Glossary
GTT Wireless Glossary A-F
We have provided a glossary of technical terms to assist our visitors. If you need further information about any of our enclosures, antenna or RF cables, please contact us.
3G is the third generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology and operates at 2100 MHz with a bandwidth of 15-20 MHz..
4G is the fourth generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology. 4G works within 600 MHz to 2.5 GHz.
5G is the fifth generation of wireless mobile telecommunications technology. 5G operates across three frequency bands (low, mid, and high) with each band having different capabilities. The low band (less than 1GHz) has greater coverage but lower speeds, the high band (24GHz–40GHz) offers higher speeds but a smaller coverage radius, and the mid band (1GHz–6GHz) offers a balance of the two.
Adaptive Multiple Input Multiple Output (A-MIMO or Adaptive MIMO) is a strategy that boosts MIMO technology by using adaptive coding and modulation methods to enhance the capacity, diversity, and resilience of wireless communications. In an Adaptive MIMO system, the system parameters are collectively fine-tuned to adapt to fluctuating channel conditions. This is achieved through link adaptation techniques that can monitor the dynamic characteristics of the wireless channel. The objective is to make the most of the resources in multiple antenna channels by employing the best schemes at all times.
Adaptive Multiple Input Multiple Output (A-MIMO or Adaptive MIMO) is a strategy that boosts MIMO technology by using adaptive coding and modulation methods to enhance the capacity, diversity, and resilience of wireless communications. In an Adaptive MIMO system, the system parameters are collectively fine-tuned to adapt to fluctuating channel conditions. This is achieved through link adaptation techniques that can monitor the dynamic characteristics of the wireless channel. The objective is to make the most of the resources in multiple antenna channels by employing the best schemes at all times.
Adaptive MIMO Switching (AMS) is a technique used in wireless communication systems to optimize the transmission and reception of multiple data streams over multiple antennas1. AMS works on the principle of switching among transmit diversity, receive diversity, and spatial multiplexing in accordance to the Signal-to-Interference-plus-Noise Ratio (SINR) level23.
AMS (Adaptive MIMO Switching) – Dynamically switching between different antenna transmission modes to maximize user throughput while maintaining improved coverage and quality of service (QoS)
Antenna – A transducer that converts an electrical signal into an equivalent electromagnetic wave (EMW)
Antenna bandwidth refers to the range of frequencies an antenna maintains its specified performance characteristics.
Antenna beamwidth refers to the angular span of the main lobe in an antenna’s radiation pattern. This region of the pattern represents where most of the power is radiated.
Antenna directivity is a crucial parameter that measures how much an antenna’s radiation is concentrated in a specific direction.
Antenna diversity, also known as space diversity or spatial diversity, is a wireless technique that employs two or more antennas to enhance the quality and reliability of a wireless link.
Antenna gain, also known as directivity, is a fundamental parameter that characterizes an antenna’s performance.
Access Point – The central transmitter and receiver.
Attenuation refers to the gradual loss of flux intensity as a signal travels through a medium.
Digital bandwidth encompasses the range of frequencies or data rates that a digital system can handle. Data bandwidth relates to the amount of data that can be transmitted or received by a device or system, Network bandwidth pertains to the capacity of a network link to transmit data.
A base station antenna / cell site antenna / cellular antenna, plays a crucial role in wireless communication network. A base station antenna is used to communicate with mobile devices in a wireless network. It serves as a bridge between the wired network infrastructure and wireless users.
Beamforming is a powerful signal processing technique used in sensors for directional signal transmission or reception.
A cable assembly is a electronic cable ready for installation, with bulkhead or connectors at each end that can be used for a variety of applications.
Measured in decibles (dB), Cable loss is the signal loss from one point on a cable to another.
Carrier Grade identifies a class of product which has a high-level of quality and reliability.
Catergory 6, or CAT6, is a standardised ethernet cable.
A conductor is a material, such as a metal wire, which allows the flow of an electric current.
C-V2X means cellular vehicle-to-everything. An opposing technology to DSRC, instead of a WAVE wireless standard, C-V2X uses Long-Term Evolution (LTE).
dBd (decibel relative to dipole) is the gain of an antenna compared with the gain of a dipole.
dBi (decibel relative to isotropic) is the gain of an antenna compared to to an isotropic antenna.
dBm (decibel per milliwatt) is a measurement of power on a decibel scale referenced against milliwatts.
decibel watts (dBW) are a way of representing power in decibels by its ratio to 1 Watt.
