irishrepublicanarmy's definitions

GPS

Global Positioning System

Complex network of satellites that transmit signals to ground receviers in cars, boats, airplanes (see also VOR). The GPS receiver uses the signals from the satellites (which are over 15,000 miles away!) and uses them to find your location, anywhere in the world, with incredable accuracy.

Without GPS, countless losers who can't use a VOR would be lost"

by IrishRepublicanArmy October 15, 2003

AFC

Automatic Frequency Control, a device used in FM recievers to prevent drift.

My DX-397 has an AFC.

by IrishrepublicanarmY January 1, 2004

Sporadic E

Irregular scattered patches of relatively dense ionization that develop seasonally within the E region and that reflec­t and scatter frequencies up to 150 MHz. Note 1: The sporadic E is a regular day­time occurrence over the equatorial regions and is common in the temper­ate latitudes in late spring, early summer and, to a lesser degree, in early winter. Note 2: At high, i.e., polar, latitudes, sporadic E can accompany auroras and associated disturbed magnetic conditions. Note 3: The sporadic E can sometimes support reflec­tions for distances up to 1000 miles or more at frequencies up to 150 MHz

I got some nice 6-meter DX contacts with yesterday's sporadic E.

by IRISHrepublicanARMY January 3, 2004

epson

The company that makes my printer, and it's OK, I guess

At least my EPSON printer breaks less then the crappy HP one I had last time.

by IrishRepublicanArmy December 21, 2003

freeband

The term "freeband" pretty much refers to the 25.1000 MHz (25100.0 kHz) to 28.0000 MHz (28000.0 kHz) band, although people do operate "freeband" above those ranges, and into the 10-meter ham radio band (which is REALLY illegal). Freeband comes from the 26.9650 to 27.4050 MHz CB radio band. Because of heavy use of this band al around the world (in all modes, AM, SSB, FM). People started to modify thier CB radios to operate above or below (usally above, in the 27.4150 to 28.775 MHz range) the normal CB band. Really, this band has very little users, the military and government have a few channels, and 28.000 to 29.700 is ham radio, and there are a few channels allocated to the Forest Products Radio Service/Business Radio Pool.

The most common modulation mode is SSB.

The international calling frequency is 27.555 MHz (27555.0 kHz)

The DX-949 is a common freeband radio.

by IrishRepublicanArmy December 20, 2003

launch

1) a small boat tied to a larger boat, used for rescue and for driving around having a good time

2) a small bass-type fishing or pontoon boat driven by crew coaches while they give crew rowers kind suggustions and commands on how to improve our rowing skills.

3) they smell like gasoline

Crew is a real sport, and the real coaches of real sports drive launches

by IrishRepublicanArmy October 28, 2003

Radio Scanner

a radio receiver that can quickly switch between two or more channels (today's scanners usally have more then 500 channels) and then stop when the frequency is active. Used by criminals and radio operators to listent to pretty much everything from the police officer asking his buddy to get him more doughnuts and your cordless phone.

"yeah man, i just got a hit on the scanner, the cops are after some black guy"

by IrishRepublicanArmy October 13, 2003