"Techno-speak"
is an impediment to all beginners. The list below
includes most of the popular acronyms and abbreviations
that have invaded the language of technicians, engineers
and programmers. Students are advised to peruse this
list of common acronyms and abbreviations,
determine how many of them they already know, and
then begin learning the others. Sometimes the pivotal
point in an interview centers on the response to a
single question that may include acronyms and/or abbreviations.
Other useful resources for electronic
abbreviations can be found at these Websites:
| Common Acronyms
and Abbreviations |
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
|
| A |
| A |
Ampere |
| AC |
Alternating Current |
| ACK |
Acknowledge (logic
or protocol signal) |
| ACIA |
Asynchronous
Communication Interface Adapter |
| ACL |
Advanced CMOS
Logic (as in 74ACL245) |
| A/D |
Analog to Digital
|
| AF |
Audio Frequency |
| AFC |
Automatic Frequency
Control |
| AGC |
Automatic Gain
Control |
| AH |
Ampere-Hour
(capacity rating for cells and batteries) |
| AI |
Artificial Intelligence |
| AKA |
Also
Known As |
| ALC |
Automatic Level
Control |
| ALU |
Arithmetic Logic
Unit |
| A/N |
Alphanumeric |
| ANSI |
American National
Standards Institute |
| ARRL |
American Radio
Relay League |
| AS |
Advanced Schottky
(as in 74AS245) |
| ASCII |
American Standard
Code for Information Interchange |
| ASIC |
Application
Specific Integrated Circuit |
| ASK |
Amplitude Shift
Keying |
| ATC |
Air Traffic
Control |
| AV |
Audio/Visual
|
| AVC |
Automatic Volume
Control |
| Back
to Top |
| B |
| BASIC |
Beginners All-purpose
Symbolic Instruction Code |
| BBD |
Bucket Brigade
Device |
| BCE |
Binary Coded
Decimal |
| BEV |
Billion Electron
Volts |
| BIFET |
Bipolar Field-Effect
Transistor |
| BJT |
Bipolar
Junction Transistor |
| BNC |
Baby N Connector |
| BPI |
Bits Per Inch |
| BPS |
Bits Per Second |
| BTW |
By The Way |
| B&W |
Black & White
(TV) |
| BW |
BandWidth |
| Back
to Top |
| C |
| C |
Capacitance |
| CAD |
Computer Assisted
Design or Computer Aided Drafting |
| CADA |
Computer Assisted
Design and Analysis |
| CADD |
Computer Assisted
Design and Development |
| CAE |
Computer Assisted
Engineering |
| CAM |
Computer Assisted
Manufacturing |
| CAN |
CANcel |
| CAS |
Column Address
Strobe (logic signal) |
| CATV |
CAble TeleVision |
| CB |
Citizens Band |
| CBI |
Complementary
BInary or Computer Based Instruction |
| CBT |
Computer Based
Training |
| CC |
Constant Current |
| CCD |
Charge Coupled
Device (light sensitive types used in cameras) |
| CCITT |
International
Telegraphy and Telephony Consultative Committee |
| CCTV |
Closed Circuit
TeleVision |
| CCW |
Counter Clock
Wise |
| CD |
Compact Disk |
| CD-I |
Compact Disk
- Interactive |
| CDR |
Compact Disk
Recordable |
| CDROM |
Compact Disk
Read Only Memory |
| CDRW |
Compact Disk
ReWriteable |
| CECL |
Cascode Emitter
Coupled Logic |
| CEMA |
Consumer Electronics
Manufacturers Association |
| CEMF |
Counter ElectroMotive
Force |
| CERDIP |
CERamic Dual
Inline Package |
| CES |
Consumer Electronics
Show |
| CF |
Center Frequency
or Cubic Feet |
| CFM |
Cubic Feet per
Minute |
| CIM |
Computer Integrated
Manufacturing |
