Acronyms and Abbreviations Used by the RF/Microwave Industry
Frank Bashore
Microwave Journal Staff
This list represents most of the acronyms and abbreviations used in Microwave Journal technical articles and editorial features during the last five years. The ever-growing list has proven enormously useful to our staff and should prove equally helpful to our readers, who are continually bombarded with new and confusing abbreviations for the plethora of technical terms associated with the RF/microwave industry. Although it has always been our policy to define all but the most commonly used abbreviations within each article, a central reference list can be quite helpful to everyone. The original acronym and abbreviation list was first published in the February/March 1997 issues of Microwave Journal, and our staff has received many positive comments and continued requests for updates.
ACC adaptive cruise control
ACIR adjacent-channel interference ratio
ACLR adjacent-channel leakage ratio
ACMPA aperture-coupled microstrip patch antenna
ACP adjacent-channel power
ACPR adjacent-channel power rejection
ACPR adjacent-channel protection ratio
ACPW asymmetrical coplanar waveguide
ACW autonomous collision warning (system)
ADC analog-to-digital converter
ADEOS advanced Earth observation satellite
ADPCM adaptive differential pulse-code modulation
ADS automatic debiting system (auto toll collecting)
ADSL asymmetric digital subscriber loop
AEGIS airborne early warning ground integration system
AFP automatic frequency planning
AGC automatic gain control
AICC autonomous intelligent cruise control
AM amplitude modulation
AME average model error
AMF automated module fabrication
AML amplitude modulated link
AMPS Advanced Mobile Phone Service
AMR adaptive multirate codex
ANA automatic network analyzer
ANSI American National Standards Institute
AO acoustic-optical
APC American Personal Communications system
API application programming interface
APL airport pseudolites
AR axial ratio
ARBF adaptive radial basis function
ARM antiradiation missile
ARMA autoregressive moving average
ARDIS Advanced Radio Information Service
ARFCN absolute radio frequency channel number
ARO active resonator oscillator
ASAP Airborne Shared Aperture Program
ASCII American National Standard Code for Information Interchange
ASIC application-specific integrated circuit
ASH amplifier-sequenced hybrid
ASK amplitude-shift keying
ASTM American Society for Testing and Materials
ASV advanced safety vehicle (system)
ATC air traffic control
ATDE adaptive time domain equalizer
ATE automatic test equipment
ATM air traffic management
ATM asynchronous transfer mode
ATPC automatic transmit power control
AUC authentication center
AVI automatic vehicle identification
AVL automatic vehicle location
AVLN automatic vehicle location and navigation system
AWG arbitrary waveform generator
AWG American Wire Gauge (standard)
AWGN additive white Gaussian noise
AWNV all weather and night vision system
BAW bulk acoustic wave
BCD binary-coded decimal
BCH broadcast channel
BCM block-coded modulation
BER bit error rate
BERT bit error rate tester
BEM boundary element method
BFL buffered field-effect transistor logic
BFN beam-forming network
BiCMOS bipolar complementary metal-oxide semiconductor
BIFODEL binary fiber-optic delay line
BJT bipolar junction transistor
BLOS beyond line-of-sight
BOM bill of materials
BOR body of revolution
BPSK biphase-shift keying or binary phase-shift keying
BSC base station controller
BSS base station system
BSS broadcast satellite service
BT bandwidth-time product
BTS base transceiver station
BZ Brillouin zone
C/A clear and acquisition code (GPS)
C-AFM calibrated atomic force microscope
CAE computer-aided engineering
CALLUM combined analog locked-loop universal modulator
CATV community antenna television
CBCPS conductor-backed coplanar stripline
CCA circuit card assembly
CCD charge-coupled device
CCDF complementary cumulative distribution function
CCK complementary code keying
CCMT computer-controlled microwave tuner
CCPR co-channel power ratio
CDF cumulative distribution function
CDMA code division multiple access
CDPD cellular digital packet data
CE Conformite Europeene (European EMC standard)
CEPT Conference on European Posts and Telecommunications administrations
CFC chloroflourocarbon
CFR Code of Federal Regulations
C/I carrier-to-interference ratio
C/I carrier-to-intermodulation ratio
CIC controller in charge
