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| F-H |
I-J |
K-N |
O-P |
R-S |
T-V |
W-Z |
2X Signal Booster
Option that offers up to
double the
efficiency/range of a
portable
Travelers Information
Station’s antenna,
allowing the signal to
have additional the
intensity at a given
distance. Functions with
upper-band (typically
1610-1700) antennas
only. Recommended for
any operator in a
challenging environment
that requires maximum
signal intensity to cut
through woods, buildings
and obstructions. (Note:
local government
licensees must seek a
waiver of
FCC Part 90 TIS rules
to allow signal
intensity above the
standard 2.0 mV/m
limitation.) |
A |
AAIRO
See
American Association of
Information Radio
Operators. |
Absorbant
Glass Mat (AGM)
Sealed lead-acid battery
designed to reduce
weight and improve
reliability. The
sulfuric acid is
absorbed by a very fine
fiberglass mat, making
the battery spill-proof,
which enables shipment
without hazardous
material restrictions.
When compared to
conventional
flooded-lead-acid
batteries, AGM has these
advantages: it is
high-current capable,
maintenance-free, with a
long life, low
temperature operation,
light weight, longer
storage time between
charges, the ability to
deep-cycle, vibration
resistan5. AGM
disadvantages include:
it is sensitive to heat
and to overcharging. |
AC
See
Alternating Current. |
AEL
See
Authorized Equipment
List. |
AGM
See
Absorbant Glass Mat. |
Ah
See Amp
Hour. |
ALERT AM Emergency
Advisory Radio System
Fixed
Emergency
Advisory Radio
and
Highway Advisory Radio
systems from
Information
Station Specialists
used primarily for
notifying motorists of
emergencies and
instructing them how to
proceed. The system is
outfitted with
NOAA's
Emergency
Alert System 'all
hazard' warning
interruptions targeted
to specific counties;
multiple power and
programming options,
such as
GPS
synchronization for
multi-station groupings,
battery backup to
continue operation
during power outages and
a large cabinet for
flexibility.
FCC-licensed. Range
25-75 square miles. Used
in combination with
Flashing ALERT Signs.
See
the
ALERT AM webpage. |
All-Hazard Warning
System
See
Emergency Alert System. |
Alternating Current (AC)
A flow of electric
charge that periodically
reverses direction,
often distinguished from
Direct Current
(DC). The usual waveform
of an AC power circuit
is a sine wave, such as
audio and radio signals
carried on electrical
wires. An important goal
is often recovery of
encoded (or modulated)
information onto the AC
signal. |
AM
See Amplitude
Modulation. |
American Association of
Information Radio
Operators (AAIRO)
A nonprofit association, founded in 2008,
of operators, licensees
and interested others
from public agencies
nationwide who manage
Travelers
Information Stations (TIS
and HAR) to broadcast
to motorists public
safety/service messages.
See the group's mission
and more at
AAIRO's website. |
Amp
Unit of electric
current. |
Amp Hour (Ah)
Unit of electric
charge equal to the
charge transferred by a
steady current of one
ampere flowing for one
hour, frequently used in
measuring batteries. It
is not a unit of energy.
In a battery system, for
example, accurate
calculation of the
energy delivered
requires integration of
the power delivered
(product of
instantaneous voltage
and instantaneous
current) over the
discharge interval.
Generally, the battery
voltage varies during
discharge; an average
value or nominal value
may be used to
approximate the
integration of power. |
Amplitude Modulation
(AM)
A
method of radio
modulation
that varies carrier wave
amplitude. Used by
Travelers
Information
Stations (TIS
and HAR)
and AM broadcast
stations in the United
States. It works by
varying the strength
(amplitude) of the
carrier in proportion to
the waveform being sent,
which contrasts with
Frequency
Modulation (FM),
where the frequency of
the carrier signal is
varied. AM frequency
range is 530 to 1710
kHz. |
AM Radio Antennas
See ANXX and
AN2X AM
Radio Antennas
(immediately below). See
also
HPR.0990 AM Radio High
Performance Antenna. |
AMReady Broadcast
Components
Licensed AM
broadcasters can obtain
specialized components
to keep their stations
on the air. Use of these
products by licensed
broadcasters may be
covered by adherence to
FCC Part 73/1560 Rules.
Included are
transmitters, antennas,
antenna support and
accessories and
groundplanes and rods.
See
AMReady
Broadcast Components. |
AN2X AM Radio
Antenna
With a much longer
basepipe and more
efficiency than ANXX
(below), AN2X produces a signal
intensity of 2.0 mV/m at
1.5 km, the FCC maximum
field level. That signal
is typically strong
enough to erect signs
for alerting listeners
at 3 to 5 miles. The
antenna may be mounted
atop a square or round
pole of wood, metal or
fiberglass. This antenna
system is packaged with
a factory-wired
groundplane, pole mounts
and insulators, a
cabinet-protected
lightning arrestor
system and ground bus
for lightning
dissipation and
groundplane connection.
See the
webpage.
See also
an antenna comparison
chart. |
ANXX AM Radio
Antenna
Produces a signal
intensity of 2.0 mV/m at
1.5 km, the FCC maximum
field level. That signal
is typically strong
enough to erect signs
for alerting listeners
at 3 to 5 miles. The
antenna may be mounted
atop a square or round
pole of wood, metal or
fiberglass. This antenna
system is packaged with
a factory-wired
groundplane, pole mounts
and insulators, a
cabinet-protected
lightning arrestor
system and ground bus
for lightning
dissipation and
groundplane connection.
See the
webpage. See also
an antenna comparison
chart. |
AP.55 Digital Message
Player
In production at
Information Station
Specialists from
1990-2007. See current
Digital Audio Management
Systems. |
AP.6000 Digital Message
Player
In production
at Information Station
Specialists from c. 1997
to c 2015. See current
Digital Audio Management
Systems. |
Audio Control Systems
See webpage. |
Audio Filter
HQ 5.0
Passive design requiring
no power, commonly added
to portable radio
stations such as
RadioSTAT and
VoiceStar and those
with cabinets in which
equipment is mounted to
a back panel, such as
legacy
Information Stations.
Can be added to any
Information Station
Specialists' radio
station, however.
Requires that the
transmitter's internal
3000 Hz filter be
disabled in conjunction
with the addition of the
filter.
