AM Glossary
The AM hobby is rich with specialized terms and phrases that mark the unique character of this special mode of modulation.
Feel free to send me your favorites!
| AM | Amplitude Modulation, a method of modulation that utilizes two sidebands and a carrier. Know for it's full, rich audio quality, and personal interaction. AM offers a fraternity unique among the various divisions of amateur radio hobby |
| AMer | One who uses the AM mode. Often technically inclined, using home-brew, or modified transmitter. Uses words like "Yellowly, PW and Strap". |
| AM Window | A fictitious invention of the ARRL. AM operation is legal anywhere in the Phone area of the band. |
| B.A. | Abbreviation for ball assembly. “That guy’s voice was so low, it sounded like he had a third BA.” |
| Crapped Out | Failed in service, Gave up the ghost. Usage: My modulator tube just crapped out. Lesser version of zorch. |
| Crapstal | Small piece of X or Y cut quartz that oscillates at a given frequency when current applied. Used to generate stable frequency of Amplitude Modulation transmitter. Hams using other modes often refer to them as "crystals". |
| Cunt'rent | A substitute term for current. |
| Deerchester | The site for one of America's fabled Amplitude Modulation oriented hamfesters. Originally held in Deerfield, NH, it was later moved to Rochester, NH. Hundreds if not thousands of AM'ers congregate in motor homes, campers, motorsickes, etc. to swap lies and gear for two great days. Happens twice a year, in October and May. |
| Deyellification | The process of modifying a transmitter to beless "Yellowly". |
| Draining the Log | Gone for a leak. |
| Drilling and Blasting | Extensive modifications to a rig. |
| FECES | A less than honorable name for the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC). See also FECES Magic. |
| FECES Magic | The formula used by the FCC to calculate AM Power
limits. When is 375 watts of AM carrier output equal to 1.5K SSB? When it is FECES Magic! |
| Gimmick | Capacitative device, usually a 1 inch wire protruding from the chassis plane, to be bent to shape for best results in getting the correct L/C ratio in a RF circuit, or as an aid in neutralizing a wild stage, etc. |
| Grid Leak Drip Pan | A wonderful little pan to be slung under the grid leak resistors, to catch the excess drip. Used as give aways by Sangamo, IRC, etc. during the halcyon days of AM ham radio, when men were men and wimmen were wimmin, and amchurs built their own rigs and wound their own xfrmers. |
| Intrascent | Interesting, but only to AM'ers. |
| JN | Abbreviation for Johnny Novice. Used to describe a newcomer to AM, or radio or a youngster (sometimes highlighting the lack of knowledge or experience).“Yea, my wife had to drop the JN off at the babysitter.” Or “Back in 73, I thought I could put up a 80 foot mast without guys. What I JN I was! |
| JS | "Jock Strap". A temporary method of securing a device. Often becomes permanent. Usage: Just JS that fan to the back of the rig. |
| Loop Modulation | From those exciting days in the dawn of AM radio when one would couple a single or two winding loops to the final tank coil, using a carbon microphoniumin series. Preferably one with a NON-METALLIC housing. Definitely not hi-fiaudio. |
| Microphonium | A term used for microphone. Usage: How does this new microphonium sound? |
| Maul | Big transmitter or signal |
| Monkey | Transmitter or modulation meter, as in “Swing Monkey!” (making the modulation meter move upwards). |
| Old Buzzard | Older operator, not so much related to age as to state of mind. See Piss and Moan. |
| Old Buzzard Transmission |
A very e-x-t-e-n-d-e-d transmission, often punctuated by tuning up the rig on the air, incessant ramblings about matter of personal health and hygiene. |
| Olene | A liquid hydrocarbon distillate that explodes when an electric spark is introduced into a closed compartment where the OLENE is introduced in vapor phase. Several of these compartments are arranged as an "engine", which in turn propels the AM'ers automobile down the road towards a desired destination, like SorryExcuse, NY or Pissburg, PA. |
| Piss and Moan | A mode of conversation often engaged in by Old Buzzards. |
| Piss Weak or "PW" | Low power transmission or transmitter. Usage: You are Piss Weak here. Or I am running the PW rig tonight. |
| Rectumfier | Obvious reference, rectifier, diode. |
| Rubberizing | Padding a crystal it with a small variable cap to pull it freq. a small amount to one side or the t'othah. Could also squeeze the crystal's nuts by threading in a small shaft/plate/knob combo to apply pressure against the xtal wafer thereby changing the freq. |
| SBE | Abbreviation for sideband eliminator. An AM rig with large amountsof incidental FM. The contantly moving carrier tends to drive away slopbuckets since they can't zero beat it. The highest form of SBE technology is a modulated self-excited oscillator. |
| Scrot | Scrotful - derivation of scrotum. Used as a round about way of saying something has balls, i.e That’s a scrotful transmitter.The antonym is scrotless. |
| Shock Modulation | Cupping one's hands and yelling against the cover of one's presumably unstable VFO, thereby EFF-EMMING the bloody thing and causing at leastsome degree of intelligibility |
| Sing for (its) Supper | Running a tube(s) or transmitter at or over its specified ratings.“I’m running 4kV on the 833’s and they are singing for their supper.” |
| Slop-bucket | A sideband station, esp. one that is interfering with, or crowding into the AM window. Usage: A slop-blucket just straped you. |
| Strap | A sophisticated monosyllabic expletive used by seasoned AM'ers to denote a signal that swamps/demolishes/buries another signal. May be used as a straight out primitive male macho statement, as in putting your signal on top of another's, and yelling "STRAP" or, more politely, putting thesignal on and then inquiring, "Am I STRAPPING this guy?" |
| Talk-back | That fine sound when the mod xfmer laminations rattle awayyy |
| TimTron | Tim WA1HLR, very well know Maine AMer. Originator of many of the fine phrases on this page. |
| Vomit Meter | A volt meter. |
| Woodolene | Forest fuel. Small chunks of properly dried arboreal matter which, when tossed judiciously into a WOODOLENE STOVE and ignited, will heat the AM'ers shack/kitchen/living room to a comfortable level during those cold winter nights, and stimulate that special feeling of AM camaraderie which hams using other modes can only envy. |
| Yellowified | State of extreme agitation or anger. Also used to describe your reaction to a bad situation, “I hit the high voltage switchand all I saw was sparks and smoke. Man was I yellowfied.” |
| Yellowee | Poor sounding rig, characterized by restricted audio respone or hum or distortion or some combination there of. Also used to describe a bad thing or situation e.g Joe: “I went to the hamfest and all I saw was computers.” Bill: “Errr, hyellowee!” Derivation, deyellowfy- to modify a rig for better audio quality. Comment: The ultimate bad signal is one that is piss weak and yellowee. |
| Zorch | To burn out, or smoke in a spectacular fashion.Usage: I just zorched my feedline. Also known as "Letting the smoke out." |
AM
Geography
| Buffoonalo | Buffalo |
| Cuntnecticut | Connecticut |
| Filthadelphia | Philadelphia |
| Kenfucky | Kentucky |
| Massolechewits | Massachusetts |
| New Hamster | New Hampshire |
| Penissylvania | Pennsylvania |
| Pissburgh | Pittsburgh |
| Plymo | Plymouth |
| Poontiac | Pontiac |
| Porkrot | Rockport |
| Rottenchester | Rochester |
| Sorry Excuse | Syracuse |
| Tennesemen | Tennessee |
| Verminmont | Vermont |
| Waste Coast | West Coast |