| CISC |
Complex Instruction
Set Computer (vs RISC |
| CL |
Current Loop |
| CMOS |
Complementary
Metal Oxide Semiconductor |
| CP/M |
Control Program
for Microcomputers (operating system) |
| CPI |
Characters Per
Inch |
| CPU |
Central Processing
Unit |
| CRC |
Cyclic Redundancy
Check (error detection scheme) |
| CRT |
Cathode Ray
Tube |
| CS |
Control Strobe
(logic signal) |
| CSA |
Canadian Standards
Association (UL's Canadian counterpart) |
| CTC |
Counter/Timer
Circuit |
| CTS |
Clear To Send
(protocol signal) |
| CV |
Constant Voltage |
| CVT |
Constant Voltage
Transformer |
| CW |
ClockWise |
| CYMK |
Cyan Yellow
Magenta blacK (the subtractive primaries plus
black; used in color printing) |
| Back
to Top |
| D |
| D/A |
Digital to Analog |
| DAC |
Digital to Analog
Converter or Data Acquisition and Control |
| DARPA |
Defense Advanced
Research Projects Agency |
| DAV |
Data AValiable
or DatA Valid (protocol or logic signals) |
| DB |
Data Base |
| dB |
DeciBel |
| dBA |
DeciBel - Adjusted
(weighted to human hearing) |
| dBK |
DeciBel (1 kilowatt
reference) |
| DBM |
Data Base Management |
| dBm |
DeciBel (1 milliwatt
reference) |
| dBV |
DeciBel (1 volt
reference) |
| dBX |
DeciBel - above
reference |
| DC |
Direct
Current |
| DCD |
Data Carrier
Detect (protocol signal) |
| DDS |
Direct
Digital Synthesis |
| DES |
Data Encryption
Standard |
| DIAC |
Bilateral trigger
diode (two terminal TRIAC) |
| DIL |
Dual In Line |
| DIN |
Deutsche Industrie
Normenausschuss (the German Standards Institute) |
| DIP |
Dual Inline
Package |
| DLC |
Dual Layer Capacitor |
| DMA |
Direct Memory
Access |
| DMM |
Digital MultiMeter |
| DOD |
Department of
Defense |
| DOS |
Disk Operating
System |
| DOT |
Department of
Transportation |
| DP |
Data Processing |
| DPDT |
Double Pole
Double Throw (as in a switch) |
| DPI |
Dots Per Inch
(as in resolution) |
| DPST |
Double Pole
Single Throw (as in a switch) |
| DRAM |
Dynamic Random
Access Memory |
| DS |
Data Strobe
(logic signal) |
| DSO |
Digital Storage
Oscilloscope |
| DSP |
Digital Signal
Processing |
| DSR |
Data Set Ready
(protocol signal) |
| DTL |
Diode Transistor
Logic (predecessor of TTL) |
| DTMF |
Dual Tone Multi
Frequency (often called Touch Tone) |
| DTR |
Data Terminal
Ready (protocol signal) |
| DVM |
Digital Volt-Meter |
| Back
to Top |
| E |
| E2PROM |
Electrically
Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory |
| EAROM |
Electrically
Alterable Read Only Memory |
| EBCDIC |
Extended Binary
Coded Decimal Interchange Code |
| ECC |
Error Checking
and Correction |
| ECL |
Emitter Coupled
Logic |
| EEPROM |
Electrically
Erasable Programmable Read Only Memory |
| EGA |
Enhanced Graphics
Adapter |
| EHF |
Extremely High
Frequency |
| EIA |
Electronics
Industries Association |
| EL |
ElectroLuminescent
|
| ELF |
Extremely Low
Frequency |
| EMF |
ElectroMotive
Force |
| EMI |
ElectroMagnetic
Interference |
| EMP |
ElectroMagnetic
Pulse |
| ENIAC |
Electronic Numerical
Integrator and Calculator (the first computer) |
| EOT |
End Of Transmission
(protocol signal) |
| EPLD |
Electrically
Programmable Logic Device |
| EPROM |
Electrically
Programmable Read Only Memory (ultraviolet erase) |
| EQ |
EQualizer |
| ESA |