CIM computer integrated manufacturing
CMOS complementary metal-oxide semiconductor
CMRF combined mode resonator filter
CMS combined symbol matching
C/N carrier-to-noise ratio
CNC computerized numerical control
CNR carrier-to-noise ratio
CNS/ATM Communication and Surveillance/Air Traffic Management
COFDM coded orthogonal frequency division multiplex
COHO coherent oscillator
COM Component Object Model
COMINT communications intelligence
CONUS continental United States
COPS complex operations per second
COTS commercial off-the-shelf
CPCI compact protocol control information
CPFSK continuous phase frequency-shift keying
CPM continuous phase modulation
CPS coplanar stripline
CPU central processing unit
CPW coplanar waveguide
CQFP ceramic quad flat pack
CRC cyclic redundancy check
CREAM cosmic radiation effects and activation monitors
CRTSSDA cascaded reactively terminated single-stage distributed amplifier
CSL coupled-slot antenna
CSM combined symbol matching
CSMA/CD carrier sense multiple access/collision detection
CSO composite second order
CSP chip scale package
CT cordless telephone
CT-2 cordless telephone-second generation
CTB composite triple beat
CTE coefficient of thermal expansion
CTM conformal transformation method
CTR common technical regulations
CVD chemical vapor deposition
CVDL continuously variable delay line
CW continuous wave
CWSA constant width slot antenna
DAB digital audio broadcast
DAC digital-to-analog converter
DAMA demand-assigned multiple access
D-AMPS Digital Advanced Mobile Phone Service
DAQ data acquisition
DAWS Digital Advanced Wireless Service
DBF digital beamforming
DBS direct broadcast service
DBS direct broadcast satellite
DCFL direct-coupled field-effect transistor logic
DCOM Distributed Component Object Model
DCR downconverting receiver
DCS1800 digital communication system at 1800 MHz
DCXO digitally compensated crystal oscillator
DDS direct digital synthesis
DEBS dynamic electronic bias system
DECT Digital European Cordless Telecommunications (1880 to 1900 MHz)
DECT Digital Enhanced Cordless Telephony (new name)
DESC Defense Electronic Supply Center
DF direction finding
DFB distributed feedback
DFD digital frequency discriminator
D-FET depletion-mode field-effect transistor
DFT discrete Fourier transform
DGPS Differential Global Positioning System
DHBT double-heterojunction bipolar transistor
DIMM dual in-line memory module
DIN Deutsche Industrial Norms (German standards agency)
DLRU decoy launch/recovery unit
DLVA detector log video amplifier
DMO direct-mode operation
DMOS diffused metal-oxide semiconductor
DMSP Defense Meteorological Satellite Program
DMR dual-mode resonators
DMUX demultiplexer
DNL dynamic nonlinearity
DQPSK differential quadrature phase-shift keying
DPHEMT double heterojunction pseudomorphic high electron mobility transistor
DPLL digital phase-locked loop
DPSK differential phase-shift keying
DRFM digital radio frequency memory
DRO dielectric resonator oscillator
DRRS digital radio relay system
DS direct sequence
DSC differential scanning calorimetry
DSO digital storage oscilloscope
DSP digital signal processing
DSSS direct sequence spread spectrum
DTF distance-to-fault
DTMF dual-tone multiple frequency
DTO digital test oscilloscope
DTO digitally tuned oscillator
DTX discontinuous transmission
DUT device under test
DVB digital video broadcasting
DWC digital wireless communications
EBL electron beam lithography
EBSD electron backscatter diffraction
EC European Community
ECB enhanced cellular base station
ECC error correction code
ECC embedded communication channel
ECL emitter-coupled logic
ECM electronic countermeasures
ECSD enhanced circuit switched data
ED electrodeposited
E/D enhancement/depletion (mode)
EDA electronic design automation
EDFA erbium-doped fiber amplifier
EDGE Enhanced Data Rate for GSM Evolution
EDM electronic discharge machining
EEA EU and EFTA merge unit
EEC European Economic Community
EEPROM electrically erasable programmable read-only memory
E-FET enhancement-mode field-effect transistor
EFIE electric field integral equation
EFTA European Free Trade Area (Austria, Finland, Liechtenstein, Norway, Sweden and Switzerland)
EGI embedded global positioning satellite inertial navigation system
EGPRS Enhanced General Packet Radio System
EGSM European Digital Extended Group Special Mobile
EHF extremely high frequency (30 to 300 GHz)
EHTPS extra high tension power supply