Exclusively permitted by
the FCC for operation as
part of Information
Station Specialists'
TR.6000
Transmitter System. |
Audio Processor HQ 5.2
Active device requiring
power that increases
broadcast quality,
i.e., adds
compression and
limiting, thereby
boosting loudness and
functional range of
broadcasts. Commonly used with
ALERT AM and new
Information Stations.
Requires that the
transmitter's internal
3000 Hz filter be
disabled in conjunction
with the addition of the
processor. Exclusively
permitted by the FCC for
operation as part of
Information Station
Specialists'
TR.6000
Transmitter System. |
Authorized Equipment
List (AEL)
A list of approved
equipment types allowed
under FEMA’s
preparedness grant
programs. The intended
audience of this tool is
emergency managers,
first responders, and
other homeland security
professionals. The list
consists of 21 equipment
categories divided into
categories,
sub-categories and then
individual equipment
items. There are no
commercially available
products listed; it only
consists of equipment
types. See also
Standardized Equipment
List. |
B |
Broadcast
Station
A conventional radio
station authorized by
the FCC
under Part 73 Rules to
broadcast music, news
and other programming on
AM or FM to the
community to which it is
licensed. Broadcast
stations in the United
Stations operate at
powers of up to 50,000
watts on AM on
frequencies 540-1700 and
up to 330,000 watts on
FM frequencies 88.1 to
107.9. See
Travelers
Information Station
differences. |
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C |
Call Sign
Federal Communications
Commission Rules (Part
90) govern the
licensing of
Travelers
Information
Stations (TIS
and HAR) issued to local
government entities such
as states, cities and
counties. The Commission
assigns 7-character call
signs to all − 4
alpha letters, followed
by 3 numbers.
Modern station call signs
that are issued by the
FCC
begin with a “W” (though
many years ago some were
issued that started with
a “K”).
The next 3 letters and 3
numbers are sequential,
based on when the
Commission grants each
license.
Although the Commission
does not permit
applicants to request
specific call signs, in
a few instances (when
licensees indicated
certain call signs were
objectionable), the FCC
granted changes.
The FCC requires that
the full 7-character
call sign be broadcast
every 30 minutes (or
more) in English.
Sometimes station
operators inadvertently
drop off the three
numbers of the call
sign, probably because
standard broadcast
stations (licensed under
FCC Part 73 Rules) don't
have numbers in their
call signs and have only
three or four characters
(WGN, WABC, etc.).
Travelers Information
Stations operated by
federal government
agencies are licensed
through the NTIA
(National
Telecommunication
Information Agency)
rather than the FCC and
do not necessarily
follow the same format.
In some instances, these
call signs might begin
with a "K," have only
three letters or no
numbers.
Information Stations
authorized by branches
of the military are not
issued call signs |
CAP
See
Common Alerting Protocol. |
CCI
See
Co-Channel Interference. |
Co-Channel Interference
(CCI)
Crosstalk from 2
different radio
transmitters using the
same frequency. There
can be several causes,
for example, cellular
mobile networks, adverse
weather conditions, poor
frequency planning,
overly crowded radio
spectrum, daytime versus
nighttime, signal
cancellation. |
Common Alerting Protocol
(CAP)
An XML-based data format
for exchanging public
warnings and emergencies
among alerting
technologies. CAP allows
a warning message to be
consistently
disseminated
simultaneously over many
warning systems to many
applications. CAP
increases warning
effectiveness and
simplifies the task of
activating a warning for
responsible officials.
See also
Emergency Alert System. |
Components
See
AMReady
Broadcast Components. |
Contruction
Notification
After an information
radio station is on-air,
the FCC requires most
licensees to construct
their authorized system
or meet specific
coverage requirements
within a given time
period and to notify the
FCC that the requirement
was met. This
construction/coverage
time period varies
depending on the radio
service in which the
license is held. If a
licensee fails to
construct a frequency,
fails to construct a
location, fails to
construct an entire
license, fails to meet a
coverage requirement or
fails to file a Request
for Extension, the
frequency, location, or
license terminates
automatically as of a
given deadline. See also
Special
Temporary Authority. |
Continuous
Tone Coded Squelch
System (CTCSS)
A circuit used to reduce
the annoyance of
listening to other users
on a shared
communication channel. |
CTCSS
See
Continuous Tone Coded
Squelch System. |
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D |
DC
See Direct
Current. |
Digital Audio
Management Systems
See
Audio Control Methods
for Information Radio
Systems. |
Digital Message Players
See
Audio Control Methods
for Information Radio
Systems. |
Direct Current (DC)
The unidirectional flow
of electric charge
produced by sources such
as batteries and solar
cells. The electric
current flows in a
constant direction,
distinguishing it from
Alternating Current. |
DN.1201 Program Mixer
for Live and
Multi-Source Live-Feed
Itegration and Level
Management
Introduced in 2020. Used
in the ALERT AM System. |
DTMF
See
Dual-Tone
Multi-Frequency
Signaling. |
Dual-Tone
Multi-Frequency
Signaling (DTMF)
Used for
telecommunication
signaling over analog
telephone lines in the
voice-frequency band
between telephone
handsets and other
communication devices
and the switching
center. The version of
DTMF developed by
Western Electric that is used in
push-button telephones
for tone dialing is
known as "Touch Tone," a
registered trademark of
Bell Telephone. |
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E |
EAS
See Emergency Alert
System. |
Electromagnetic
Interference (EMI)
Also called
Radio
Frequency Interference
(RFI) when
associated with radio
systems, EMI is
disturbance that affects
an electrical circuit
due to either
electromagnetic
induction or
electromagnetic
radiation emitted from
an external source. The
disturbance may
interrupt, obstruct or
otherwise degrade or
limit the effective
performance of the
circuit. The source may
be any object,
artificial or natural
that carries rapidly
changing electrical
currents, such as an
electrical circuit, the
sun or Northern Lights.
