Glossary F

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Faller

Manufacture Model Railway accessories and buildings. Faller road system MERG TBA36/1&/2 - merg members only

Fast clock

Is use in time table model railway operation where the time goes faster There is a MERG TB A32/2 MERG kit for members

FCU

FCU (FLiM Configuration Utility) A Windows based software program by Roger Healey used to configure CBus systems.
CBus resources page

Feathers

Term used for the 'route indicator' on colour light signals comprising 5 white lights at an angle to indicate the diverging route.

FET

The Field Effect Transistor is a device which enables us to use one electrical signal to control another. The name ‘transistor is a shortened version of the original term transfer resistor, which indicates how the device works. Most transistors have three connections. The voltage on (or current into/out of) one wire has the effect of controlling the ease with which current can move between the other two terminals. The effect is to make a resistance whose value can be altered by the input signal. We can use this behaviour to transfer patterns of signal fluctuation from a small input signal to a larger output signal. MERG TB G12/1 - merg members only.
Field-effect Transistor
http://www.st-andrews.ac.uk/~www_pa/Scots_Guide/first11/part7/page1.html

FIFO

First In First Out, refers to a data buffer, sometimes called a “Circular Buffer” or “Ring Buffer”, where the data is extracted in the same order as it was entered. Used to store data temporarily where data may be produced faster than it can be used, thus preventing the producer being held up by the consumer.

Firmware

A computer program that is held in non-volatile memory such as EPROM or flash memory. A PIC processor has a small amount of RAM used for variables and a much larger flash memory for program.

FLiM

Full Layout implementation Model. A method for setting up a CBus layout using a configuration utility program see FCU. As opposed to SLiM
CBus resources page

Flip flop

“Flip Flop” is the common name given to a two-stage device, which offer basic memory for sequential operation. Flips flops are heavily used for digital data transfer and are commonly used in banks called “registers for the storage of binary numerical data.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flip-flop_(electronics)

Frequency

Frequency is the measurement of the number of times that a repeated event occurs per unit of time.
Frequency

FM

Frequency Modulation. The process of varying the carrier frequency with the modulation frequency thus enabling the signal to have a constant amplitude, mainly used at Very High Frequencies 90-110MHz broadcasts, this enables verygood noise control. More complex than AM as it requires a special demodulator to obtain the information.

Fuse

This a protection device to protect the main power, or any type of supply