European Space
Agency |
| ESD |
Electrostatic
Sensitive Device or ElectroStatic Discharge |
| ESR |
Equivalent Series
Resistance |
| EV |
Electron Volt |
| Back
to Top |
| F |
| F |
Farad (measure
of capacitance) |
| FAA |
Federal Aviation
Administration |
| FAST |
Fairchild Advanced
Schottky TTL (as in 74F245) |
| FAX |
Facsimile |
| FCC |
Federal Communications
Commission |
| FDC |
Floppy Disk
Controller |
| FDX |
Full DupleX |
| FET |
Field Effect Transistor |
| FF |
Flip Flop |
| FFT |
Fast Fourier
Transform |
| FIFO |
First In First
Out (memory or shift register) |
| FILO |
First In Last
Out |
| FM |
Frequency Modulation
|
| FORTRAN |
FORmula TRANslator
(programming language) |
| FP |
Floating Point
|
| FPGA |
Field Programmable
Gate Array |
| FPLA |
Field Programmable
Logic Array |
| FPP |
Floating Point
Processor |
| FPU |
Floating Point
Unit |
| FSK |
Frequency Shift
Keying |
| FTP |
File Transfer
Protocol |
| FUBAR |
Fouled Up Beyond
Any Repair |
| FVC |
Frequency to
Voltage Converter |
| Back
to Top |
| G |
| GA |
Gate Array |
| GAL |
Generic Array
Logic |
| GCS |
Gate Controlled
Switch |
| GFCI |
Ground Fault
Circuit Interrupter |
| GFI |
Ground Fault
Interrupter |
| GFLOPS |
Billions of
FLOating Point operations per Second |
| GIGO |
Garbage In Garbage
Out |
| GND |
GrouND |
| GPIB |
General
Purpose Interface Bus (evolved from HPIB
by Hewlett Packard) |
| GPS |
Global Positioning
System |
| GUI |
Graphical User
Interface (software) |
| Back
to Top |
| H |
| HAL |
Hardwired Array
Logic |
| HC |
High speed CMOS
(as in 74HC245) |
| HCT |
High speed CMOS
with TTL thresholds (as in
74HCT245) |
| HD |
High Density
|
| HDC |
Hard Disk Controller
|
| HDTV |
High Definition
TeleVision |
| HDX |
Half DupleX
|
| HER |
High Efficiency
Red (as in a LED) |
| HET |
Heterodyne (non-linear
frequency mixing) |
| HF |
High Frequency
|
| HFS |
Hierarchical
File System |
| HIC |
Hybrid Integrated
Circuit |
| HP |
Hewlett
Packard (company) or Horse Power |
| HPIB |
Hewlett
Packard Interface Bus (evolved into GPIB)
|
| HPIL |
Hewlett Packard
Interface Loop (as in HP41CX calculator) |
| HTL |
High Threshold
Logic |
| HVDC |
High Voltage
Direct Current |
| HVPS |
High Voltage
Power Supply |
| Hz |
Hertz (frequency
in cycles per second) |
| Back
to Top |
| I |
| I2ICE |
Integrated Instrumentation
and In Circuit Emulation |
| I2R |
Current (I)
squared x Resistance (power due to current flow
through a resistance) |
| IA |
Instrumentation
Amplifier |
| IC |
Integrated Circuit
|
| ICE |
In Circuit Emulation
|
| IEEE |
Institute of
Electrical and Electronics Engineers |
| IF |
Intermediate
Frequency |
| IGFET |
Insulated Gate
Field Effect Transistor |
| IMHO |
In My Humble
Opinion |
| IMNHO |
In My Not so
Humble Opinion |
| I/O |
Input/Output
|
| IOP |
Input/Output
Processor |
| IP |
Interface Processor
or Internet Protocol |
| IR |
Current-Resistance
(as in IR loss) or InfraRed |
| IRED |
InfraRed Emitting
Diode |
| IRLED |
InfraRed Light
Emitting Diode |
| IRQ |
Interrupt ReQuest
|
| ISA |
Instrument Society
of America |
| ISN |
Information
Systems Network |
| ISO |
In Search Of
|
| Back
to Top |
| J |
| JEDEC |
Joint Electron
Device Engineering Council |
| JFET |
