Let’s talk about frequency – what it is and why it's important. Frequency is the pitch at which RF waves operate. It's important to understand and regulate this; otherwise, there would be a lot of interference and poor performing RF devices out in the world. RFID frequency bands are typically measured in megahertz. The two most common are UHF or ultra-high frequency and HF, or high frequency. For simplicity’s sake we will focus only on UHF, which in RFID has a global range of 860 MHz to 960 MHz.
UHF Tags Performance & Read Range
Different countries use different frequency windows to read their RFID tags. This can get really complicated and confusing, but you just need to remember there are two main frequency bands – the FCC band and the ETSI band. The FCC band is used in the United States and has a frequency band of 902 to 928 MHz, whereas the ETSI band which is primarily used in European countries is a smaller window of 865.6 to 867.6 MHz. So, does this mean only certain tags work in certain countries? Yes and no. Most passive UHF tags are designed to work in the global frequency range, which is 860 MHz to 960 MHz. However, it does mean the performance and read range of the RFID tag might vary country to country.
For more information or to speak with one of our RFID Specialists, please contact us at 800-437-5283 or [email protected].
 | About the Author: Aaron HobertAaron Hobert is our RFID Technical Specialist. Hobert joined Metalcraft in September of 1994 as a Litho Press Operator, became the Autograph Team Lead in 1998 and in April 2005 he became the RFID Sales Support Rep. He was named our RFID Technical Specialist in 2008. Aaron lives outside Charles City with his wife Diane. Mobile Phone: 641-330-2660 Email: [email protected] Office: 3360 9th St. SW, Mason City, IA 50401 Office Phone: 641-423-9460 |
