Heterodyne

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Heterodyne

</dt>
To mix two radio signals of different frequencies to produce a third signal which is of lower frequency, i.e., to produce beating. </dd>
Radar receivers are of the heterodyne type (as contrasted to the superregenerative type) because the very high radio frequencies used in radar are difficult to amplify. A target signal is heterodyned with a current of lower frequency produced by a klystron oscillator and the resulting intermediate-frequency signal can then be highly amplified for subsequent presentation or analysis. [[/a>|/a> ]]

References

This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use