Protecting from lightning and static buildup, DC Ground antenna is a dead short to a DC Current.
Not only used to measure sound, a decibel is also a metric for power, voltage, or intensity using the logarithmic scale for comparison.
Also called a doublet, a dipole is the most widely used class of antenna. It is also the simplest, composed of two conductors of equal length orientated end-to-end.
Directional antennas radiate and receive radio waves in specific directions, allowing for focused beams for targeted communications.
The characteristic of an antenna to transmit or receive signals in only one direction.
DSRC (Dedicated Short-Range Communications) uses WAVE, a wireless standard that uses the 5.9GHz band for direct communication. DSRC is used for communication between vehicles (V2V) and between a vehicle and surrounding traffic infrastructure (V2I), both of which fit into the all-encompassing term V2X.
Radiation patterns are measured on the E-Plane (which is the electric vector) and the H-Plane (the magnetic vector).
Efficiency is the ratio of power radiated by the antenna to the power supplied to the antenna, detailing any losses in the system.
Used to optimise coverage, minimize interference, and ensure reliable communication, Effective Isotropic Radiated Power (EIRP), also known as Equivalent Isotropic Radiated Power, represents the maximum power that an antenna could radiate in a specific direction, usually in terms of decibels over a reference power level. It considers both transmitter power and antenna gain.
An elevated feed raises the radiating component of an antenna above objects that could obstruct its signals.
Embedded antennas are integrated into an enclosure, such as an mSmart-Box®, rather than being an additional component attached to the outside.
Field strength is the measurement of an antenna’s electromagnetic wave field in one direction from a distance away.
Foliage Attenuation is a decrease in signal strength caused by the signal being absorbed by trees or similar obstructions along its path.
Frequency is the measure of how many times an event repeats in a specific unit of time. For antenna, it is the number of cycles of a wave per second.
GTT Wireless Glossary G-L
Antenna gain quantifies an antenna’s ability to focus transmitted or received signals in a specific direction, considering both directivity and efficiency. It is the ratio, measured in decibels relative to isotropic (dBi), of energy expended from an antenna in the required direction compared to the energy expended in all directions.
A GigaHertz (GHz) is a measurement of frequency equal to one billion Hertz.
A Gore® valve or vent is a small component that allows moisture to be released from electonic enclosures, allowing them to ‘breathe’. They serve a vital role in the protection of such devices and are therefore installed in every GTT Wireless mSmart-Box®.
GPS – Global Positioning System – is the world’s most utilised Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS). Owned and operated by the United States government, the system is freely accessible to anyone with a GPS receiver. This receiver can calculate its exact position based on data received from the constellation of GPS satellites orbiting the Earth. All GPS signals are on the L-band of the frequency spectrum.
A ground plane is a conducting surface that serves as part of an antenna with a function to reflect radio waves from the other antenna elements and serve as an earth ground.
Height Above Average Terrain (HAAT) is the measurement of an antenna’s vertical position calculated by subtracting average terrain elevation from antenna height above mean sea level. It is used by the FCC to ensure compliance with height limitations.
A half-wave dipole antenna is a centerfed antenna that consists of a conductive wire or metallic element that has a length equal to half the wavelength at the operating frequency.
Helical antennas provide circularly polarized waves and serve various communication needs. They consist of one or more conducting wires wound in the form of a helix.
Hertz (Hz) is used to measure frequency. One hertz is equal to one cycle per second.
Vital for long-range wireless networks, high-gain antennas have focused, narrow beams that significantly increase the signal strength.
Antenna impedance quantifies how an antenna interacts with the electrical circuit connected to it. It is defined as the ratio of voltage or current across a specific terminal of the antenna.
IOT, or Internet of Things, describes the interconnected web of modern technology and devices that can wirelessly communicate.
IP stands for “Ingress Protection” and serves as the International Protection Marking. If a product has an IP67 rating, that indicates it is “waterproof.” The 6 means “complete protection against dust over extended time” and “protection against contact with objects greater than 1mm in diameter, such as a wire or a small tool.” The 7 indicates the system is “protected against short periods of immersion in water while under pressure between 15cm and 1m.”
An LED, or light-emitting diode, is a semiconductor device that emits light when current flows through it.
A link budget accounts for all the power gains and losses experienced by a communication signal, including antennas, transmitters, transmission lines, and propagation environment. It works out the maximum distance a transmitter and receiver will operate successfully.
Long-Term Evolution, or LTE, is the technology for almost all cellular wireless transmission.
