Campbell Scientific RF500M Radio Modem - Manual (Page 33)

Glossary
Antenna - Device for radiating and receiving radio signals.
Attenuation - The reduction of an electrical signal without appreciable
distortion.
Base Station - The destination for accumulated data; where data is received
via radio from one or more field stations.
Baud Rate - A unit of data transmission speed, normally equal to one bit per
second.
Block - Group of ones and zeroes which represent data or commands.
BNC Connector - A commonly used "twist type" connector on radios.
Carrier Wave - A radio wave upon which the signal is transmitted.
Coaxial Cable - An insulated RF transmission line consisting of two
conductors separated by a dielectric.
COM Port (Communication Port) - The serial port of the computer where
communication is intended.
Decibel - A unit of power equal to 10 times the common logarithm of the ratio
of two amounts of signal power.
End of Link Modem - An RF modem which is at the field station.
Field Station - The place of origin of the data, from which the data is then
transmitted by radiotelemetry.
Forward Power - Energy that is transmitted from a radio, through coaxial
cable, and through the antenna without being reflected back to the radio.
Line of sight - Straight path between the transmitting and receiving antenna
when unobstructed by the horizon.
Megahertz - Cycles per second multiplied by 1,000,000.
Middle of Link Modem - Any modem in an RF link which is not at the base
station or the designated field station.
Modulation - Process by which one waveform (carrier) is caused to vary
according to another waveform (signal).
Omnidirectional - Capable of operating in all directions.
Radio - Device which transmits and receives electrical signals by means of
radio waves.
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