Which frequency bands do industrial wireless remote controls operate in?
Industrial wireless remote controls mainly use licence-free short range bands: 433.05–434.79 MHz (typically 10 mW ERP, 10% duty cycle), 863–870 MHz (typically 25 mW ERP, 1% duty cycle; 500 mW ERP and 10% in the 869.4–869.65 MHz sub-band) and the 2400–2483.5 MHz ISM band (20 dBm EIRP under EN 300 328). A device's actual band is written on its label and in its EU declaration of conformity.
Band selection is not a marketing preference but a framework drawn by regulation. In Europe (CEPT) the limits are set by ERC/REC 70-03:
- 433.05–434.79 MHz: typically 10 mW ERP and 10% duty cycle for non-specific short range devices. Cheap, diffracts well, but it is a crowded band full of garage remotes, car keys and telemetry.
- 863–870 MHz: generally 25 mW ERP and 1% duty cycle; only in the 869.4–869.65 MHz sub-band are 500 mW ERP and 10% duty cycle possible. Cleaner, but at the same distance it gives 6 dB more free space loss than 433 MHz.
- 2400–2483.5 MHz: 20 dBm EIRP and 10 dBm/MHz spectral density under EN 300 328 V2.2.2. Wideband and suited to frequency hopping; in return it is shared with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth and is the band that loses the most behind obstacles.
In practice the choice is made by balancing range, obstacle density and data rate. Do not guess which band is used in a product; look at the device label and at the harmonised standard number in the declaration of conformity.
Full topic: 433 MHz or 2.4 GHz?