"A"
"B",
"C",
"D",
"E",
"F",
"G",
"H",
"I",
"J",
"K",
"L",
"M",
"N",
"O",
"P",
"Q",
"R",
"S",
"T",
"U",
"V",
"W",
"X",
"Y",
"Z"
"B" to "Bas", "Bat" to "Bid", "Bin" to "Bl", "Bo" to "Bz"
BACKBONE. A high traffic connectivity
portion of any communications network. In packet-switched networks, a primary forward direction path traced sequentially through two or more major relay or switching stations. In
packet-switched networks, a backbone consists primarily of switches and inter-switch trunks.
BACKGROUND NOISE. The total system noise in the absence of a signal [information transmission].
BACK RESISTANCE. The larger resistance value observed when you are checking the resistance of a
semiconductor.
BALANCED CODE. In PCM systems, a code constructed so that the frequency spectrum resulting
from the transmission of any code word has no dc component. A code that has a
finite digital sum variation [PCM].
BALANCED LINE. A cable or circuit having two identical conductors
with the same electromagnetic characteristics in relation to
other conductors and to ground. A transmission line consisting of two conductors in the presence of ground, capable of being operated so that when the voltages of the two conductors at all transverse planes are equal in magnitude and opposite in polarity with respect to ground, the currents in the two conductors are equal in magnitude and opposite in direction.
BALANCED MIXER. A circuit or device that generates the sum and difference frequencies of two input signals. RF Mixer Manufacturers
BALANCED PHASE DETECTOR. A circuit that controls the oscillator frequency (afc). RF Phase Detector Manufacturers
BALUN. An acronym for Balanced/Unbalanced. A device [picture] used to couple a balanced system {impedance} to an un-balanced system. A wide-band impedance matching transformer providing a 4:1 impedance ratio. RF Transformer Manufacturers
BANDPASS FILTER. A filter that allows a narrow band of frequencies to pass through the circuit.
Rejects or attenuates frequencies that are either higher or lower than the desired band of frequencies. A filter that ideally passes all frequencies between two non-zero finite limits and bars all frequencies not within the limits. The cutoff frequencies are normally taken to be the 3-dB points.
BAND-REJECT FILTER. A tuned circuit that does not pass a specified band of frequencies.
BANDWIDTH. The width of a communication channel, measured as frequency. The difference between the highest usable frequency of a device (upper frequency limit)
and the lowest usable frequency of the device (lower frequency limit) - measured at the half-power
points. The difference between the limiting frequencies within which performance of a
device, in respect to some characteristic, falls within specified limits. The difference between
the limiting frequencies of a continuous frequency band.
BARRETTER. A type of bolometer characterized by an increase in resistance as the dissipated power
rises. A Thermistor
BASE. A reference value. A number that is multiplied by itself as many times as indicated by an exponent. Same as radix. The region between the emitter and collector of a transistor that receives minority carriers injected from the emitter. The element in a transistor that controls the flow of current carriers. The element that corresponds to the control grid of an electron tube.
BASE-INJECTION MODULATOR. Similar to a control-grid modulator. The gain of a transistor is
varied by changing the bias on its base.
The next portion of the B listing; "B" Terms
