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Glossary of Terms

Daisy Chain – Two or more connectors terminated on the same cable. Each connector shares the same electrical path but provides independent signal distribution.

dB – Abbreviation for Decibel.

DC – Direct current

DC Resistance – See resistance.

Debit - An Accounting entry constituting a deduction from a revenue, net worth, or liability account.

Debit Memo - Statements issued to vendors notifying them that a debit amount will be deducted from the remaining payable for items such a short shipments, or costs associated with rework.

Decibel (dB) – One-tenth of a bel. It is equal to 10 times the logarithm of the power ratio, 20 times the log of the voltage ratio, or 20 times the log of the current ratio. One decibel is the amount by which the pressure of a pure sine wave of sound must be varied in order for the change to be detected by the average human ear. The decibel can express an actual level only when comparing with some definite reference level that is assumed to be zero dB.

Delay Line – A transmission line or equivalent device designed to delay a wave or signal for a specific length of time.

Dialog - A historical fact generated and stored electronically which documents the project flow from quote to order and delivery.

Dielectric – Non-conducting barriers that protect individual conductors from accidental contact with other conductors (a "short circuit") and allow uninterrupted flow or current.

Dielectric – An insulating (nonconducting) medium.

Dielectric Breakdown – Any change in the properties of a dielectric that causes it to become conductive. Normally a catastrophic failure of an insulation because of excessive voltage.

Dielectric Constant – Also called permittivity. That property of a dielectric which determines the amount of electrostatic energy that can be stored by the material when a given voltage is applied to it. Actually, the ratio of the capacitance of a capacitor using the dielectric to the capacitance of an identical capacitor using a vacuum as a dielectric.

Dielectric Heating – The heating of an insulating material when placed in a ratio-frequency field, caused by internal losses during the rapid polarization reversal of molecules in the material.

Dielectric Loss – The power dissipated in a dielectric as the result of the friction produced by molecular motion when an alternating electric field is applied.

Digital Signal – An electrical signal which possesses two distinct states (on/off, positive/negative).

Dispersion – The cause of bandwidth limitations in an optical fiber. Dispersion causes a broadening of input pulses along the length of the fiber. Two major types are (a) mode dispersion caused by differential optical path lengths in a multimode fiber, and (b) material dispersion caused by a differential delay of various wavelengths of light in a wave guide material.

Distortion – Any undesired change in a wave form or signal.

Distribution Cable – In a CATV system, the transmission cable between the distribution amplifier and the drop cable.

Dock Date - The date the goods are due at the Customer's dock.

Drain Wire – In a cable the uninsulated wire laid over the component or components and used as a ground connection.

Drop Cable – In a CATV system, the transmission cable from the distribution cable to a dwelling.

Durometer - An instrument used for measuring hardness.