GTT Wireless Glossary M-R
An M25 hole on an mSmart-Box® is a thread hole 25mm in size, in which data modules can be installed and cable glands and caps can be screwed.
M2M, or Machine-to-Manchine, is a broad description of a system of devices that can communicate and exchange information without human assistance.
MegaHertz (MHz) is used to measure frequency. One MegaHertz is equal to one million cycles per second.
Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO) technology uses multiple antennas at both the transmitter and receiver to improve communication performance. By exploiting spatial diversity, MIMO enhances data rates, reliability, and overall system capacity.
A MISO (Multiple Input Single Output) antenna system is a smart technology that utilises multiple antenna to work together as a transmitter. This improved, stronger signal is then received by a single antenna receiver. MISO can improve transmission distances and enhance communciation performance.
A mobile antenna is simply a light weight, portable antenna that can be affixed to equipment, including vehicles.
A monopole antenna is a type of radio antenna widely used in wireless communication, radar systems, and other applications that functions as an open resonator for radio waves. It consists of a single vertical conductor (usually a straight rod or wire) and is often mounted perpendicularly over a conductive surface called a ground plane that serves as a reference point for the antenna’s operation.
A mount is simply an apparatus for securing an electronic enclosure to an envirnoment.
An mSmart-Box® is a fully configurable IP67 die-cast aluminuim electonics enclosure from GTT Wireless. They come in three seizes with varying amounts of M25 and RF holes, that can support a wide range of data and communication components.
The AC mSmart-Box® is the smallest of the three enclosure options, featuring two M25 holes and two N Type RF holes. The dimensions are 121.5 mm x 214.5 mm x 51.5 mm. It supports a PCB space of 135 mm x 85 mm x 37.5 mm.
The GLB mSmart-Box® is the middle-sized of the three enclosure options. Two versions are available: the GLB03 and the A3600. The dimensions are 220 x 250mm. It supports a PCB space of 140 x 185 x 55mm.
The GLB03 is one of two examples of our GLB mSmart-Box®, the middle-sized of the three enclosure options. It features two M25 holes and four N Type RF holes. The dimensions are 220 x 250mm. It supports a PCB space of 140 x 185 x 55mm.
The A3600 is one of two examples of our GLB mSmart-Box®, the middle-sized of the three enclosure options. It features four M25 holes and six N Type RF holes. The dimensions are 220 x 250mm. It supports a PCB space of 140 x 185 x 55mm.
The Formosa mSmart-Box® is the largest of the three enclosure options, featuring six M25 holes and four N Type RF holes. The dimensions are 310 x 310mm. It supports a PCB space of 205 x 260 x 65.5mm.
An Ohm is a unit used to measure electrical resistance.
Omnidirectional antenna have a 360 degree transmission coverage pattern, as opposed to directional or panel antenna that only send signals in a certain direction.
Commonly used at Ultra High Frewquencies (UHF) or higher, a panel antenna, consists of a dipole placed ahead of a flat-panel reflector. These antenna are commonly used for point-to-point situations, being used as multiple bays connected in parallel.
A Printed Circuit Board (PCB), also known as a printed wiring board (PWB), serves as a critical component in electronic devices.They are the backbone of modern electronics, enabling efficient and reliable connections between components.
A pentaband antenna is designed to operate across five different frequency bands, combining 4-band GSM and W-CDMA 2100, allowing it to send and receive signal in all of the cellular bands, making it perfect for use with mobile devices.
Point-to-multipoint communication (often abbreviated as P2MP, PTMP, or PMP) refers to a specific type of communication where a single sender (or point) establishes connections with multiple receivers (or multipoint locations).
Point-to-point describes a wireless network, often long-range, between two points using directional antennas.
Antenna polarization refers to the orientation of the electric field vector of an electromagnetic wave radiated by or received by an antenna. This orientation can be circular, vertical, horizontal, or elliptical.
Polarisation diversity is a technique that uses antennas of different polarisations to provide a reception of wider diversity. For example, the antennas can receive vertical and horizontal but, using multipath propagation characteristics, can do so as separate channels.
Antennas that are manufactured by a printed curcuit process.
Propagation describes the process of the electomagnetic wave as it is radiated from the antenna and expands outwards.
The propagation channel is the route the electromagnetic wave takes between two antennas.
A quarter-wave antenna is a simple and effective design commonly used in radio communication utilising a quarter-wave vertical radiator. This is a vertical element that is approximately one-fourth the wavelength of the radio waves it is designed to transmit or receive.
