podkanál

Podkanál is a term used in Czech (and sometimes Slovak) to denote a subordinate or secondary channel within a larger system of channels. It refers to a separate flow or data path that runs in parallel to a primary channel, sharing the same medium or network but carrying its own content or signals. The word combines pod- (“sub,” “under”) with kanál (“channel”).

In broadcasting and telecommunications, podkanál is used to describe subchannels within a multiplex or transport stream. Subchannels may carry alternative audio tracks, data services, metadata, or auxiliary video streams. In digital systems based on subdivision of bandwidth, such as those using OFDM, individual subchannels correspond to sets of subcarriers allocated to different data streams.

In hydraulic engineering, a podkanál can denote a secondary canal branching from a main canal, used to distribute water to fields or to manage drainage. Such structures are common in irrigation and flood-control networks, where the podkanál functions as a parallel conduit that supports distribution and control.

In computing and networks, podkanál can refer informally to a logical subchannel within a protocol or multi-channel link, typically implemented by time-division or frequency-division techniques to partition a shared medium.

See also: Subchannel, multiplexing, subcarrier.