EIA/TIA Electronics Industry Association/ Telecommunications Industry Association
EIN equivalent input noise
EIR equipment identity register
EIRP effective isotropic radiated power
ELINT electronic intelligence systems
EM electromagnetic
EMC electromagnetic compatibility
EMF electromotive force
EMI electromagnetic interference
EMR electromagnetic radiation
EN European Norm (EMI regulations)
ENG electronic news gathering
ENR excess noise ratio
EPFD equivalent power-flux density
EPROM erasable programmable read-only memory
ERMES European radio message system
ERP effective radiated power
ESD electrostatic discharge
ESL equivalent series inductance
ESM electronic support measure
ESMR extended specialized mobile radio
ESR electron spin resonance
ESR equivalent series resistance
ETACS Extended Total Access Communications System (British cellular)
ETC electronic toll collecting
ETL embedded transmission line
ETRF electronically tuned RF (filter)
ETS European Telecommunications Standard
ETSI European Telecommunications Standard Institute
ETTM electronic toll and traffic management
EU European Union
EUT equipment under test
EUTELSAT European Telecommunications Satellite
EUV extreme-ultraviolet
EVM error vector magnitude
EW electronic warfare
FANS future air navigation system
FAR false alarm rate
FBW fractional bandwidth
FCA flip-chip assembly
FCC Federal Communications Commission
FDD frequency-division duplexing
FDDI fiber-distributed data interface
FDFD finite difference frequency domain
FDM frequency division multiplex
FDMA frequency division multiple access
FDR frequency domain reflectometry
FDTD finite difference time domain
FEC forward error correction
FEM finite element method
FEP fluoroethylene propylene
FER frame error rate
FET field effect transistor
FFO fixed-frequency oscillator
FFT fast Fourier transform
FH frequency hopping
FHMA frequency hop multiple access
FHSS frequency-hopping spread spectrum
FIR finite-duration impulse response (filter)
FIT failures in time
FLC ferroelectric liquid crystals
FLOP floating octal points
FLR forward looking radar
FM frequency modulation
FMC fixed mobile convergence (service)
FMCW frequency-modulated continuous wave (radar)
FO fiber optic
FOBP fractional out-of-band power
FPLMTS Future Public Land Mobile Telecommunication Systems
FPGA field-programmable gate array
FRA fixed radio access
FS free space
FSCS frequency-selective conducting surface
FSK frequency-shift keying
FSS fixed satellite service
FSS frequency-selective surface
GAM Global Positioning System-aided munitions
GBAS ground-based augmentation systems
GBR ground-based radar
GCPW grounded coplanar waveguide
GEO geostationary earth orbit
GFSK Gaussian frequency-shift keying
GLONASS Global Navigation Satellite System (Russian)
GMDSS Global Maritime Distress Signal System
GMSK Gaussian minimum shift keying
GNSS Global Navigation Satellite System (US)
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
GUI graphical user interface
HARM high speed anti-radiation missile
HBT heterojunction bipolar transistor
HDSL high bit-rate digital subscriber line
HDTV high definition television
HEMT high electron mobility transistor
HEO high elliptical orbit (satellite)
HFC hybrid fiber/coax
HFET heterostructure field-effect transistor
HFSS high frequency structure simulator
HGA high gain antenna
HIPERLAN high performance local area network
HJFET heterojunction field-effect transistor
HLR home location register
HMIC hybrid microwave integrated circuit
HPA high power amplifier
HPBW half power beam width
HSCSD high speed circuit switched data
HTS high temperature superconductor
IBIC interface bus interactive control
IBOC in-band on-channel
IBW instantaneous bandwidth
IC integrated circuit
IDECM integrated defense electronic countermeasures
IDFT inverse discrete Fourier transform
IDT interdigital transducer
IEC International Electrotechnical Commission
IEP ideal electric plane
IF intermediate frequency
IFB indirect feedback
IFF identification friend or foe
IFM instantaneous frequency measurement
IGBT insulated gate bipolar transistor
IGFET insulated gate field effect transistor
IIR infinite impulse response (filter)
ILA injection-locked amplifier
ILO injection-locked oscillator
IM intermodulation
IMD intermodulation distortion
IMDN Intelligent Mobile Data Network
IMEI international mobile equipment identity
IMFET internally matched field-effect transistor
IMP intermodulation products
