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Glossary

Acronyms, Abbreviations, and Definitions

AAG Aeronautical Assignment Group

accepted interference -

interference at a higher level than that defined as permissible interference and which has been agreed upon between two or more administrations without prejudice to other administrations. The terms permissible interference and accepted interference are used in the coordination of frequency assignments between administrations.

active satellite -

a satellite carrying a station intended to transmit or retransmit radiocommunication signals.

active sensor -

a measuring instrument in the earth exploration-satellite service or in the space research service by means of which information is obtained by transmission and reception of radio waves.

aeronautical advisory station -

an aeronautical station used for advisory and civil defense communications primarily with private aircraft stations. Also called UNICOM stations.

aeronautical broadcast station -

an aeronautical station which makes scheduled broadcasts of meteorological information and notices to airmen. (In certain instances, an aeronautical broadcast station may be placed on board a ship.)

aeronautical earth station -

an earth station in the fixed-satellite service or, in some cases, in the aeronautical mobile-satellite service, located at a specified fixed point on land to provide a feeder link for the aeronautical mobile-satellite service.

aeronautical fixed service -

a radiocommunication service between specified fixed points provided primarily for the safety of air navigation and for the regular, discontinued immediately when so requested by the airdrome control operators.) efficient, and economical operation of air transport.

aeronautical mobile-satellite service -

a mobile-satellite service in which mobile earth stations are located on board aircraft; survival craft stations and emergency position-indicating radiobeacon stations may also participate in this service.

aeronautical mobile service -

a mobile service between aeronautical stations and aircraft stations, or between aircraft stations, in which survival craft stations may participate; emergency position-indicating radiobeacon stations may also participate in this service on designated distress and emergency frequencies.

aeronautical multicom service -

a mobile service not open to public correspondence, used to provide communications essential to conduct of activities being performed by or directed from private aircraft.

aeronautical station -

a land station in the aeronautical mobile service. In certain instances, an aeronautical station may be located on board ship or on a platform at sea.

aeronautical utility land station -

a land station located at airdrome control towers and used for control of ground vehicles and aircraft on the ground at airdromes.

aeronautical utility mobile station -

a mobile station used for communication at airdromes with the aeronautical utility land station, the airdrome control station, the Federal Aviation Administration flight service station, ground vehicles, and aircraft on the ground. (All transmissions shall be subject to the control of the airdrome control station and shall be

AFES Army Frequency Engineering Software

AFMO Army Frequency Management Office

AFTRCC Aerospace and Flight Test Radio Coordinating Council

AIM armored-infantry-mechanized

allocation -

the process of designating radio-frequency bands for use by specific radio services, When more than one service is authorized in a band, allocations are further categorized in order of priority. These categories are primary, permitted, and secondary.

allotment -

the establishment of specific bands of frequencies within a prescribed nationally or internationally allocated band.

AMC United States Army Materiel Command

ARFA Allied Radio Frequency Agency

ARFCOS Armed Forces Courier Service

assignment -

the establishment, according to allocation tables, of a specific frequency for use at a particular station and under specific operating conditions.

ATFES Army Tactical Frequency Engineering System

battlefield spectrum management -

the systematic planning, management, engineering, and coordinated use of tactical electromagnetic-spectrum-dependent material in tactical units engaged in the conduct of air and land warfare.

BCE battle coordination element

BECS Battlefield Electronic CEOI System

BSM battlefield spectrum management

C3I Command, Control, Communications, and Intelligence

C3S Command, Control, and Communications Systems

C4 Command, Control, Communications, and Computers

C4S Command, Control, Communications, Computers, and Systems

carrier power -

the average power supplied to the antenna transmission line by a transmitter during one radio frequency cycle taken under the condition of no modulation.

CCEB Combined Communications-Electronics Board

CCIR International Radio Consultative Committee

CECOM Army Communications-Electronics Command

CEWI Combat Electronic Warfare and Intelligence

characteristic frequency -

a frequency which can easily be identified and measured in a given emission. A carrier frequency may, for example, be designated as the characteristic frequency.