EMI can intentionally be
used for radio jamming
or can occur as a result
of spurious emissions
through intermodulation
products. |
Emergency Advisory Radio
Station
Specially outfitted
Travelers Information
Station
used primarily to
broadcast
emergency instructions
to motorists before, during and after
crises. The
ALERT AM
fixed system,
RadioSTAT
hand-portable
station and
VoiceStar
trailer-mounted stations are three
primary examples from
Information
Station Specialists. |
Emergency Alert System
(EAS)
Jointly coordinated by
the Federal Emergency
Management Agency, the
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC), and
the
National Weather Service,
EAS is a national
warning system, begun in
1997. The EAS system was
preceded by the
Emergency Broadcast
System begun after World
War II to enable the US
President to speak to
the entire country in
fewer than 10 minutes
during national
emergencies. The federal
aspect of the EAS system
has been tested but has
never activated. The
National
Weather Service’s
part of the system is
designed to alert the
public during local
weather emergencies,
such as tornadoes and
flash floods. It is in
operation on a daily
basis throughout the
United States.
EAS regulations
and standards are
governed by the Public
Safety and Homeland
Security Bureau of the
FCC. Each state and
several territories have
their own EAS plan; and
EAS has become part of
IPAWS – the Integrated
Public Alert and Warning
System, a program of
FEMA. Digital EAS codes make it
possible to target
warnings for automatic
broadcast to citizens
through
NOAA weather radio
receivers programmed
through
Specific Area Message
Encoding (SAME) that comes
standard on
Information
Station Specialists'
ALERT AM system and as an option
on the portable
VoiceStar radio
system.
|
Emergency Notification
Systems (ENS)
The one-way
dissemination or
broadcast of messages to
one or many groups of
people, alerting them
about pending or
existing emergencies.
Many local governments
and organizations that
hold large, public
events adopt emergency
notification systems to
be able to notify large
groups of people in the
event of an emergency.
Most major
telecommunications
providers offer Public
Safety Answering Points
(PSAPs) access to their
subscriber data (in the
areas serviced by the
PSAP) in order to
facilitate the effective
use of one-way emergency
notifications. |
Emergency
Override Message
A recorded
message, message format
or live feed designed to
take precedence in an
emergency and lock out
secondary messages from
broadcasting. Example:
when the
National Weather Service
issues a tornado
warning, day-to-day
messages on the radio
station are interrupted
and locked out while
being superseded by the
NWS warning during the
time that it is
pertinent. See also
Emergency Advisory Radio
Station. |
EMI
See
Electromagnetic
Interference. |
ENcast Emergency
Notification Broadcast
System
Information
Station Specialists
option, introduced in
2014 and discontinued in
2021, to broadcast
text-based emergency
notifications over a Travelers
Information Station
automatically. |
ENS
See
Emergency Notification
Systems. |
EventCAST Radio Stations
and LED Signs
Portable radio station
and sign purchase/rental
service from
Information
Station Specialists,
introduced in 2017 as a
replacement service
formerly called
RadioExpress.
Designed for event
broadcasting, signal
testing and other
temporary applications,
EventCAST offers
complete, portable AM
band
Travelers Information
Stations with a 3-5
mile radius range from
the antenna center point
(25-75 square miles).
Each station's weatherproof design
with quick-erect antenna
system allow setup in
almost any environment.
Portable LED changeable
message signs with
various mounting styles
are part of the service. See the
EventCAST webpage. |
Extended Range
Outdoor Antenna and
Tuner RE 2.5
Increases
the effective signal
range of an existing
InfOspot / Talking House
(i A.M. Radio)
Transmitter from
hundreds to potentially
thousands of feet by
providing a simple,
professional means of
installing the
transmitting antenna
outdoors – typically on
a roof or atop a support
pole/tower. The Talking
House (i A.M. Radio)
line of products is
unique as the only such
license-free system
certified under
FCC Part 15.219
with coaxial cable in
its approved design.
See specifications. |
Exterior Dimensions
Length, width and height
measured on the outside
surfaces of a container,
such as a box,
enclosure, trailer,
etc., used to
determine the dimensions
and volume of same. See
also
Interior Dimensions. |
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F |
FAS.6000 Flashing Beacons
and Controller
Allows
an operator to turn on
or off a pair of highway
sign of flashing amber
beacons, through
wireless means, without
the need to compromise
the
AM
broadcast signal the
sign might announce. The
FAS.6000 controller
includes a solar-powered
collection-and-storage
system, receiver, two
amber 8" or 12" LED
flashing beacons,
weatherproof enclosure,
mounts, wiring and
instructions. Wireless
control methods vary. Typically
used on roads of 55
miles per hour and
higher. See the
FAS.6000 webpage. |
FASTrack Quick-Erect
Portable Sign
FHWA/NFPA-approved for use at emergency scenes, one-piece FASTrack
signs are
portable and quick to
assemble during
emergencies. They are
available
with custom sign text
and optional text overlays.
See the
FASTrack webpage. |
FCC
See
Federal Communications
Commission. |
FCC TIS Rules
See
Part 90 TIS Rules. |
Filter, HQ 5.0 Audio
See
HQ 5.0 Audio Filter. |
Federal Communications
Commission (FCC)
An independent US
federal agency, created
by Congressional statute
to regulate interstate
and international
communications by radio,
television, wire,
satellite, and cable in
all 50 states, the
District of Columbia and
US territories. The FCC
works toward goals in
the areas of broadband,
competition, the
spectrum, the media,
public safety and
homeland security. See
also
FCC rules for
Travelers' Information
Stations. |
Flashing ALERT Sign
Wireless-controlled, solar-powered beacon
signs from Information Station Specialists that may be triggered remotely to advise motorists to tune
to a special radio signal for information or to take a
specific action in any public safety situation. See the
Flashing ALERT Sign
webpage. |
Flashing Beacons and
Controller
See
FAS.6000 Flashing Beacons
and Controller and
Flashing ALERT Sign. |
FlexPlane
Factory-Assembled Groundplane
Previously patented as
PowerPlanes,
Information Station
Specialists'
groundplanes are
composed of multiple
copper wire ground
radials bonded with a
heavy gauge copper lead
wire. The radial wires
vary in length, gauge
and flexibility,
depending upon each
application. See a
TechTalk
article, entitled
"Why Antenna Grounding Is
Important."
|
FM
See
Frequency Modulation. |
Forward Power (FP)
A standing wave on a
transmission line can be
composed of 2 traveling
waves, 1 moving toward
the load (the forward
wave) and 1 moving in
the opposite direction
(reflected wave). |
Free-Standing AM
Radio Antenna System
with Tower SS.3000
Produces
a signal intensity,
which, with FCC
allowance, is higher
than possible using the
standard
ANXX AM Radio Antenna. At 10
watts, the signal
intensity may be 2.0
mV/m at 2.25 miles,
producing a sign-able
range of 8 to 12 miles.
