Radio Frequency

The approximately 10 kHz to 100 GHz electromagnetic band of frequencies used for man-made communication.

Raduga ("Rainbow)

Russian FSS satellite serving the STATSIONAR system in the C-band frequency range.

Rain Outage

Loss of signal (esp. at Ku-band) due to absorption and thermal noise accompanying heavy rainfall.

Raster

The random pattern of illumination seem on a television screen when no video signal is present.

Rated Temperature

The maximum temperature at which an electric component can operate for extended periods without loss of its basic properties.

Rated Temperature

The maximum voltage at which an electric component can operate for extended periods without undue degradation or safety hazard.

Reed Switch

A mechanical switch which uses two thin slivers of metal in a glass tube to make and break electrical contact and thus to count pulses which are sent to the antenna actuator controller. The position of the silver of metal is governed by a magnetic field applied by a bar or other type of magnet.

Reference Signal

A highly stable signal used as a standard against which other variable signals may be compared and adjusted.

Reflection Loss

The part of a signal which is lost due to reflection of power at a line discontinuity.

Repeater

See transponder.

Retrace

The blanked-out line traced by the scanning beam of a picture tube as it travels from the end of any horizontal line to the beginning of either the next horizontal line or field.

Return Loss

A ratio of the amount of reflected signal to the total available signal entering a device expressed in decibels.

RF

Radio Frequency.

RGIU

"RG", is the military designation for coaxial cable, and "U" stands for "general utility".

RGB

Red, Green, Blue. The three primary color components in a TV system. See also YUV.

RHCP (or RCP)

Right-Hand Circular Polarization.

Rope Lay Conductor

A conductor composed of a central core surrounded by one or more layers of helically laid groups of wires.

RRO

Radio Receive Only (terminal).