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Abbreviations used in Electronics

N to TWT

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N
Number of turns in an inductor

N
Revolutions per minute

n
Nano (10-9)

N
Negative

nA
Nanoampere

NC
Normally closed

NC
No connection

NEG, neg
Negative

nF
Nanofarad

nH
Nanohenry

nm
Nanometer

NO
Normally open

NPN
Negative-positive-negative

ns
Nanosecond

nW
Nanowatt

OP AMP
Operational amplifier

P
Pico (10-12)

P
Power

p
Instantaneous power

P
Positive, also peak

PA
Public address or power amplifier

pA
Picoampere

PAL
Programmable Array Logic

PAM, pam
Pulse amplitude modulation

Pap
Apparent power

Pav
Average power

PCB
Printed circuit board

PCM, pcm
Pulse-code modulation

PDM
Pulse-duration modulation

pF
Picofarad

PLD
Programmable Logic Device

PLL
Phase locked loop

PM
Phase modulation, also Permanent magnet

PNP
Positive-negative-positive

POT, pot
Potentiometer

P-P
Peak to peak

PPM
Pulse-position modulation

PRF
Pulse repetition frequency

PRT
Pulse repetition time

pw
Pulse width

PWM, pwm
Pulse width modulation

Q
Charge, also quality

q
Instantaneous charge

R
Potentiometer

R
Resistance

RAM
Random access memory

RC
Resistance-capacitance, also Radio controlled

rcvr
Receiver

rect
Rectifier

ref
Reference

rf
Radio frequencies

RF
Radio frequencies

RFI
Radio frequency interference

RL
Load resistor

RLC
Resistance-capacitance-inductance

RMS, rms
Root mean square

ROM
Read only memory

rpm
Revolutions per minute

SCR
Silicon controlled rectifier

SHF
Super high frequency

SIP
Single in-line package

SNR
Signal-to-noise ratio

SPDT
Single pole double throw

sq cm
Square centimeter

SSB
Single sideband

SW
Short wave

SWR
Standing-wave ratio

SYNC, sync
Synchronous

T
Tera (1012)

T
Torque

T
Transformer

t
Time in seconds

TC
Time constant, also temperature coefficient

TE
Transverse electric

temp
Temperature

THz
Terahertz

TM
Transverse magnetic

TR
Transmit-receive

TTL
Transistor-transistor logic

TV
Television

TWT
Travelling wave tube

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