CMTA Russian Nuclear Release Net

COMMZ communications zone

coordination area -

the area associated with an earth station outside of which terrestrial station sharing the same frequency band neither causes nor is subject to interfering emissions greater than a permissible level.

CSCE Communications System Control Element

CSO corps signal officer

CSPE Communications System Planning Element

deconfliction -

the process of optimizing the usage of the electromagnetic spectrum incorporating both the requirements of the battlefield spectrum managers and the IEW community.

DISC4 Director of Information Systems for Command, Control, Communications, and Computers

DOIM Director of Information Management

DSCS Defense Satellite Communications System

DSO division signal officer

DTH down-the-hill

E3 electromagnetic environmental effects

ECAC Electromagnetic Compatibility Analysis Center

ECCM electronic counter-countermeasures

ECM electronic countermeasures

EHF extremely high frequency

electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) -

the ability of telecommunications equipment, subsystems, or systems to operate in their intended operational environments without suffering or causing unacceptable degradation because of electromagnetic radiation or response.

electromagnetic interference (EMI) -

any electromagnetic disturbance that interrupts, obstructs, or otherwise degrades or limits the effective performance of electronics/electrical equipment. It can be induced intentionally, as in some forms of electronic warfare, or unintentionally, as a result of spurious emissions and responses, intermodulation products, and the like.

electromagnetic radiation hazard -

hazards caused by a transmitter/antenna installation that (a) generate electromagnetic radiation in the vicinity of ordnance, personnel, or fueling operations in excess of established safe levels; (b) increase the existing levels to a hazardous level; or, (c) illuminate a personnel, fueling, or ordnance installation located in an area by electromagnetic radiation at a level that is hazardous to the planned operations or occupancy. These hazards will exist when an electromagnetic field of sufficient intensity is generated to (a) induce or otherwise couple currents and/or voltages of magnitudes large enough to initiate electroexplosive devices or other sensitive explosive components of weapon systems, ordnance, or explosive devices; (b) cause harmful or injurious effects to humans and wildlife; or, (c) create sparks having sufficient magnitude to ignite flammable mixtures of materials that must be handled in the affected area.

ELF extremely low frequency

EMC electromagnetic compatibility

EMCAS Electromagnetic Compatibility Assurance Software

EMCON emission control

EMI electromagnetic interference

emission -

radiation produced, or the production of radiation, by a radio transmitting station. For example, the energy radiated by the local oscillator of a radio receiver would not be an emission but a radiation.

EPIRB Emergency Position Indicating Radiobeacon

EW electronic warfare

EWO electronic warfare officer

FAA Federal Aviation Administration

facsimile -

a form of telegraphy for the transmission of fixed images, with or without half-tones, with a view to their reproduction in a permanent form.

FAL frequency allocation list

FAS Frequency Assignment Subcommittee

FCC Federal Communications Commission

FH frequency hopping

frequency sharing -

the common use of the same portion of the radio frequency spectrum by two or more users where a probability of interference exists.

frequency shift telegraphy -

telegraphy by FM in which the telegraph signal shifts the frequency of the carrier between predetermined values.

frequency tolerence -

the maximum permissible departure by the center frequency of the frequency band occupied by an emission from the assigned frequency or by the characteristic frequency of an emission from the reference frequency. The frequency tolerance is expressed in parts in 10⁶ or in hertz.

FURIES Frequency Utilization Resources Integrated and Engineering System

GMF ground mobile forces

GSR ground surveillance radar

harmful interference -

interference which endangers the functioning of a radionavigation service or of other safety services or seriously degrades, obstructs, or repeatedly interrupts a radiocommunication service operating in accordance with regulations.

