1. Radio Frequencies & Your Industrial
Wireless Network

2. The term “frequency” used in wireless applications describes the primary radio
carrier where the data is modulated.
In trying to identify the best frequency for your application, there’s no such thing
as a good frequency or a bad frequency.
Each frequency simply has advantages and disadvantages. It’s the balancing of
those characteristics that allows us to identify the most appropriate frequency for
your specific application.
A Matter of Balance

3. The frequencies used by industrial Ethernet and serial radios can be broken into
two main groups:
• Those frequencies that are individually authorized from the Federal
Communications Commission (FCC) and known as licensed
frequencies
• Those frequencies that operate in specific frequency bands and power
levels known as unlicensed frequencies.
There’s also an industry-specific set of frequencies that we’ll touch on later.
A Group Effort

4. FCC-Licensed Frequencies
The FCC-licensed frequencies most commonly used in industrial wireless
networks are:
• 150-174MHz
• 217-220MHz
• 450-470MHz

5. FCC-Licensed Frequencies
An inherent advantage to this group is the network owner’s exclusive use of the licensed
frequency, reducing the likelihood of interference from other sources.
Additional advantages include:
• Greater range (15-30 miles)
• Less terrain/vegetation signal loss
• Line of sight flexibility
• Lower signal loss through the cable and connectors

6. FCC-Licensed Frequencies
But the use of FCC-licensed frequencies also creates certain boundaries that
wireless network owners need to consider.
These include:
• Limited bandwidths creating data rates from 9,600 – 64Kbps
• A higher noise floor, requiring more receive signal
• Larger antennas, with the size based on the wavelength in use

7. License-Free Frequencies
Common license-free frequencies for industrial applications are:
• 900MHz
• 2.4GHz
• 5.8GHz

8. License-Free Frequencies
Using a license-free frequency automatically saves you the time and expense of
securing an FCC license, which can require lead times of up to six months.
License-free options also offer certain advantages such as:
• Larger bandwidths allowing higher data rates (up to 300Mbps)
• Simple Ethernet bridging/networks
• Self-healing MESH networking for redundancy and reliability
• Wi-Fi access for third-party devices (2.4GHz and 5.8GHz)

9. License-Free Frequencies
The inherent nature of license-free frequencies also presents their most basic
disadvantage:
Since the frequencies are unlicensed, anyone can use them, and the shared use
of these resources continues to evolve.
Other boundaries involved in the use of license-free frequencies include:
• Lower tolerance of line-of-site obstructions
• Reduced range, with the frequency and power limited by the FCC
The reduced range frequently entails additional system costs to cover the
necessary repeaters.

10. Exclusive-Use Frequencies
Municipal water/wastewater treatment applications also have exclusive access to
4.9GHz, a high-speed frequency licensed specifically by the FCC for public
safety concerns.
This exclusive use offers advantages like:
• Virtually no user interference
• Greater security
• High data rates (up to 72Mbps)
• Simple Ethernet bridging/networks
• Self-healing MESH networking for redundancy and reliability

11. Exclusive-Use Frequencies
The exclusivity also represents this frequency’s most basic limitation: it can only
be used for municipal applications.
Other boundaries to consider include:
• The use of proprietary technology, precluding Wi-Fi access
• The requirement for absolute line of sight, necessitating the use of
repeaters and increasing the system’s overall cost

12. The ESTeem Advantage
We have 35 years of experience designing, engineering and manufacturing
industrial wireless radios and modems - all in the US and all specifically focused
on solving our customers’ most difficult networking challenges, no matter what the
frequency.
Through all of those years, we’ve stuck to the philosophy that applications will not
bend to fit the hardware. The solution must fit the application, and we work with
our customers to ensure they get the right wireless solution to fit their needs.
To that end, all of our models come with full compatibility
baked in (195E/Horizon, 192/195 Narrowband), and we
write our software/OS specifically for the components used
for optimum efficiency and performance.
To learn how ESTeem can deliver the cost-effective,
reliable wireless network your operation needs, visit our
website or submit this simple contact form.

13. ESTeem Corporate Information
Electronic Systems Technology
• Incorporated 1982
• Public Offering 1984
• Symbol: ELST
• dBA ESTeem Wireless Modems -
2007
Corp/MFG Headquarters
• Kennewick, WA
• Rockwell Automation Encompass
Partner – 25+ years
• CSIA Member/Supplier
• Control Systems Integrator
Association
45,000+ Radios in Service Worldwide
• Industry’s most complete
portfolio: 10 models
• FCC Licensed Frequencies
• License-Free Frequencies