Junction Field Effect Transistor |
| JIS |
Japanese Industrial Standard |
| JPL |
Jet Propulsion Laboratory |
| JUG |
Joint Users Group |
| Back
to Top |
| K |
| k |
Kilo (1000 units)
|
| kA |
Kilo Ampere
(1000 A) |
| kbPS |
Kilo bits Per
Second |
| kEV |
Kilo Electron
Volts |
| kHz |
Kilo Hertz (1000
cycles per second) |
| kVA |
Kilo Volt Amperes
|
| kW |
Kilo Watts |
| kWH |
Kilo Watt Hours |
| Back
to Top |
| L |
| L |
Inductance |
| L2FET |
Logic Level
Field Effect Transistor |
| LAN |
Local Area Network
|
| LASCR |
Light Activated
Silicon Controlled Rectifier |
| LASER |
Light Amplification
by Stimulated Emission of Radiation |
| LC |
Inductance and
Capacitance (as in a tank circuit or filter) |
| LCD |
Liquid Crystal
Display |
| LCM |
Least/Lowest
Common Multiple |
| LD |
Line Driver
|
| LED |
Light
Emitting Diode |
| LF |
Low Frequency
|
| LIFO |
Last In First
Out |
| LISP |
LISt Processing
(computer language) |
| LLFET |
Logic Level
Field Effect Transistor |
| LO |
Local Oscillator
|
| LORAN |
LOng RAnge Navigation |
| LP |
Low Pass |
| LPC |
Linear Predictive
Coding |
| LPM |
Lines Per Minute
|
| LPT |
Line PrinTer
(port - aka parallel port)
|
| LSB |
Least Significant
Bit or Lower SideBand |
| LSD |
Least Significant
Digit |
| LSI |
Large Scale
Integration |
| LUT |
Look Up Table
|
| LW |
Long Wave |
| Back
to Top |
| M |
| mAH |
milliAmpere-Hour
(capacity rating of small cells and batteries)
|
| MB |
MegaBytes (millions
of bytes) |
| Mb |
Megabits (millions
of bits) |
| MBPS |
Million Bytes
Per Second |
| MbPS |
Million bits
Per Second |
| MCA |
Micro Channel
Architecture |
| MCU |
Micro Computer
Unit |
| MDAC |
Multiplying
Digital to Analog Converter |
| MECL |
Motorola Emitter
Coupled Logic |
| MFLOPS |
Millions of
FLOating Point operations per Second |
| MFM |
Modified Frequency
Modulation |
| MHz |
MegaHertz |
| MIDI |
Music Instrument
Digital Interface |
| MIL |
MILitary |
| MILSPEC |
MILitary SPECification
|
| MIPS |
Millions of
Instructions Per Second |
| MMU |
Memory Management
Unit |
| MO |
Master Oscillator
|
| MOS |
Metal Oxide
Semiconductor |
| MOSFET |
Metal Oxide
Semiconductor Field Effect Transistor |
| MOV |
Metal Oxide
Varistor |
| MPU |
Main Processing
Unit |
| MR |
Magnetic Resonance
|
| MSDOS |
MicroSoft Disk
Operating System |
| MSB |
Most Significant
Bit |
| MSD |
Most Significant
Digit |
| MSDS |
Material Safety
Data Sheet |
| MSI |
Medium Scale
Integration |
| MTBF |
Mean Time Between
Failures |
| MTS |
Multichannel
Television Sound |
| MUF |
Maximum Useable
Frequency |
| MUX |
Multiplexer
|
| Back
to Top |
| N |
| NASA |
National Aeronautics
and Space Administration |
| NC |
Not Connected (contact or
pin) or Normally Closed (switch/relay) |
| NCO |
Numerically Controlled Oscillator
(same as DDS) |
| NEDA |
National Electronics Distributors
Association |
| NEG |
NEGative |
| NEMA |
National Electrical Manufacturers
Association |
| nF |
NanoFarad (common measure
of capacitance, 1 x 10-9 Farads) |
| NFS |
Network File Server |
| NiCad |
Nickel Cadmium (rechargeable
battery) by Saft, America |
| NiMH |
Nickel Metal Hydride (rechargeable
battery) |
| NMOS |
N-channel Metal Oxide Semiconductor
|
| NMR |
Nuclear Magnetic Resonance
|
| NO |