IMPATT impact avalanche and transit time
IMR intermodulation rejection
IMSI international mobile subscriber identity
INMARSAT International Maritime Satellite consortium, London
INS inertial navigation system
INTELSAT International Telecommunication Satellite consortium, Washington
IP Internet Protocol
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
IRM image reject mixer
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
ITS intelligent transportation systems
ITM-2000 International Mobile Telecommunication 2000
ITU International Telecommunication Union
ITU-R ITU Radio Communications Sector
IVHS Intelligent Vehicle Highway System
JDC Japanese Digital Cellular system
JEDEC Joint Electron Device Engineering Council
JFET junction field effect transistor
JPEG Joint Picture Expert Group (compression standard)
KGD known good die
LAN local area network
LAAS local area augmentation systems
LAO LaAlO3 (substrate)
LBC linked boundary condition
LC inductor/capacitor
LCC leadless chip carrier
LCD liquid-crystal display
LD laser diode
LDMOS laterally diffused metal oxide semiconductor
LEC liquid encapsulated Czochralski (semi-insulating substrates)
LEO low earth orbit (satellite)
LEP lumped element prototype
LHCP left-hand circular polarization
LIDAR light direction and ranging
LINC linear amplification with nonlinear components
LMCS local multipoint communications system
LMDS local multipoint distribution system
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
LRL line-reflect-line (calibration)
LRRM line-reflect-reflect-match (calibration)
LSB least significant bit
LSG large-signal gain
LSI large-scale integration
LTCC low temperature co-fired ceramic
LTCC-M low temperature co-fired ceramic on metal core
LTI linear time invariant
LTSA linear taper slot antenna
LTP long-term predictor
LUT look-up table
LVDS low voltage differential signal
MAC medium access control
MAFET Microwave and Analog Front End Technology project
MBA multi-beam antenna
MBE molecular beam epitaxy
MBPA multi-beam phased array
MCE manufacturing cycle efficiency
MCF message communication function
MCL microstrip constrained lens
MCM multichip module
MCM-C multichip module with co-fired substrate
MCPA multicarrier power amplifier
MCPW microstrip coplanar waveguide
MCT metal-oxide semiconductor-controlled thyristor
MDS multipoint distribution system
MEADS medium extended air defense system
MEMS microelectromechanical system
MESFET metal-semiconductor field effect transistor
MEO medium earth orbit (satellite)
MIC microwave integrated circuit
MIC monolithic integrated circuit
MIDAS multiple integration and defense communications satellite network
MIM metal-insulator-metal (capacitor)
MIMIC Millimeter-wave and Microwave Integrated Circuit (R&D program)
MIPS million instructions per second
MIR microwave impulse radar
MLA microwave link analyzer
MLB multilayer board
MLC main lobe clutter
MLCM multilevel coded modulation
MLDD matched-line directional divider
MMC metal-matrix composite
MMCA microwave multichip assembly
MMDS multichannel multipoint distribution system
MMI man-machine interface
MMI multimedia interface
MMIC microwave monolithic integrated circuit
MMW millimeter wave
MOCVD metal-organic chemical vapor deposition
MOCT multi-order cancellation technique
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 multi-quantum well
MQW -FP multi-quantum well Fabry-Perot optical transmitter
MS mobile station
MSB most significant bit
MSBVW magneto-static backward volume waves
MSC mobile switching center
MSFVW magneto-static forward volume waves
MSI medium scale integration
MSK minimum-shift keying
MSMT micro surface-mount technology
MSOP mini(micro) small outline package
MSS mobile satellite system (service)
MSSW magneto-static 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
MTTR mean time to repair
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) Cellular
NA numerical aperture
N-AMPS Narrowband Advanced Mobile Phone System
NAVSTAR Navigational Satellite Timing and Ranging system
NEC numerical electromagnetic code
NEMA National Electrical Manufacturers Association
NFA noiseless feedback amplifier
NGA noise gain analyzer
NGSO nongeostationary orbit
NIC network interface card (WLAN)
NIST National Institute of Standards and Technology
NMC network management center
NMOS n-channel metal-oxide semiconductor
NMR nuclear magnetic resonance
NMSE normalized mean square error
NMT Nordic Mobile Telephone system