(Note: Special FCC
allowance for increased
signal intensity is
required.) The
Free-Standing Antenna
System's 49-foot
antenna/tower, antenna
tuner and 30-foot
groundplane are designed
to be ground-mounted in
an unobstructed area
approximately 100 feet
in radius for maximum
propagation. A concrete
pad supports the
antenna, tower and
tuner. See the
webpage. See also
an antenna comparison
chart. |
Frequency Modulation
(FM)
A method of radio
modulation in which the
frequency of the carrier
wave are varied. FM
frequency range is 88 to
108 MHz. See also
amplitude
modulation. |
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G |
GFCI
See
Ground
Fault Circuit
Interrupter. |
GFI
See
Ground
Fault Interrupt. |
Global Positioning
System (GPS)
A space-based satellite
navigation system that
provides location and
time information in all
weather conditions,
anywhere on or near the
Earth where there is an
unobstructed line of
sight to four or more
GPS satellites. |
GPS
See
Global Positioning
System. |
GPS Frequency
Stabilization
A method of
synchronizing the
carrier and/or the audio
of multiple (typically
overlapping)
Information Radio
signals in order to
reduce interstation
interference effects. |
Ground Fault Circuit
Interrupter (GFCI)
Device to quickly
disconnect current to
prevent serious harm
from an ongoing electric
shock. Known variously
as "Ground
Fault Interrupter,"
"residual-current
device,"
"residual-current
circuit breaker,"
"appliance leakage
current interrupter." |
Ground Fault Interrupter
(GFI)
GFIs compare currents
leaving hot conductors
to currents returning on
neutral conductors,
disconnecting circuits
if that difference
exceeds 4-6 milliamps.
Required in the US and
Canada for potentially
wet locations, GFIs are
cheaper than
Ground
Fault Circuit Interrupt
(GFCI) circuit
breakers and can be
wired to feed additional
downstream outlets so
that putting one GFCI
receptacle in a circuit
protects all downstream
plugs, lights and
switches. GFIs are
recommended for power
tool outlets. |
Groundplane
Device used to
provide horizontally
oriented grounding of
Travelers Information
Station antenna
systems. The more robust
the grounding, the more
efficient the antenna
system and the stronger
the resulting signal ot
a given transmitter
wattage. The
FlexPlane
Preassembled Groundplane is one
example. See
why groundplanes are
important, how they're
made and installed on
this
TechTalk webpage. |
Groundrod
For installations where
vertical grounding is
required but the antenna
must be mounted on an
existing pole or
structure, an
Information
Station Specialists Unirod may
be employed. The Unirod
is from 10 to 40
feet in length (longer Unirods for long
wavelength frequencies)
and is augured into the
earth beneath the
antenna pole, installed
with a highly conductive
soil backfill. Unirods
are also recommended
when the most efficient
possible grounding
method is required. See
also
Groundplane and
Vertical Profile Antenna Support and Grounding System and a
TechTalk article,
entitled
"Why Antenna Grounding is
Important, How It Works
& Is Installed." |
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H |
HAR
See
Highway Advisory Radio. |
HearMoreInfo
StreamCAST
A simple,
affordable
Information
Station Specialists
service to deliver
timely, targeted high
quality audio directly
to smartphones, tablets,
laptops and PCs.
StreamCASTs
allow Internet linking
of audiences to a
continuous program, such
as the broadcast program
of a Travelers
Information Station or the
play-by-play of a live
event. StreamCASTs may
be full production,
including music, and may
be sponsored, making the
service
revenue-neutral – or
even profitable for
operators. |
Hertz (Hz)
Unit of frequency in the
International System of
Units (SI) defined as 1
cycle per second, named
for Heinrich Hertz, the
first person to provide
conclusive proof of the
existence of
electromagnetic waves.
See also
Megahertz. |
Heterodyne
Interstation
interference caused when
unsynchronized
co-channel (same
frequency) radio station
signals overlap and
interact. |
High Performance
AM Radio Antenna
HPR.0990
A High Performance Antenna introduced
by Information Station
Specialists in 2019. It
offers the ability to
establish an AM
broadcast signal capable
of reaching greater
distances than before
possible with antennas
of similar design. Twice
as efficient as
comparable antennas,
this high capacity
antenna is compact and
light-weight, making it
easy to ship and
install. As a higher wattage antenna (e.g., part of the
RadioSAFE
System), an emergency Special Temporary Authority (STA)
from the FCC is
required. See
the HPR.0990 webpage.
See also
an antenna comparison
chart. |
Highway Advisory Radio
(HAR)
Term Departments of
Transportations (DOT)
commonly use for
Travelers Information
Stations in place
along highways for
traffic-control. The
ALERT AM fixed
and VoiceStar
portable stations are
prime examples of
Highway Advisory Radio
Systems. |
HPR.0990
See
High Performance Antenna. |
HQ 5.0 Audio Filter
See
Audio
Filter . . . |
HQ 5.1 Audio Processor
See
Audio
Processor . . . |
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TOP |
I |
IAB
See
InterAgency Board. |
IAB Interactive
Standardized Equipment
List
See
Standardized Equipment
List. |
i A.M. Radio
Enhanced Audio Talking
House Transmittter
See
InfOspot AM Radio
Transmitter System.
|
InfoMAX License-Free
Radio Station
Early trade name for
InfOspot License-Free
Radio Station. |
InfoRadio Format
Professional broadcast
recording service from
Information Station
Specialists. See
Professional Recording
Services webpage. |
Information Radio
Station
General term for
Travelers' Information
Station or
Highway
Advisory Radio Station. |
Information Station IP
or USB
Fixed
Travelers Information
Station used primarily for
broadcasting general
information to
motorists. May be used
in emergencies. Versions
include “IP” – operable
via network – and
“USB” – with a port for
a flash drive.
FCC-licensed.
Typical coverage:
25-75 square miles. Used
in combination with
Flashing ALERT Signs.