Normally Open (switch/relay)
|
| NOAA |
National Oceanic and Atmospheric
Administration |
| NORAD |
NORth American Defense |
| NPN |
Negative Positive Negative
(BJT polarity) |
| NPO |
Negative Positive 0 temperature
coefficient (some ceramic capacitors) |
| NPR |
Nations Public Radio |
| NRZ |
Non Return to Zero |
| NRZI |
Non Return to Zero Invert
|
| NSB |
National Science Board |
| NSF |
National Science Foundation
|
| NSPE |
National Society of Professional
Engineers |
| NT |
Network Terminator |
| NTC |
Negative Temperature Coefficient
|
| NTSC |
National Television Systems
Committee (U.S.A. TV/Video standard) |
| Back
to Top |
| O |
| OBTW |
Oh, By The Way |
| OC |
Open Collector |
| OCR |
Optical Character Recognition
|
| OEM |
Original Equipment Manufacturer
|
| OO |
Object Oriented (programming)
|
| OOP |
Object Oriented Programming
|
| OPAMP |
OPerational AMPlifier |
| OS |
Operating System |
| OSCAR |
Orbiting Satellite Carrying
Amateur Radio |
| OSHA |
Occupational Safety and Health
Administration |
| OTDR |
Optical Time Domain Reflectometry
|
| OTOH |
On The Other Hand |
| OTP |
One Time Programmable (as
in PROM or plastic EPROM)
|
| OVP |
Over Voltage Protection |
| Back
to Top |
| P |
| PA |
Power Amplifier
or Public Address |
| PAL |
Programmable Array Logic
(by Monolithic Memories) |
| PBX |
Private Branch eXchange |
| PC |
Personal Computer or Printed
Circuit or Program Counter |
| PCB |
Printed Circuit Board |
| PCC |
Plastic Chip Carrier |
| PCM |
Pulse Code Modulation |
| PEC |
PhotoElectric Cell |
| PEP |
Peak Envelope Power |
| PF |
Power Factor |
| PG |
Power Gain |
| PGA |
Pin Grid Array |
| PIA |
Peripheral Interface Adapter
|
| PIC |
Priority Interrupt Controller
or Parallax'es microcontroller name |
| PIV |
Peak Inverse Voltage |
| PIXEL |
PI(X)cture
ELement |
| PLA |
Programmable Logic Array
|
| PLCC |
Plastic Leaded Chip Carrier
|
| PLD |
Programmable Logic Device
|
| PLL |
Phase Locked Loop |
| PM |
Phase Modulation or Pulse
Modulation |
| PNP |
Positive Negative Positive
(BJT polarity) |
| POS |
Point Of Sale or POSitive
|
| POV |
Peak Operating Voltage |
| PPI |
Pixels Per Inch |
| PPM |
Parts Per Million or Pulse
Position Modulation |
| PPS |
Pulses Per Second |
| PRN |
Pseudo Random Noise |
| PROM |
Programmable
Read Only Memory |
| PRV |
Peak Reverse Voltage or Peak
Repetitive Voltage |
| PSG |
Programmable Sound Generator
|
| PSI |
Pounds per Square Inch (pressure)
|
| PSK |
Phase Shift Keying |
| PTC |
Positive Temperature Coefficient
|
| PTT |
Push To Talk (microphone)
|
| PUT |
Programmable Unijunction
Transistor |
| PV |
PhotoVoltaic |
| PWM |
Pulse Width Modulation |
| PWR |
PoWeR |
| Back
to Top |
| Q |
| QA |
Quality Assurance |
| QC |
Quality Control |
| QIC |
Quarter Inch Cartridge |
| QIP |
Quad Inline Package |
| QSM |
Quad Surface Mount |
| QWERTY |
Standard keyboard layout
(computers, typewriters, etc.) |
| Back
to Top |
| R |
| R |
Resistance |
| R&D |
Research and Development
|
| RAD |
Radiation Absorbed Dose |
| RADAR |
RAdio Detection And Ranging
|
| RAM |
Random Access Memory |
| RAS |
Row Address Strobe (logic
signal) |
| RC |
Radio Control or Resistance
and Capacitance (as in a RC filter) |
| RCV |
ReCeiVe |