HSC United States Army Health Services Command

IEW intelligence/electronic warfare

IFF identification, friend or foe (radar)

IFRB International Frequency Registration Board

IHFR improved high frequency radio

ILF infra low frequency

ING International Notification Group

INSCOM United States Army Intelligence and Security Command

interference -

the effect of unwanted energy due to one or a combination of emissions, radiations, or inductions upon reception inaradiocommunication system, manifested by any performance degradation, misinterpretation, or loss of information which could be extracted in the absence of such unwanted energy.

IRAC Interdepartment Radio Advisory Committee

ISYSCON integrated systems control

ITU International Telecommunications Union

JEWC Joint Electronic Warfare Center

JFP Joint Frequency Panel

JRFL Joint Restricted Frequency List

JSMS Joint Spectrum Management System

JTC3A Joint Tactical Command, Control, and Communications Agency

LFB low-frequency beacon

Loran station -

a long distance radionavigation land station transmitting synchronized pulses. Hyperbolic lines of position are determined by the measurement of the difference in the time of arrival of these pulses.

MAG Military Assignment Group

MCEB Military Communications-Electronics Board

METSONDES meteorological sondes

MIJ meaconing, intrusion and jamming

MIJI meaconing, intrusion, jamming, and interference

MSE Mobile Subscriber Equipment

MSRT mobile subscriber radiotelephone terminals

necessary bandwidth -

for a given class of emission, the width of the frequency band which is just sufficient to ensure the transmission of information at the rate and with the quality required under specified conditions.

NIB noninterference basis

NRI net radio interface

NSA National Security Agency

NTIA National Telecommunications and Information Administration

OMB Office of Management and Budget

ONL organization net lists

OTEA Operational Test and Evaluation Agency

PC personal computer

PCC Primary Control Center

PCM pulse code modulation

PEWS platoon early warning sensors

PRF pulse repetition frequency

priority -

priority, unless specifically qualified, is the right to occupy a specific frequency for authorized uses, free of harmful interference from stations of other agencies.

QSTAG Quadripartite Standardization Agreement

radiosonde -

an automatic radio transmitter in the meteorological aids service usually carried on an aircraft, free balloon, kite, or parachute, and which transmits meteorological data.

RAU radio access unit

reference frequency -

a frequency having a fixed and specific position with respect to the assigned frequency. The displacement of this frequency with respect to the assigned frequency has the same absolute value and sign that the displacement of the characteristic frequency has with respect to the center of the frequency band occupied by the emission.

RF radio frequency

RR Radio Regulations

SCC system control center

SCCS satellite communication control subsystem

SCI sensitive compartmented information

SFL sequential frequency lists

SHORAD short-range air defense

SI sensitive information

SINCGARS Single-Channel Ground and Airborne Radio System

SOFA Status of Forces Agreement

SOI signal operation instructions

spectrum management -

managing the use of electromagnetic spectrum resources. The goal of Army spectrum management is to support telecommunications (including weapon systems) and EW requirements. This goal will be accomplished through the acquisition of spectrum resources and the attainment of EMC.

spectrum signature assessment -

the distinct pattern of spectral emanations given off by a device or collection of devices.

SPEED Marine Corps System Planning, Engineering, Evaluation Device

SPS Spectrum Planning Subcommittee

spurious emission -

emissions on a frequency or frequencies which are outside the necessary bandwidth and the level of which may be reduced without affecting the corresponding transmission of information. Spurious emissions include harmonic emissions, parasitic emissions, intermodulation products and frequency conversion products, but exclude out-of-band emissions.

SSB single sideband

STAJ short term antijam

STC station class

TAC Tactical Air Command

TACC Tactical Air Control Center

TACS Tactical Air Control System

telecommunications -

any transmission, emission, or reception of signs, signals, writings, images, and sounds or information of any nature by wire, radio, visual, or other electromagnetic systems.

TRANSEC transmission security

TSC Technical Subcommittee

TSC(A) theater signal command (Army)

USAISEC United States Army Information Systems Engineering Command

USAKA United States Army Kwajalein Atoll

US&P United States and its Possessions

VLF very low frequency

WARC World Administrative Radio Conference

WSMR White Sands Missile Range