See the
Information Station
webpage. |
Information Station
Specialists (ISS)
The USA's best known
source for
Travelers Information
Stations (TIS
and HAR), advisory
signs and the
specialized services
required to transmit
spoken messages to
motorists − the only
such source providing
products entirely made
in America. See
What's Special about the
Specialists webpage. |
InfOspot AM Radio
Transmitter System
Formerly known as
InfoMAX, Talking House
and i A.M. Radio.
Range: up to 1/2-mile.
Can be portable or
stationary.
No license required
per
FCC rules Part 15.221.
See
InfOspot webpage.
See also the
Range
Extender option. |
Integrated Public Alert
Warning System (IPAWS)
An architecture that
unifies the United
States' Emergency Alert
System, National Warning
System, Wireless
Emergency Alerts, and
NOAA Weather Radio,
under a single platform. |
Intelligent
Transportation Systems
(ITS)
Technology along US
highways that allows
motorists to be better
informed to make safer
and smarter use of
transport networks.
ALERT AM fixed and
VoiceStar
portable radio stations
offered by
Information Station
Specialists operate
as part of Intelligent
Transportation networks
as do
FAS.6000 flashing
sign controllers and
beacons. |
InterAgency Board (IAB)
Under the auspices of
the US Attorney General,
in 1998, the InterAgency
Board for Equipment
Standardization and
Interoperability was
founded. Its work is
influenced by officials
from the Departments of
Defense and Justice,
with participation from
local, state and federal
government emergency
management agencies. The
group's mission is to
strengthen the nation's
ability to prepare for
and respond to
emergencies by
developing a common
language, for example,
the
Standardized Equipment
List, and common
methods of practice. |
Interior Dimensions
Length, width and height
measured inside a
container, such as a
box, enclosure, trailer.
etc., used to
determine interior
volume and how smaller
items can best be
arranged within. See
also
Exterior Dimensions. |
IP.8 Digital Message
Player
Discontinued in 2020.
See
current Audio Management
Systems. |
IP.76 Digital Message
Player
In production from
2003-2020. See
current Audio Management
Systems. |
IPAWS
See Integrated Public Alert
Warning System. |
ISS
See
Information Station
Specialists. |
ITS
See
Intelligent
Transportation System. |
ITS.6000 Highway Advisory
Radio Network
Fixed
Highway
Advisory Radio Network
with related flashing
beacon accessories from
Information Station
Specialists,
used by Departments of
Transportation as part
of
ITS projects. Rolled
into the
ALERT AM line in
2021. |
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J |
K |
Kilo Ampere (kAmp)
A measurement equal to
1000 amperes (100 amps)
of current in an
electrical circuit. |
Kilohertz (kHz)
The term “hertz” is
equivalent to “cycles
per second.” A kilohertz
is 1000 cycles per
second. The frequency of
a Travelers
Information Station is measured
in kilohertz, with 530
kHz being the lowest
frequency and 1710 kHz
the highest. |
Kilometer (km)
Metric unit of length
equivalent to 1000
meters or 0.62137 miles. |
kAmp
See Kilo
Ampere. |
kHz
See
Kilohertz. |
km
See
Kilometer. |
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L |
LED
See Light
Emitting Diode. |
Light Emitting Diode
(LED)
Semiconductor device
that emits visible light
when an electric current
passes through it. The
light is not
particularly bright, but
in most LEDs, it is
monochromatic, occurring
at a single wavelength. |
LIGHTNING LED Message
Sign
Affordable and easy to
set up, this portable
changeable message sign,
offered by Information
Station Specialists from
2016-21, programed via a wireless
remote control and
displayed messages indoors
or out. Operates up to
30 hours on a single
battery charge,
indefinitely on land
power. Displayed new
messages instantly.
Stored hundreds for
future use. Came with
carrying case and
mounting options. |
LLIS-RKB
See
Responders Knowledge
Base. |
Low Power AM
(LPAM)
Descriptor often
used for a
Travelers Information
Station. |
Low Power FM (LPFM)
Non-commercial
educational broadcast
service, established by
the FCC in 2000. Public
safety agencies, may use
Low Power FM Stations
with special provisions
and restrictions.
Licenses may be
requested during specific
“filing windows”
announced periodically
by the FCC. LPFM
stations have special
licensing and
programming requirements
that make them less
efficient for public
safety and
transportation agency
applications. See the
FCC's
LPFM webpage.
|
LPAM
See See Low
Power AM. |
LPFM
See Low
Power FM. |
M |
Ma
See
Milliamp. |
MATCHBOX
Impedance Matching
Transformer, The
See THEMATCHBOX. |
Megahertz (MHz)
One million hertz, used
to measure the frequency
of radio |
Message
Broadcast recordings or
live voice
transmissions. |
MGR.021 Digital Audio
Management System
See webpage. See
also
a comparison of audio
managment systems. |
MHz
See
Megahertz. |
Milliamp (Ma)
Unit of current equal to
1/1000 (10-3) of an
Amp
used to express flow
rate of electric charge. |
Millivolts per Meter
(mV/m)
Unit of electromotive
force equal to 1/1000 of
a volt (the standard
unit of potential
difference and
electromotive force).
See also
Volts of Alternating
Current and
Volts of
Direct Current. |
Milliwatts (mW)
Unit of power equal to
1,000th of a watt,
output of
electrical power. |
Modulation
In electronics and telecommunications, the process of varying one or more properties of a periodic waveform, called the carrier signal, with a modulating signal that typically contains information to be transmitted. The information may take the form of audio or data. |
Msg
See
Message. |
Multi-Modal
In communication, the
employment of various
tools to communicate a
given message to the
intended audiences. |
mV/m
See
Millivolts per Meter. |
MW
See
Megawatts. |
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N |
National Electrical
Manufacturers
Association (NEMA)
Group of approximately
450 electrical equipment
and medical imaging
manufacturers in the US,
founded in 1926,
headquartered in
Virginia. See
website. |
National Emergency
Management Association (NEMA)
Nonprofit, nonpartisan
association of emergency
management and homeland
security professionals,
established in 1974,
when state directors of
emergency services first
united to exchange
information on common
emergency management
issues that threatened
their constituencies.