| RD |
Receive Data or ReaD (logic
signal) |
| RDA |
Deceive Data |
| RDY |
ReaDY |
| REM |
Roentgen Equivalent Man |
| REP |
Roentgen Equivalent Physical
|
| RET |
RETurn |
| RF |
Radio Frequency |
| RFI |
Radio Frequency Interference
|
| RGB |
Red Green Blue (the additive
primary colors) |
| RH |
Relative Humidity |
| RHDP |
Right Hand Decimal Point
|
| RISC |
Reduced Instruction Set Computer
(vs CISC)
|
| RLC |
Resistance Inductance Capacitance
(a circuit with all three) |
| RLG |
Ring Laser Gyroscope |
| RMI |
Radio Magnetic Interference
|
| RMS |
Root Mean Square |
| ROM |
Read Only Memory |
| RPM |
Revolutions Per Minute |
| RPN |
Reverse Polish Notation (used
in some HP calculators) |
| RPS |
Revolutions Per Second |
| RS |
Reed Solomon (error correction)
|
| RT |
Real Time or Rise Time |
| RTD |
Resistance Temperature Detector
|
| RTI |
Real Time Interrupt |
| RTL |
Resistor Transistor Logic
|
| RTOS |
Real Time Operating System
|
| RTS |
Request To Send (protocol
signal) |
| Back
to Top |
| S |
| S/H |
Sample and Hold |
| S/N |
Signal to Noise (ratio) |
| SAW |
Surface Acoustic Wave |
| SBC |
Single Board Computer |
| SCA |
SubCarrier Adapter |
| SCI |
Serial Communication Interface
|
| SCL |
Serial CLock |
| SCR |
Silicon
Controlled Rectifier |
| SCS |
Silicon Controlled Switch
|
| SCSI |
Small Computer System Interface
|
| SD |
Standard Deviation |
| SDI |
Strategic Defense Initiative
|
| SDRAM |
Synchronous Dynamic Random
Access Memory |
| SEM |
Scanning Electron Microscope
|
| SEMI |
Semiconductor Equipment and
Materials Institute |
| SFC |
polyStyrene Film Capacitor
|
| SG |
Signal Ground |
| SHF |
Super High Frequency |
| SI |
System International (international
system of units) |
| SIMM |
Single Inline Memory Module
|
| SIO |
Serial Input and Output |
| SIPO |
Serial In Parallel Out |
| SLC |
Single Layer Ceramic (capacitor)
|
| SM |
Surface Mount |
| SMD |
Surface Mount Device |
| SNR |
Signal to Noise Ratio |
| SMT |
Surface Mount Technology
|
| SO |
Serial Output or Small Outline
|
| SOIC |
Small Outline Integrated
Circuit |
| SOJ |
Small Outline J-leaded (chip
package) |
| SOLV |
SOLenoid Valve |
| SONAR |
SOund NAvigation and Ranging
|
| SOP |
Small Outline Package |
| SP |
Signal Processor or Stack
Pointer |
| SPDT |
Single Pole Double Throw
(switch) |
| SPI |
Serial to Parallel Interface
|
| SPICE |
Simulation Program with Integrated
Circuit Emphasis |
| SPL |
Sound Pressure Level |
| SPST |
Single Pole Single Throw
(switch) |
| SQL |
Structured Query Language
(for databases) |
| SR |
Shift Register |
| SRAM |
Static Random Access Memory
|
| SSB |
Single SideBand |
| SSI |
Small Scale Integration |
| SSR |
Solid State Relay |
| SSTV |
Slow Scan TeleVision |
| SVGA |
Superior Versatile Graphics
Adapter (800 x 600 pixels)
|
| SW |
Short Wave |
| Back
to Top |
| T |
| T/H |
Track and Hold
|
| TC |
Temperature Coefficient |
| TCP/IP |
Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol
|
| TD |
Tunnel Diode |
| TDD |
Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf |
| TDR |
Time Domain Reflectometry |
| TEM |
Transverse ElectroMagnetic (microwaves/waveguides)
|
| TF |
Transfer Function |
| TFD |
Thin Film Detector |
| TFEL |
