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Industrial, Scientific, and Medical Devices (ISM, FCC Part 18)
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Part 18 (section 18.301) of the FCC rules designate certain bands for high-power Industrial, Scientific, and Medical (ISM) devices. These devices generate significant radio energy, but not for telecommunications purposes. Examples includes microwave ovens, industrial heaters, medical diathermy, jewelry cleaners, and RFID tags.
ISM devices may be operated in most frequency bands subject to strict power limits, but are allowed unlimited power in these eleven specially-designated ISM bands.
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Unlicensed bands
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Although these bands are allocated for ISM use, e.g. microwave ovens and industrial equipment, a major use has been unlicensed (Part 15) systems such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and ZigBee. In the period 1995-2005, most of the cordless phones marketed in the US were in the 902-928 MHz band, but conflicts with the other uses and availability of DECT equipment has greatly decreased sales of 902-928 MHz cordless phones.
The rules for these bands sprung from FCC Docket 81-413 which sought to end an implicit prohibition of spread spectrum/CDMA technology that resulted from a focus on FDMA spectrum uses. This resulted in rules adopted in 1985 that allow unlicensed spread spectrum systems to use these bands for almost any possible application subject to a 1W power limit and a power spectral density limit. Initial applications, however, were limited to frequency hopping and "direct sequence" modulations, the latter being subject to ill-defined spreading and processing gain requirements.
An FCC rulemaking in 2002, in ET Docket No. 99-231, dropped the spreading and processing gain requirements, and permitted any digital modulation that meets the power and power spectral density limits. The immediate effect was to authorize Wi-Fi products under standard IEEE 802.11g. Subsequent Wi-Fi standards, including n and ac, were eligible for certification with no further rule changes.
Bluetooth is authorized under the original 1985 frequency hopping provisions. The 2400 and 5800 MHz bands are used for Wi-Fi.
A good history is "The Innovation Journey of Wi-Fi: The Road To Global Success" by Wolter Lemstra, Vic Hayes, John Groenewegen; Cambridge University Press, 2010.
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Frequency Bands |
Band | Use | Service | Table |
902 - 928 MHz | 900 MHz unlicensed band | - | - |
2400 - 2483.5 MHz | Unlicensed band (commonly used by Wi-Fi) | - | - |
5725 - 5850 MHz | Unlicensed band (commonly used by Wi-Fi) | - | - |
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802.11/WLAN/Wi-Fi/WiGig
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Wireless LANS utilize various channels in the 2.4, 5, and 6 GHz bands (multiple countries), and (in theory) the 3.6 GHz band (U.S. only). For a list of which channels are available in which regions, refer to the Wikipedia article.
Wi-Fi is a trademark permitted for devices that are based upon a published standard of the IEEE 802.11 committee and that have been certified by the Wi-Fi Alliance. Wi-Fi is presently incorporated in about three billion devices. Wireless cash registers were one of the earliest applications of what is now Wi-Fi.
Wi-Fi devices operate on an unlicensed basis, generally meaning they cannot cause interference to licensed services, and must accept any interference caused to them. Wi-Fi shares bands with other unlicensed or ISM devices, such as cordless phones at 2.4 and 5.8 GHz and microwave ovens at 2.4 GHz.
Some of the key patents related to Wi-Fi are credited (in the courts at least) to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) in Australia, which has collected over $400 million in royalties and legal settlements over patent rights.
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Frequency Bands |
Band | Use | Service | Table |
2400 - 2495 MHz | Wireless LANs | - | - |
3655 - 3700 MHz | Wireless LANS (U.S. only; standardized but not used) | - | - |
4910 - 4990 MHz | Wireless LANs (Japan) (U.S. public safety 4940-4990) | - | - |
5030 - 5090 MHz | WLANs (Japan, 2002-2017) | - | - |
5150 - 5350 MHz | Wireless LANs (U-NII-1 and U-NII-2A) | - | - |
5470 - 5895 MHz | Wireless LANs (U-NII-2C, U-NII-3, U-NII-4) | - | - |
5925 - 7125 MHz | Wireless LANs (U-NII-5, U-NII-6, U-NII-7, U-NII-8) | - | - |
42.39 - 46.71 GHz | Wireless LANs (WiGig) | - | - |
57.24 - 74.52 GHz | Wireless LANs (WiGig) | - | - |
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Bluetooth
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Bluetooth is a very short-range "piconet" standard for the wireless exchange of data between devices. According to the Bluetooth standard, the technology is "intended to replace the cable(s) connecting portable and/or fixed electronic devices."
Bluetooth uses 79 channels, each separated by 1 MHz, across the 2.4 GHz unlicensed band (2400-2483.5 MHz). Devices utilize frequency hopping among the 79 available channels, avoiding channels with interference due to other unlicensed and ISM devices operating in the band, such as Wi-Fi, microwave ovens, and cordless phones.
The power output of a Bluetooth device is 1-100 mW (Class 1 device), 0.25-2.5 mW (Class 2), and 1 mW or less (Class 3).
