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"F",
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Previous set of "R" Terms
RECEIVER. [DETECTOR]. Electronic Equipment that converts electromagnetic energy into a visible or an audible form. As in FM Receiver, AM Receiver or Radar Receiver. The electromagnetic component used in a telephone handset to convert electrical energy into sound energy.
RECEIVER SENSITIVITY. The degree to which a receiver can usefully detect a weak signal.
The lower limit of useful signal input to the receiver.
RECEIVING ANTENNA. The device used to pick up the RF signal from space. Also refer to the dictionary of Antenna Terms. [Antenna Manufacturers]
RECOVERY TIME. The time required for a device to return to its previous state after a change.
RECTIFIER. A device [diode] used to convert ac to pulsating dc. Also refer to Half-Wave Rectifier Circuit, or Full-Wave Rectifier Circuit [Diode Manufacturers]
REFERENCE LINE. The position of zero displacement in a wave.
REFERENCE POINT. A point in a circuit to which all other points in the circuit are compared. Normally the reference point in a circuit is grounded, so the reference would be ground [which does not have to be zero volts].
REFLECTED WAVE. The wave that reflects back from a medium. The wave moving back to the
source from the termination of a transmission line after reflection has occurred.
REFLECTION WAVES. Waves that are neither transmitted nor absorbed, but are reflected from the
surface of the medium they encounter.
REFLECTOR. The parasitic element of an array that causes maximum energy radiation in a direction
toward the driven element.
REFLEX KLYSTRON. A klystron with a reflector (repeller) electrode in the place of a second resonant
cavity used to redirect the velocity-modulated electrons back through the cavity that produced the
modulation. A microwave oscillator that is tuned by changing the repealer voltage.
REFRACTION. The changing of direction of a wave as it leaves one medium and enters another medium
of a different density.
REFRACTIVE INDEX. In a wave-transmission medium, the ratio between the phase velocity in free
space and in the medium.
REGENERATIVE DETECTOR. A detector circuit that produces its own oscillations, heterodynes them
with an incoming signal, and deflects them.
REGENERATIVE FEEDBACK. The process by which a portion of the output signal of an amplifying
device is fed back in phase to reinforce the input. [POSITIVE FEEDBACK].
REGULATOR. The section in a power supply that maintains the output of the power supply at a
constant level in spite of large changes in load current or input line voltage. [Regulator Manufacturers]
Voltage Regulator
RELATIVE BEARING. Bearing of a target measured in a clockwise direction from "dead ahead" of a ship or plane.
Next set of "R" Terms and definitions