NODS near obstacle detection system
NPR noise power ratio
NPRM notice of proposed rule making
NQR nuclear quadruple resonance
NRZ nonreturn to zero
NSA normalized site attenuation
NSOM near-field scanning optical microscopy
NSSN National Standards System Network
NTSC National Television Systems Committee
OAD optical admittance diagram
OATS open area test site
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
OHI one-horn interferometer
OMC operations and maintenance center
OMT orthogonal-mode transducer
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
PABX private automatic branch exchange
PAC perceptual audio coder
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
PAMR Public Access Mobile Radio
PAN public access network
PBG photonic bandgap
PBX private branch exchange
PCI peripheral component interconnect (bus)
PCIA Personal Communication Industry Association
PCM pulse code modulation
PCM process control monitor
PCMCIA Personal Computer Memory Card International Association
PCN personal communications network
PCS personal communication service
PCU power conditioning unit
PD predistortion
PD pulsed Doppler
PDA personal digital assistant (portable computing)
PDC personal digital cellular
PDF probability distribution function
PDH plesiochronous-digital hierarchy
PDIP plastic dual-in-line package
PDO packet data optimized
PEBB power electronic building blocks
PEC perfect electrical conducting
PECL positive/pseudo emitter-coupled logic
PECVD plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition
PEEC partial element equivalent circuit
PEP primary entry point
PEP peak envelope power
PFD phase/frequency discriminator
PHEMT pseudomorphic 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)
PLCC plastic leaded chip carrier (molded plastic)
PLD programmable logic device
PLD pulsed laser deposition
PLF polarization loss factor
PLL phase-locked loop
PLMN private land mobile network
PM phase modulation
PM polarization-maintaining (optical fiber)
PMC perfect magnetic conducting
PMD polarization mode dispersion
PML perfectly matched layer
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)
POF plastic optical fiber
POFS private operational fixed service
POS Post Office Protocol
POTS plain old telephone service
PPM periodic permanent magnet (focused)
PPM pulse position modulation
PPS precise positioning service (GPS)
PQFP plastic quad flat pack
PR pseudorange
PRBS pseudorandom binary or bit sequence
PRF pulse repetition frequency
PRN pseudorandom noise
PROM programmable read-only memory
PRT planar resistor technology
PSA polysilicon self-aligned (bipolar transistor)
PSD power spectral density
PSK phase-shift keying
PSMM pilot strength measurement message
PSTN public switched telephone network
PTFE polytetrafluoroethylene
PTH plated-through hole
PTO public telecommunications operator
PTT post, telephone and telegraph (Europe)
PWM pulse width modulation
P1dB power 1 dB compression point
QAM quadrature (quaternary) amplitude modulation
QIFM quadrature intermediate frequency mixer
QPSK quadrature phase-shift keying
QRNS quadratic residue number system
QSOP quality small outline package
QWIP quantum well infrared photodetector
QWR quarter-wave rule
RACH random access channel
RADAR radio detection and ranging
RAIM receiver autonomous integrity monitoring (GPS)
RAM radar-absorbing material
RAM random access memory
RAP radar-absorbing paint
RAS radio astronomy synthesis
RBC radiation boundary conditions
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
RIE reactive ion etch
RIN relative intensity noise
RISC reduced instruction set computing
RL rotating linear (antenna pattern)
RLL radio local loop
RMS root mean square
RNSS radio navigation satellite service
ROTHR relocatable over-the-horizon radar
RP range processor
RRC raised-root cosine
RRE radar range equation
RSSI received signal strength indicator
RSU roadside unit (auto toll collecting)
RTD resistance-temperature detector (probe)
RTD roundtrip delay
RwoH reliability without hermeticity
RWR radar warning receiver
RX receiver/receive
RZ return to zero
SA selective availability (GPS error introduction/correction)
SAR synthetic-aperture radar
SAR search and rescue
SAR specific absorption rate
SAT supervisory audio tone
SATCOM satellite communications (Satellite Communications Agency, Department of Defense)
SAW surface acoustic wave
SBAS satellite-based augmentation system
SBN single-sideband phase noise
