18WuD2x

92 button microphone • byte
through the button. A single-button microphone
has only one button, whereas a double-button
microphone has two—one mounted on each side
of the center of the diaphragm.
buzz 1. A low-pitched rough sound with highfrequency
components, usually the result of electrical
interference from nonsinusoidal voltages
generated by neighboring equipment or devices.
2. The waveform associated with such a sound.
3. Fastening two conducting surfaces by a KEL-
LIE BOND.
buzzer A nonringing device used principally to
generate sound other than that achievable with
sine waves. In an electromechanical vibratingreed
buzzer, the reed acts as an armature, which
is mounted close to the core of an electromagnet.
At quiescence, the reed rests against a stationary
contact. When voltage is applied to the electromagnet,
the reed is attracted to the core,
moving away from the contact; but this breaks
the circuit, the magnetism ceases, and the reed
springs back to the contact. The action is repeated
continuously at a frequency that depends
on the reed dimensions and its distance from the
core.
BWO Abbreviation of BACKWARD-WAVE OSCIL-
LATOR.
BX Symbol and abbreviation for armored and insulated
flexible electrical cable.
bypass A route (either intended or accidental)
through which current easily flows around a
component or circuit instead of through it.
bypass capacitor A capacitor that is used to conduct
an alternating current around a component
or group of components. Often the ac is removed
from an ac/dc signal, the dc being free to pass
through the bypassed component.
Contact
Armature
Coil
Core
Battery
buzzer
BV Abbreviation of BREAKDOWN VOLTAGE.
B voltage The dc voltage required by certain electrodes
of vacuum tubes and transistors. It especially
pertains to voltages required by the plate
and screen of a vacuum tube, as opposed to the
filament voltage and control-grid voltage.
bw 1. Abbreviation of bandwidth. 2. Abbreviation
of black-and-white.
BWA Abbreviation of backward-wave amplifier.
BWG Abbreviation of BIRMINGHAM WIRE GAUGE.
B-Y signal In a color television receiver, the colordifference
signal which, when combined with a
luminance (Y) signal, forms a blue primary signal
for the three-gun picture tube.
byte In digital-computer and data-communications
operations, a unit of data consisting of eight
contiguous bits. In packet communications, the
term octet is often used.