See
website. |
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric
Administration (NOAA)
Scientific agency within
the US Department of
Commerce focused on
conditions of the oceans
and the atmosphere. NOAA
warns of dangerous
weather (National
Weather Service),
charts seas and skies,
guides use and
protection of ocean and
coastal resources and
conducts research to
improve understanding
and stewardship of the
environment. Go to
NOAA's website. |
National
Telecommunication
Information Agency (NTIA)
Executive Branch agency
that advises the
US President on
telecommunication and
information policy
issues. NTIA tries to
expand broadband
Internet access and
adoption in America and
use of spectrum by all
to ensure the
Internet remains an
engine for continued
innovation and economic
growth. NTIA licenses
federally operated
Travelers Information
Stations (TIS
and HAR). Visit
the NTIA website for
details. |
National Weather Service
(NWS)
Part of the federal
government's
National
Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration
(NOAA), tasked with providing
forecasts, public
warnings, and other
products to
organizations and the
public for the purposes
of protection, safety,
and general information.
This is done through a
collection of national
and regional centers and
122 local weather
forecast offices. Go to
the
NWS website. |
NEMA
See
National Electrical
Manufacturers
Association or
National
Emergency Management
Association. |
NOAA
See
National Oceanic and
Atmospheric
Administration. |
NOAA All Hazard Alerts
See
Emergency Alert System. |
NTIA
See
National
Telecommunication
Information Agency. |
NWS
See National Weather
Service. |
NX8R Digital Message
Player
Replaced by other
Digital Audio Management
Systems in 2022, the
NX8R Digital Message
Player was designed for
fixed and portable
Information Radio
Systems, allowing
operators to record up
to 1,000 broadcast
messages and store three
hours of recordings in
nonvolatile flash
memory. No message
(battery) backup was
required. Additionally,
NX8R provided 8 external
contacts to initiate
various message
playlists, live audio
segments and event
sequences. NIt was a
direct upgrade to
earlier RAM-based
digital message players
(AP55 and IP8) with
similar protocols and
command sets, so
relearning protocols was
kept to a minimum for
existing operators. |
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O |
P |
Part
15
FCC Rules
Stations
approved by the FCC to
operate license free.
See a PDF of the
Part 15.219 Rules.
See also
Part 15.221 Rules. |
Part 90
FCC Rules
Rules originating in
1977 and updated in 2013
that govern the
licensing and operation
of
Travelers Information
Stations (TIS
and HAR)
in the United States. See
a PDF of
the Rules as updated
in 2013 and the 2014
FCC TIS Compliance Guide. |
PL
See
Private Line. |
Playlist
List of programmable
broadcast recordings for
a Travelers
Information Station that
normally play on the air
in a repeating cycle. See also
Digital Message Player. |
Power Loss Notification
Module
Travelers
Information Station option that
automatically dials up
to 4 telephone numbers,
including cell phones
and pagers should loss
of power be sensed. |
PowerPlane Preassembled Groundplane
See
FlexPlane |
PowerSTAT Portable
Energy Source
Introduced in
2011. Discontinued in
2017. A
pure sine-wave AC
inverter plus high
capacity charger with
hefty battery pack, all
packaged in a
weather-resistant
portable case. Charged
at any standard 120-volt
AC power outlet.
Provided pure, clean,
energy, quietly.
Approved for indoor use.
Could stand alone or be
employed as a power
source for the
RadioSTAT Portable
Emergency Advisory Radio
Station. |
Private
Line (PL)
In wired telephony, a
tie-line service that
involves dedicated
circuits, private
switching and/or
predefined transmission
paths, virtual or
physical, that provide
communication among
specific locations. Most
connect only two
locations though they
may be switched at
either end or both. Some
have multiple drop
points. |
Processor, HQ 5.2 Audio
See
HQ 5.0 Audio Processor. |
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R |
Radio Frequency
(RF)
A rate of oscillation
that corresponds to the
frequency of radio waves
and the alternating
currents that carry
radio signals. See
Wikipedia
details. |
Radio Frequency
Interference
(RFI)
Disturbance that affects
an electrical circuit
due to either
electromagnetic
induction or
electromagnetic
radiation emitted from
an external source,
degrading performance. |
Radio Receivers
for Cars - why they're
all so different, a
history
Visit
this link,
contributed by Lucas
(via his teacher Noelle
Bennett) of Learning
Haven School. It
explains why car radio
receivers are all so
different. |
RadioExpress Portable
Information Radio
Service
Tradename revised to
EventCAST in
2017. See the
EventCAST webpage. |
RadioSAFE Wide
Area Emergency Radio
Broadcast Systems
A
community’s safety net –
a key resiliency asset
that can be called up
during a major incident
to direct citizens in
evacuation, preservation
of life and property and
disaster recovery. RadioSAFE isystems
are special radio stations that typically
operates at low power (10 watts) under
Travelers' Information Station rules – until
required to go active in an emergency to advise the
public. With the substitution of its high power
transmitter, the
system is capable of signal coverage that blankets an entire
county or major city.RadioSAFE
Wide Area Emergency
Radio
Broadcast Systems have
the capability of
staging hundreds of
preplanned safety
messages that can be
selected locally or
remotely at a moment’s
notice and updated
minute by minute.
Programming can be
performed at the station
or remotely via telco or
UHF/VHF transceiver or
by LAN/WAN if optioned.
Introduced by
Information Station
Specialists in 2019.
See the
RadioSAFE
webpage. See also
the
HPR.0990 High Performance Antenna. |
RadioSTAT Portable
Emergency Advisory Radio
Station
Compact, hand-portable
Emergency
Advisory Radio Station
from Information
Station Specialists that can
be easily taken to an incident by
land, sea or air. Housed
in an easy-to-transport,
high-impact,
weather-resistant case,
the station can operate
from a fixed location
when not required in the
field. Controlled via
flash drive or network.
FCC-licensed. Range
25-75 square miles. Used
in combination with FASTrack Signs. |
Range
Extender Outdoor Antenna
and Tuner (RE 2.5)
Boosts
range of
InfOspot AM
Radio Transmitter up
to 2500 feet when
mounted on a building,
pole or tower. Its
exclusive design allows
a coaxial cable link
between the transmitter
and the antenna
location, so the
transmitter can stay
indoors, safe from the
elements and accessible.
Comes with 25 feet of
RG.6 Cable. May be
ordered separately.
First introduced in 2007
by another manufacturer;
redesigned and
reintroduced by
Information Station
Specialists in 2019.
