The Drift reference article from the English Wikipedia on 24-Apr-2004 (provided by Fixed Reference: snapshots of Wikipedia from wikipedia.org)

Drift

In telecommunication, a drift is a comparatively long-term change in an attribute or value of a system or equipment operational parameter.

The drift should be characterized, such as "diurnal frequency drift" and "output level drift."

Drift is usually undesirable and unidirectional, but may be bidirectional, cyclic, or of such long-term duration and low excursion rate as to be negligible.

Source: from Federal Standard 1037C and from MIL-STD-188

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