SCFL source-coupled field effect transistor logic
SCPI Standard Commands for Programmable Instruments
SCR semiconductor-controlled rectifier
SCSI small computer standard/system interface
SDD symbolically defined device
SDH synchronous digital hierarchy (European telecommunication)
SDLA successive detection log amplifier
SDMA spatial division multiple access
SDR software-defined radio
SDRAM synchronous dynamic random access memory
SEAD suppression of enemy air defenses
SEM scanning electron microscope
SES severely errored seconds
SFDR spur-free dynamic range
SGLS space ground link system
SHF super high frequency
SI semi-insulating
SIC selectively implanted collector
SIG Special Interest Group
SIGINT signal intelligence
SIM subscriber identity module
SINAD signal-to-noise and distortion (ratio)
SIP single inline package
SIR stepped impedance resonator
SIS signal in space
SLE satellite link emulator
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
SNIR signal-to-signal plus interference ratio
SNR signal-to-noise ratio
SOI silicon on insulator
SOIC small outline integrated circuit
SOLR short-open-line-reciprocal (calibration)
SOLT short-open-load-thru (calibration)
SONET synchronous optical network (US telecommunications)
SOT small outline transistor
SP3 third-order suppression
SPC statistical process control
SPI serial peripheral interface
SPRE satellite position reporting equipment
SPS standard positioning service (GPS)
SPUDT single-phased unidirectional transducer
SRAM static random access memory
SS spread spectrum
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
SSPE single solid-phase epitaxy
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
SWAP shared wireless access protocol
SWR standing wave ratio
TAB tape-augmented bonding
TACAN tactical air navigation system
TACS Total Access Communications System
TAG technical advisory group
TARD towed active radar device
TBCCO thallium barium calcium copper oxide
TCAS Traffic Alert and Collision Avoidance System
TCC temperature coefficient of capacitance
TCE thermal coefficient of expansion
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
TDMQPSK time division multiplex quadrature phase-shift keying
TDWR terminal Doppler weather radar
TE transverse electric
TEC thermal electric cooler
TEM transverse electromagnetic
TETRA trans-European trunked radio (old name)
TETRA terrestrial trunked radio (new name)
TFT thin-film transistor/technology
TFTS terrestrial flight telephone system
TLM transmission line matrix
TM transverse magnetic
TMA thermomechanical analysis
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)
TRX transceiver
TS timeslot
TSA tapered-slot antenna
TSOP thin small outline package
TSS tangential signal sensitivity
TTD true time delay
TTL transistor-transistor logic
TVRO television receive only
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 Telecommunications System (Europe)
U-NII Unlicensed National Information Infrastructure
UPT universal personal telecommunications
URE user range error
USAT ultra-small aperture terminals
UTC Universal Time, Coordinated
UWB ultrawideband
VANA vector automatic network analyzer
VBW video bandwidth
VCO voltage-controlled oscillator
VDU video display unit
VHDL very high speed IC description language
VISA virtual instrument software architecture
VLR visitor location register
VLSI very large scale integration
VMEbus versa module Eurocard computer bus
VNA vector network analyzer
VPN virtual private networks
VSAT very small aperture terminal
VSB vestigial side band modulation
VSB VMEbus subsystem bus
VSWR voltage standing wave ratio
VVA voltage-variable attenuator
VXIbus VMEbus extension for instrumentation
WAAS wide area augmentation system (GPS ground based)
WADSP wideband acquisition/digital signal processing
WAN wide area network
WAP Wireless Application Protocol
WBMCS wireless broadband multimedia communications systems
W-CDMA wideband code division multiple access
WDM wavelength division multiplexing
WDDM wavelength division demultiplexing
WEP wired equivalent privacy
WLAN wireless local area network
WLL wireless local loop
XFCB extra-fast complementary bipolar
XPD cross-polarization discrimination
XPIC cross-polar interference canceller
XPOL cross-polarization level
YAG yttrium aluminum garnet
YBCO yttrium barium copper oxide
YIG yttrium iron garnet
YTO YIG-tuned oscillator
3G third generation
3GPP Third-generation Partnership Project