The instantaneous bandwidth of a Bluetooth transmission is defined such that the measured power in a 100 kHz bandwidth 500 kHz removed from the center frequency is at least 20 dB below the total carrier power. The standard hopping rate for Bluetooth is 1600 hops/second, and a maximum hopping rate of 3200 hops/second is employed in some modes.
The RF channel k has a frequency of 2402 + k MHz, k=0,...,78.
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Channelized Frequencies |
Frequency | Bandwidth | Channel | Use | Service | Table |
2402 MHz | 1 MHz | 0 | Bluetooth channel 0 | - | - |
2403 MHz | 1 MHz | 1 | Bluetooth channel 1 | - | - |
2404 MHz | 1 MHz | 2 | Bluetooth channel 2 | - | - |
2405 MHz | 1 MHz | 3 | Bluetooth channel 3 | - | - |
2406 MHz | 1 MHz | 4 | Bluetooth channel 4 | - | - |
2407 MHz | 1 MHz | 5 | Bluetooth channel 5 | - | - |
2408 MHz | 1 MHz | 6 | Bluetooth channel 6 | - | - |
2409 MHz | 1 MHz | 7 | Bluetooth channel 7 | - | - |
2410 MHz | 1 MHz | 8 | Bluetooth channel 8 | - | - |
2411 MHz | 1 MHz | 9 | Bluetooth channel 9 | - | - |
2412 MHz | 1 MHz | 10 | Bluetooth channel 10 | - | - |
2413 MHz | 1 MHz | 11 | Bluetooth channel 11 | - | - |
2414 MHz | 1 MHz | 12 | Bluetooth channel 12 | - | - |
2415 MHz | 1 MHz | 13 | Bluetooth channel 13 | - | - |
2416 MHz | 1 MHz | 14 | Bluetooth channel 14 | - | - |
2417 MHz | 1 MHz | 15 | Bluetooth channel 15 | - | - |
2418 MHz | 1 MHz | 16 | Bluetooth channel 16 | - | - |
2419 MHz | 1 MHz | 17 | Bluetooth channel 17 | - | - |
2420 MHz | 1 MHz | 18 | Bluetooth channel 18 | - | - |
2421 MHz | 1 MHz | 19 | Bluetooth channel 19 | - | - |
2422 MHz | 1 MHz | 20 | Bluetooth channel 20 | - | - |
2423 MHz | 1 MHz | 21 | Bluetooth channel 21 | - | - |
2424 MHz | 1 MHz | 22 | Bluetooth channel 22 | - | - |
2425 MHz | 1 MHz | 23 | Bluetooth channel 23 | - | - |
2426 MHz | 1 MHz | 24 | Bluetooth channel 24 | - | - |
2427 MHz | 1 MHz | 25 | Bluetooth channel 25 | - | - |
2428 MHz | 1 MHz | 26 | Bluetooth channel 26 | - | - |
2429 MHz | 1 MHz | 27 | Bluetooth channel 27 | - | - |
2430 MHz | 1 MHz | 28 | Bluetooth channel 28 | - | - |
2431 MHz | 1 MHz | 29 | Bluetooth channel 29 | - | - |
2432 MHz | 1 MHz | 30 | Bluetooth channel 30 | - | - |
2433 MHz | 1 MHz | 31 | Bluetooth channel 31 | - | - |
2434 MHz | 1 MHz | 32 | Bluetooth channel 32 | - | - |
2435 MHz | 1 MHz | 33 | Bluetooth channel 33 | - | - |
2436 MHz | 1 MHz | 34 | Bluetooth channel 34 | - | - |
2436 MHz | 1 MHz | 35 | Bluetooth channel 35 | - | - |
2438 MHz | 1 MHz | 36 | Bluetooth channel 36 | - | - |
2439 MHz | 1 MHz | 37 | Bluetooth channel 37 | - | - |
2440 MHz | 1 MHz | 38 | Bluetooth channel 38 | - | - |
2441 MHz | 1 MHz | 39 | Bluetooth channel 39 | - | - |
2442 MHz | 1 MHz | 40 | Bluetooth channel 40 | - | - |
2443 MHz | 1 MHz | 41 | Bluetooth channel 41 | - | - |
2444 MHz | 1 MHz | 42 | Bluetooth channel 42 | - | - |
2445 MHz | 1 MHz | 43 | Bluetooth channel 43 | - | - |
2446 MHz | 1 MHz | 44 | Bluetooth channel 44 | - | - |
2447 MHz | 1 MHz | 45 | Bluetooth channel 45 | - | - |
2448 MHz | 1 MHz | 46 | Bluetooth channel 46 | - | - |
2449 MHz | 1 MHz | 47 | Bluetooth channel 47 | - | - |
2450 MHz | 1 MHz | 48 | Bluetooth channel 48 | - | - |
2451 MHz | 1 MHz | 49 | Bluetooth channel 49 | - | - |
2452 MHz | 1 MHz | 50 | Bluetooth channel 50 | - | - |
2453 MHz | 1 MHz | 51 | Bluetooth channel 51 | - | - |
2454 MHz | 1 MHz | 52 | Bluetooth channel 52 | - | - |
2455 MHz | 1 MHz | 53 | Bluetooth channel 53 | - | - |
2456 MHz | 1 MHz | 54 | Bluetooth channel 54 | - | - |