See
Range Extender
specifications. |
REF
See
Reflected Power. |
Reflected Power (REF)
A standing wave on a
transmission line can be
composed of 2 traveling
waves, 1 moving toward
the load (the forward
wave) and 1 moving in
the opposite direction
(reflected wave). |
RF
See Radio
Frequency. |
RFI
See Radio
Frequency Interference. |
RKB
See
Responders Knowledge
Base. |
RoadRunnR Portable
Highway Advisory Radio
System
Trailer-mounted portable
Highway
Advisory Radio System
introduced by
Information
Station Specialists in
2000. See also
VoiceStar. |
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S |
SAME
See
Specific Area Message
Encoding. |
SEL
See
Standardized Equipment
List. |
Sequential, Two Tone
See Two-Tone Sequential. |
Severe Storm Detector
(SSD.20)
A personal
storm sensing device.
See the product
overview. |
Short Message Service
Short Messaging Service
known as texting. For
example, all Information
Station Specialists
fixed signage products
may be triggered
directly by any
emergency notification
system capable of
sending messages in SMS
text format. See
Flashing ALERT Sign,
FAS.6000
Flashing Beacons and
Controller, and/or
Stealth Sign. |
Signal Booster
See 2X
Signal Booster. |
Signal Measurement Radio
Receiver (SMR)
A portable radio
receiver used for
monitoring and
measurement of AM radio
signals. Displays AM
signal levels so they
may be documented. Used to comply with
FCC Rules.
See details on the
SMR webpage. |
Signs
See these fixed signs
each:
Flashing ALERT Sign,
FAS.6000
Flashing Beacons and
Controller,
Stealth Sign fixed
signs. See also these
portable signs each:
FASTrack Quick-Erect
Sign,
LIGHTNING LED Message
Sign and
VoiceStar. |
Sines
In mathematics, the sine
is a trigonometric
function of an angle. A
sine wave or sinusoid is
a mathematical curve
that describes the
smooth repetitive
oscillation of a radio
wave. |
Single Pole
Double Throw
(SPDT)
A switch that may be thrown in
2 directions, allowing
current to pass to 2
different terminals,
depending upon which way
the throw is made. See
also Single Pole Single
Throw |
Single Pole Single Throw
(SPST)
A switch that makes
contact between 2
discrete terminals,
allowing electrical
current to flow between
them when the switch
(throw) is closed and
not when it is open.
See also
Single Pole Double Throw. |
Skywave
A phenomenon on AM band
channels caused by
nighttime cooling in the
ionosphere, prompting AM
radio waves to reflect
back to Earth at distant
locations. See
"What is skywave? The
difference is Night and
Day," TechTalk,
2013. |
SMR
See
Signal Measurement Radio
Receiver. |
SMS
See Short
Message Service. |
Special Temporary
Authority (STA)
The authority granted to
an applicant to operate
a radio station or
service for a limited
time for a specified
reason, such as an
emergency, for testing
or for restoration of
communications or other
short-term operations,
whereby the applicant
has shown that, due to
extraordinary
circumstances, s/he
cannot wait for the
normal licensing process
to conclude. See also
Construction
Notification. |
Specific Area Message
Encoding (SAME)
Discontinued in 2022, digital codes keyed to
each county, programmed
into a
NOAA weather radio
receiver so
EAS
'all hazard' alerts will
broadcast over
specialized weather
receivers and
Travelers Information
Stations. |
SPDT
See
Single Pole
Double Throw. |
SPST
See
Single Pole Single Throw. |
SS.3000 Free-Standing AM
Radio Antenna System
with Tower (SS.3000)
See
Free-Standing AM Rado
Antenna System with
Tower SS.3000. |
STA
See
Special Temporary
Authority. |
Standard Antenna
See
ANXX AM
Radio Antenna. |
Standardized Equipment
List (SEL)
Also known as
InterAgency Board (IAB)
Interactive Standardized
Equipment List
Guideline used
voluntarily, intended to
promote interoperability
and standardization
across the emergency
response community at
local, state and federal
levels by offering
standard references and
common terminology. The
Interagency Board
provides subject matter
expertise on equipment
used by first responders
and other emergency
management professionals
and maintains the
Standardized Equipment
List (SEL) which has
most of the equipment
types listed on the
Authorized Equipment
List. The numbering
scheme for individual
items on the Authorized
Equipment List provides
direct cross-referencing
with the Standardized
Equipment List. The
Standardized Equipment
List has relevant
standards, training
requirements and
operating considerations
for many of the
equipment items. See
also
Authorized Equipment
List. |
Standing Wave Ratio
(SWR)
Standing-wave ratio (SWR)
is a mathematical
expression of the
non-uniformity of an
electromagnetic field
on a transmission line,
such as coaxial cable
and/or a connected
antenna system. Antennas
are adjusted to make the
SWR as low as possible
(1:1) in order to make
the antenna efficiency
as high as possible.
Typically, a SWR as high
as 2:1 is suitable for
Travelers Information
Station operations.
A 2:1 SWR correlates to
a 10:1 ratio of forward
to reflected transmitter
power. |
Stealth Sign
Fixed-message LED signs
that are dark when not
activated. See
Stealth Sign webpage. |
Storm
Sensor
See
SSD.20
Severe Storm Detector. |
StreamCAST Internet
Broadcast Service
See
HearMoreInfo. |
Streaming
Broadcasts to the
Internet
See
HearMoreInfo. |
SuperStation 3000
Antenna System
See
Free-Standing AM Rado
Antenna System with
Tower SS.3000. |
SWR
See
Standing Wave Ratio. |
SX.200 Wattmeter
See
Wattmeter (SX.200). |
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T |
Talking House AM
Radio Transmitter (TH.5) with
or without i A.M. Radio
Enhanced Audio
Updated and absorbed
into the newer
InfOspot AM Radio
Transmitter System
in 2020. |
thematchbox
Introduced by
Information Station
Specialists in 2023, a
broadband multi-tap
transmission-line
transformer that raises
the magnitude of the
characteristically low
impedances of
electrically short end
fed antennas to an
impedance suitable for
direct connection to
50-ohm coaxial cable
without significant loss
or standing wave ratio.
