RF, Wireless & RFID Consulting

Our unique services include scanning the RF spectrum for wireless LAN networks, RFID feasibility, Bluetooth and other devices. Surveys may be required to detect rogue networks which can compromise security, troubleshoot interference and reception issues, or for infrastructure design.

We offer spectrum analysis and datalogging from 1 MHz to 7 GHz which covers nearly 100% of all wireless information and data technologies. This also includes safety exposure readings which are properly frequency weighted as opposed to broadband RF meters which can be inaccurate by a factor of a 1000 or more.

RF SAFETY LEVELS COMPARISON

http://www.antennasearch.com/

802.11a - 5.2 GHz

Second type to hit market. More expensive and faster @ 54 MBs per second. (actual more 6 - 18 MBsec)

100 mW - 1 Watt

for WiFi use orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)

802.11b - 2.450 GHz

First type of wireless to hit the market. Slower and less expensive @ 11 MBs per second. (typically 1 - 5)

100 mW - 1 Watt

for WiFi use Complementary Code Keying (CCK)

802.11g - 2.450 GHz

Third to come out, it has the inexpensive costs of a 802.11b, but the speed of 54 MBs per second.

for WiFi use orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)

WIMAX

WiMax Forum licensed Spectrum Profiles 2.3GHz, 2.5GHz, 3.5GHz

Unlicensed band 5.x GHz

802.16-2004 (802.16d) - 10 to 66 GHz

802.16a - 2 to 11 GHz

802.16e-2005 - 2 to 6 GHz

500 K - 2 Mbits per second

Bluetooth

2.45 GHz ISM Band (Industrial, Scientific, Medical Devices) with frequency hopping of up to 1600 times per second between 79 channels. (typically at 1 mW) For piconets or PANS (Personal Area Networks) Bluetooth can transmit from 36 up to 723 kilobits per second (Kbps) in one direction, with 57.6 Kbps in the other. If the use calls for the same speed in both directions, a link with 432.6-Kbps capacity in each direction can be made. 100 mW power

The devices in a piconet share a common communication data channel. The channel has a total capacity of 1 megabit per second (Mbps). Headers and handshaking information consume about 20 percent of this capacity.

In the United States and Europe, the frequency range is 2,400 to 2,483.5 MHz, with 79 1-MHz radio frequency (RF) channels. In practice, the range is 2,402 MHz to 2,480 MHz. In Japan, the frequency range is 2,472 to 2,497 MHz with 23 1-MHz RF channels.

UWV

Ultra Wideband - Wireless technology whose bandwidth exceeds the lesser of 500 MHz or 20% of the arithmetic center frequency. 100 Megabits per second plus data transfer rate.

Unlicensed frequency range 3.1 - 10.6 GHz

FROM WIKIPEDIA.ORG

Bluetooth lets these devices talk to each other when they come in range, even if they are not in the same room, as long as they are within up to 100 metres (328 feet) of each other, dependent on the power class of the product. Products are available in one of three power classes:

Class 1 (100 mW) [still readily available]: It has the longest range at up to 100 metres (320 ft).
Class 2 (2.5 mW) [most common]: It allows a quoted transmission distance of 10 metres (32 ft).
Class 3 (1 mW) [rare]: It allows transmission of 10 cm (3.9 in), with a maximum of 1 metre (3.2 ft).

RFID

The generic frequencies for RFID are:

125 - 134 kHz Low Frequency
13.56 MHz
UHF (400 - 930 MHz)
2.45 GHz
5.8 GHz

Zigbee

ZigBee operates in the industrial, scientific and medical (ISM) radio bands; 868 MHz in Europe, 915 MHz in the USA and 2.4 GHz in most jurisdictions worldwide.

802.15.4

Cell Phones

GSM 1st Generation 890 - 915 MHz 12Kb/sec 1- 2 Watts

DCS 2nd Generation 1800 - 1900 MHz 100 Kb/sec 1 Watt

UMTS 3rd Generation 1910 - 2200 MHz 0.1 - 2 Mb/sec 1 Watt

Analog, Digital 824 - 894 MHz

Digital Cellular PCS - 1.85 - 2.15 GHz (0.6 or 3 watts)

TV Signals

50 - 700 MHz (6 - 8 MHz bandwidth) 1 MW ERP

Cordless Phones

47-49 MHz, 900 MHz, 2.4 GHz, 5.8 GHz

Potential Health Effects of RF below "thermal heating" limits

http://www.wave-guide.org/library/studies.html

GPS Global Positioning Systems

1.575 GHz (1 MHz Bandwidth) 500 W ERP

Surveillance Bugs

Many frequencies are available in a wide range, but common ones utilize the 1 MHz, 30-50 MHz, 900 MHz and 2.4 GHz bands.

THE ELECTROMAGNETIC SPECTRUM