • TCR temperature coefficient of resistance
  • TCXO temperature-compensated crystal oscillator
  • TDD time-division duplex
  • TDD time-domain duplex
  • TDMA time-division multiple access
  • TDWR terminal Doppler weather radar
  • TE transverse electric
  • TEC thermal electric cooler
  • TEM transverse electromagnetic mode
  • TETRA trans-European trunked radio
  • TFT thin-film transistor
  • TFTS terrestrial flight telephone system
  • TM transverse magnetic
  • TMN telecommunication management network
  • TOI third-order intercept (point)
  • T/R transmit/receive
  • TRAC Technical Regulations Application Committee (of ETSI)
  • TRAM transimpedance amplifier
  • TRP Technology Reinvestment Program (NIST)
  • TRL thru-reflect-line (calibration)
  • TS timeslot
  • TSOP thin small outline package
  • TSS tangential signal sensitivity
  • TTD true time delay
  • TTL transistor-transistor logic
  • TWTA traveling-wave-tube amplifier
  • TX transmit/transmitter
  • UAV unmanned aerial vehicles
  • UFMOP unintentional frequency modulation on pulse
  • UIM uniform impedance resonator
  • UM unintentional modulation
  • UMTS Universal Mobile Telecom System (Europe)
  • UPT universal personal telecommunications
  • USAT ultra-small aperture terminals
  • UWB ultra-wideband
  • VANA vector automatic network analyzer
  • VBW video bandwidth
  • VCO voltage-controlled oscillator
  • VDU video display unit
  • VISA virtual instrument software architecture
  • VLR visitor location register
  • VLSI very large-scale integration
  • VMEbus versa module Eurocard computer bus
  • VNA vector network analyzer
  • VSAT very small aperture terminal
  • VSB vestigial sideband modulation
  • VSWR voltage standing-wave ratio
  • VXIbus VMEbus extension for instrumentation
  • WAAS wide area augmentation system (GPS ground based)
  • WADSP wideband acquisition/digital signal processing
  • WAN wide area network
  • WDM wavelength division multiplexing
  • WDDM wavelength division demultiplexing
  • WLAN wireless local area network
  • WLL wireless local loop
  • XFCB extra-fast complementary bipolar
  • XPIC cross-polar interference canceller
  • XPOL cross-polarization level
  • YBCO yttrium barium copper oxide
  • YIG yttrium iron garnet
  • YTO YIG-tuned oscillator