Thin Film ElectroLuminescent |
| TFT |
Thin Film Transistor |
| THD |
Total Harmonic Distortion |
| THz |
Terra Hertz |
| TI |
Texas Instruments (a company) |
| TIG |
Tungsten Inert Gas |
| TM |
Transverse Magnetic (wave) |
| TR |
Transient Response |
| TRIAC |
TRIode AC switch (bilateral
SCR) |
| TS |
Time Sharing |
| TTL |
Transistor Transistor Logic
|
| TV |
TeleVision |
| TWT |
Traveling Wave Tube |
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| U |
| UART |
Universal Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter
|
| _F |
micro Farad (common unit of capacitance, 1
x 10-6 Farads) |
| UHF |
Ultra High Frequency |
| UHV |
Ultra High Vacuum |
| UJT |
UniJunction Transistor |
| UL |
Underwriters Laboratories
|
| ULSI |
Ultra Large Scale Integration |
| UPC |
Universal Product Code |
| UPS |
Uninterruptible Power Supply |
| USART |
Universal Synchronous/Asynchronous Receiver/Transmitter
|
| USB |
Universal Serial Bus or Upper SideBand |
| UTC |
Universal Time Code (same as Coordinated Universal
Time) |
| UV |
UltraViolet |
| UVA |
UltraViolet Alpha |
| UVB |
UltraViolet Beta |
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| V |
| V |
Volt |
| VA |
Volt Ampere |
| VAC |
Volts Alternating Current
|
| VAR |
VARiable or Volt Amperes
Reactive |
| VARICAP |
VARIable CAPacitance diode
|
| VCC |
Supply Voltage (BJT
- Collector) |
| VCD |
Variable Capacitance Diode
|
| VCO |
Voltage Controlled Oscillator
|
| VCR |
Video Cassette Recorder |
| VDC |
Volts Direct Current |
| VDD |
Supply Voltage (FET
- Drain) |
| VEE |
Supply Voltage (BJT
- Emitter) |
| VF |
Vacuum Fluorescent |
| VFC |
Voltage to Frequency Converter
|
| VFO |
Variable Frequency Oscillator
|
| VGA |
Versatile Graphics Adapter
(640 x 480 pixels) |
| VHF |
Very High Frequency |
| VLF |
Very Low Frequency |
| VLSI |
Very Large Scale Integration
|
| VLT |
Video Look up Table |
| VOL |
VOLume |
| VOM |
Volt OhmMeter |
| VOX |
Voice Operated transmit (transmit
= X as in "Xmitter") |
| VR |
Voltage Regulator or Virtual
Reality |
| VRAM |
Video Random Access Memory
|
| VS |
Vertical Sync |
| VSS |
Supply Voltage (FET
- Source) |
| VT |
Virtual Terminal |
| VTM |
Voltage Tunable Magnetron
|
| VTO |
Voltage Tuned Oscillator
|
| VTVM |
Vacuum Tube Volt Meter |
| VXO |
Variable crystal Oscillator |
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| W |
| WACK |
Wait before ACKnowledge |
| WDT |
Watch Dog Timer |
| WH |
Watt Hour |
| WHR |
Watt HouR |
| WP |
Word Processor |
| WPM |
Words Per Minute |
| WR |
WRite (logic signal) |
| WV |
Working Voltage |
| WVDC |
Working Volts DC
|
| Ww |
Wire Wound or Wire Wrap |
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| X |
| XGA |
eXtended Graphics
Adapter (1024 x 768 pixels) |
| XMT |
TransMiT |
| XOFF |
Transmit OFF
(protocol signal) |
| XON |
Transmit ON
(protocol signal) |
| XTAL |
CrysTAL |
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| Y |
| YAG |
Yttrium Aluminum Garnet (laser) |
| YIG |
Yttrium Iron Garnet |
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| Z |
| ZD |
Zero Defects |
| ZDT |
Zero Defect Tolerance |
| ZIF |
Zero Insertion
Force |
| ZIP |
Zigzag Inline
Package or software file compression scheme (zip
files) |