The pattern of an antenna’s radiation strength plotted on a graph.
A radiator is a conductor that radiates RF enegery is an antenna.
Radio propagation is the process of electromagnetic waves at radio frequencies radiating outwards from an antenna.
An antenna radome is a protective enclosure designed to safeguard an antenna from harsh weather conditions and environmental elements while minimally effecting the electromagnetic signals transmitted or received by the antenna.
Receive diversity is the capability of using two different receiving systems from different antennas to ensure strong signal strength.
A receiver receives transmission signals and can convert them into the information required by electronic equipment.
Relative Antenna Power Gain is a concept used to compare the performance of an antenna relative to a reference antenna. Gain is usually expressed in decibels relative to isotropic (dBi).
A receiver receives transmission signals and can convert them into the information required by electronic equipment.
Radio frequency (RF) refers to the rate of oscillation of electromagnetic radio waves in the range of approximately 20 kHz to 300 GHz.
Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) is a technology that enables automatic identification and tracking of objects using electromagnetic fields.RFID tags are tiny radio transponders attached to objects. They contain information and respond to radio waves.RFID readers emit radio waves and receive signals from the RFID tags.
RoHS stands for Restriction of Hazardous Substances in Electrical and Electronic Equipment. It is a set of regulations that control the levels of certain hazardous substances and chemicals in electrical and electronic products.
RJ45 stands for Registered Jack 45 and is the most commonly used connector in wired networks.
The Receive/Transmit Transition Gap (RTG) plays a crucial role in Time Division Duplex (TDD) wireless communication systems. The RTG is a designated time interval that occurs between the uplink burst (transmission from subscriber stations) and the subsequent downlink burst (transmission from the base station) within a TDD system. During this gap, both the base station (BS) and subscriber stations (SS) refrain from transmitting any data.
GTT Wireless Glossary S-Z
Sector is an area of coverage for antennas. The term “sector” refers to a portion of the circumference of a circle measured in degrees of arc.
Sector antenna transmit in single directions, radiating across one sector. Sector antennas are typically designed with 60°, 90°, or 120° coverage angles.
Antenna shields are used to protect sensitive equipment from external electromagnetic fields.Shield effectiveness is the measurement of how successful this protection is.
A signal booster for antennas, also known as an amplifier or repeater, is a device that can enhance the transmission and reception of signals.
Signal Diversity is when two antennas can be used and their results combined for stronger results.
Measured in decibels, signla loss is the decrease in signal strength.
A SIM card, or Subscriber Identity Module or Subscriber Identification Module, is an integrated circuit that contains identity information for mobile devices.
SIMO, which stands for Single Input Multiple Output, is a communication system configuration where a single transmitter (input) sends signals to multiple receivers (outputs).
A SISO system (Single Input Single Output) is a straightforward configuration where there is only one transmitter and one receiver.
Spatial Multiplexing (SM) is a technique used in MIMO (Multiple-Input Multiple-Output) wireless communication systems. It involves sending separate data signals or streams between antennas to enhance wireless signal performance, which can increase bit rate without consumption of extra bandwidth or power.
Space diversity, also known as antenna diversity or spatial diversity, is a wireless technique used since the early days of antennas. Multiple separated antennas receiving de-correlated signals are employed to enhance the quality and reliability of a wireless link.
The nominal impedance associated with antenna transmission.
Standing Wave Ratio (SWR) measures the impedance matching of loads to the characteristic impedance of a transmission line or waveguide.
Impedance mismatches result in standing waves along the transmission line.
A transmission line is a conduit that carries electromagnetic signals, ensuring their controlled propagation.
A transmitter is a device that produces radio electromagnetic wave signals using circuits such as modulators and oscillators and radiates them out of an antenna.
Transmit/Receive Transition Gap (TTG) is a critical time interval in time-division duplexing (TDD) communication systems. It provides the necessary guard period to switch between transmission and reception modes, preventing interference and ensuring efficient communication. The gap creates time for the base station (BS) to switch modes, from transmit to receive.
Vehicle-to-Vehicle communication.
Vehicle-to-Infrastructure communication.
Voltage Standing Wave Ratio (VSWR) is the ratio of maximum to minimum voltage on a 50 Ohms transmission line in the standing wave pattern.
Wavelength is the distance over which the wave’s shape repeats. The space between one crest to another.
WiFi is a wireless network used to connect to the Internet. A signal is sent from a router to nearby devices.
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