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Ambient level 
1. The values of radiated and conducted signal and noise existing at a specified test 
location and time when the test sample is not activated
2. Those levels of radiated and conducted signal and noise existing at a specified 
test location and time when the test sample is inoperative. Atmospherics, 
interference from other sources, and circuit noise, or other interference generated 
within the measuring set compose the ambient level.
Amplitude modulation 
1. In a signal transmission system, the process, or the result of the process, where 
the amplitude of one electrical quantity is varied in accordance with some 
selected characteristic of a second quantity, which need not be electrical in 
nature.
2. The process by which the amplitude of a carrier wave is varied following a 
specified law.
Anechoic chamber 
A shielded room which is lined with radio absorbing material to reduce reflections 
from all internal surfaces. Fully lined anechoic chambers have such material on all 
internal surfaces, wall, ceiling and floor. Its also called a “fully anechoic chamber.” 
A semianechoic chamber is a shielded room which has absorbing material on all 
surfaces except the floor.
Antenna (aerial) 
1. A means for radiated or receiving radio waves. A transducer which either emits 
radio frequency power into space from a signal source or intercepts an arriving 
electromagnetic field, converting it into an electrical signal.
2. A transducer which either emits radio frequency power into space from a signal 
source or intercepts an arriving electromagnetic field, converting it into an 
electrical signal.
Antenna factor 
The factor which, when properly applied to the voltage at the input terminals of the 
measuring instrument, yields the electric field strength in volts per meter and a 
magnetic field strength in amperes per meter.
Antenna induced voltage 
The voltage which is measured or calculated to exist across the open circuited 
antenna terminals.