Superior to conventional
transformers which
perform well only above
1 MHz, THEMATCHBOX works
well at low frequencies
(down to 100 kHz) due to
its manganese zinc alloy
composition.
See a technical specs. |
Tip and Ring (T/R)
Names of the 2
conductors or the side
of a telephone line. |
TIS
See Travelers' Information
Stations. |
TIS Rules
See
Part 90 FCC
Rules. |
TMS.020 Digital Audio
Management System
IP-based digitial audio
management system.
See webpage. See
also
an audio control methods
comparision chart. |
tornadoAlert
See
SSD.20
Severe Storm Detector. |
Touchtone
See
Dual-Tone
Multi-Frequency
Signaling (DTMF). |
TR.6000 AM Radio Transmitter
Model 15.73 (FCC Parts
15 & 73/1560)
A 10-watt AM transmitter
supplied only by
Information Station
Specialists for
unlicensed broadcast
operations (Part 15) and
emergency / reduced
power broadcast service
(Part 73/1560). See
details on this
webpage.
|
TR.6000 AM Radio Transmitter
Model HQ 5.0 (FCC Part
90)
A 10-watt AM transmitter
supplied only by
Information Station
Specialists for all
licensed
Travelers Information
Stations the company
provides. The TR.6000
HQ 5.0 is
type accepted according
FCC
standards for the
TIS
service. See
details on this
webpage.
See also
HQ 5.0
Audio Filter and
HQ 5.2
Audio Processor. |
Travelers' Information
Station (TIS)
Also referred to
generally as
Information
Radio Stations, and in
specific applications
and station setups,
as
Emergency Advisory Radio,
Highway Advisory Radio
or Low
Power Radio.
Legal term used by the
Federal
Communications
Commission to define
a 10-watt radio station
that operates on AM-band
frequencies 530-1700
kHz; signal coverage is
2.0 mV/m at 1.5 km,
which typically yields a
signal radius of 3-5
miles. The Federal
Communications
Commission licenses the
stations to state and
local government
agencies, such as
regional emergency
managers, under
Part 90.242
Rules, issued in
1977 and updated and
clarified in
the 2014
FCC TIS Compliance Guide.
Federal agencies, such
as National Parks and
the Department of
Homeland Security,
obtain authorization for
their TIS stations to
operate separately through the
National
Telecommunication and
Information
Administration.
TIS broadcasts are intended
for motorists and must
be commercial-free,
voice-only
public-safety/service-oriented.
Emergency managers may
broadcast any information
to preserve life and
property when danger is
imminent. Motorists are notified
to tune to the stations
via road signs, which
typically incorporate flashing
beacons.
ISS trade names include
ALERT AM,
RadioSTAT,
VoiceStar
and the
Information Station
(click each
preceding trade name
for individual
descriptions). |
Two-Tone Sequential
Also known as 1+1
"Two-tone sequential" is
a dual-tone selective
calling method used in
one-way paging
transmissions. |
U |
UHF
See
Ultra
High Frequency. |
Ultra High
Frequency (UHF)
The designation for
radio frequencies in the
range of 300 MHz and
3Ghz. UHF radio waves
propagate mainly by line
of sight. |
Unirod
See
Groundrod. |
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V |
VAC
See
Volts of Alternating
Current. |
VDC
See
Volts of Direct
Current. |
Vertical Profile Antenna Support and Grounding System
See
VP.9000 Vertical Profile Antenna Support and Grounding System. |
Very High Frequency
(VHF)
The International
Telecommunication Union
(ITU)-designated range
of radio frequency
electromagnetic waves
from 30 MHz to 300 MHz,
with corresponding
wavelengths of 1 to 10n
meters. (ITU coordinates
the shared global use of
the radio spectrum.)
Frequencies immediately
below VHF are denoted
high frequency (HF), and
the next higher
frequencies are known as
ultra high frequency
(UHF). |
VHF
See Very
High Frequency. |
VoiceStar Portable
Information Radio Station
and Changeable
Message Sign on Towable
Trailer
Solar-powered, wireless controlled, trailer-mounted,
portable
Travelers Information
Station (TIS
and HAR)
with optional changeable
message sign. Throws a
full 25-to-75
square-mile signal (3 to
5 mile radius) to
motorists. Often used in
association with highway
construction for
incidents and
emergencies.
See
VoiceStar webpage.
Information
Station Specialists offers VoiceStar in
partnership with the
American Signal
Corporation. |
Volts of Alternating
Current (VAC)
The measured electrical
potential (voltage) of
an Alternating
Current circuit. |
Volts of Direct
Current (VDC)
The measured electrical
potential (voltage) of a
Direct
Current. |
Volume Units (VU)
Base units of length and
volume linked in the
metric system. By
definition, a liter is
equal to the volume of a
cube exactly 10 cm tall,
10 cm long, and 10 cm
wide. Because the volume
of this cube is 1000
cubic centimeters and a
liter contains 1000
milliliters, 1
milliliter is equivalent
to 1 cubic centimeter. |
VP.9000 Vertical Profile Antenna Support and Grounding System
A previously patented aluminum
antenna support pole and
antenna grounding
system, in one. The
antenna lightning
arrestor and cables are
housed inside the pole,
accessible through a
service hatch to
discourage vandalism.
VP.9000 requires less
ground disturbance and
installation space and
is an unobtrusive
antenna-grounding
solution for
Travelers Information
Stations (TIS
and HAR). See also a
TechTalk
article entitled,
Why Antenna Grounding Is
Important, How It Works
and Is Installed. |
VU
See Volume
Units. |
BACK TO
TOP |
W |
W or w
See Watt. |
WAL
See
Wireless Audio Link
System. |
Watt (W or w)
Standard unit of measure
of power equipvalent to
one joule per second and
equal to the power in a
circuit in which a
current of one ampere
flows across a potential
difference of one volt. |
Wattmeter
(SX.200)
A valuable tool for
installing and
maintaining
Travelers Information
Stations. The
wattmeter is used to
tune the station's
antenna and to determine
if the antenna and
transmitter are working
efficienty (by allowing
the measurement of the
antenna system's forward and
reflected power). Trade
name: SX.200. See
TechTalk article:
Troubleshooting with a
Wattmeter. |
Wireless Audio Link System
(WAL)
A method of linking a
continuous audio program
from a central source to
multiple
Travelers Information
Stations by
RF
means. |