2457 MHz | 1 MHz | 55 | Bluetooth channel 55 | - | - |
2458 MHz | 1 MHz | 56 | Bluetooth channel 56 | - | - |
2459 MHz | 1 MHz | 57 | Bluetooth channel 57 | - | - |
2460 MHz | 1 MHz | 58 | Bluetooth channel 58 | - | - |
2461 MHz | 1 MHz | 59 | Bluetooth channel 59 | - | - |
2462 MHz | 1 MHz | 60 | Bluetooth channel 60 | - | - |
2463 MHz | 1 MHz | 61 | Bluetooth channel 61 | - | - |
2464 MHz | 1 MHz | 62 | Bluetooth channel 62 | - | - |
2465 MHz | 1 MHz | 63 | Bluetooth channel 63 | - | - |
2466 MHz | 1 MHz | 64 | Bluetooth channel 64 | - | - |
2467 MHz | 1 MHz | 65 | Bluetooth channel 65 | - | - |
2468 MHz | 1 MHz | 66 | Bluetooth channel 66 | - | - |
2469 MHz | 1 MHz | 67 | Bluetooth channel 67 | - | - |
2470 MHz | 1 MHz | 68 | Bluetooth channel 68 | - | - |
2471 MHz | 1 MHz | 69 | Bluetooth channel 69 | - | - |
2472 MHz | 1 MHz | 70 | Bluetooth channel 70 | - | - |
2473 MHz | 1 MHz | 71 | Bluetooth channel 71 | - | - |
2474 MHz | 1 MHz | 72 | Bluetooth channel 72 | - | - |
2475 MHz | 1 MHz | 73 | Bluetooth channel 73 | - | - |
2476 MHz | 1 MHz | 74 | Bluetooth channel 74 | - | - |
2477 MHz | 1 MHz | 75 | Bluetooth channel 75 | - | - |
2478 MHz | 1 MHz | 76 | Bluetooth channel 76 | - | - |
2479 MHz | 1 MHz | 77 | Bluetooth channel 77 | - | - |
2480 MHz | 1 MHz | 78 | Bluetooth channel 78 | - | - |
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Amateur Radio (13 cm Band)
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The band 2300-2450 MHz is allocated on a secondary basis to amateur radio in all three ITU regions. According to the ITU, this band is used for short-range communications and for experimentation.
By virtue of 5.282, in the band 2400-2450 MHz, the amateur-satellite service may operate subject to not causing harmful interference to other services operating in accordance with the Table.
In the United States, only the sub-bands 2300-2310 and 2390-2450 MHz are allocated to the amateur service. The ARRL has adopted the following band plan:
2300.0-2303.0 High-rate data 2303.0-2303.5 Packet 2303.5-2303.8 TTY packet 2303.9-2303.9 Packet, TTY, CW, EME 2303.9-2304.1 CW, EME 2304.1 Calling frequency 2304.1-2304.2 CW, EME, SSB 2304.2-2304.3 SSB, SSTV, FAX, Packet AM, Amtor 2304.30-2304.32 Propagation beacon network 2304.32-2304.40 General propagation beacons 2304.4-2304.5 SSB, SSTV, ACSSB, FAX, Packet AM, Amtor experimental 2304.5-2304.7 Crossband linear translator input 2304.7-2304.9 Crossband linear translator output 2304.9-2305.0 Experimental beacons 2305.0-2305.2 FM simplex (25 kHz spacing) 2305.20 FM simplex calling frequency 2305.2-2306.0 FM simplex (25 kHz spacing) 2306.0-2309.0 FM Repeaters (25 kHz) input 2309.0-2310.0 Control and auxiliary links 2390.0-2396.0 Fast-scan TV 2396.0-2399.0 High-rate data 2399.0-2399.5 Packet 2399.5-2400.0 Control and auxiliary links 2400.0-2403.0 Satellite 2403.0-2408.0 Satellite high-rate data 2408.0-2410.0 Satellite 2410.0-2413.0 FM repeaters (25 kHz) output 2413.0-2418.0 High-rate data 2418.0-2430.0 Fast-scan TV 2430.0-2433.0 Satellite 2433.0-2438.0 Satellite high-rate data 2438.0-2450.0 WB FM, FSTV, FMTV, SS experimental
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Frequency Bands |
Band | Use | Service | Table |
2300 - 2450 MHz | Amateur radio 13 cm band | AM | N |
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ZigBee
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ZigBee is a Wireless Personal Area Network (WPAN) specification based upon the IEEE 802.15.4 standard. Zigbee is often employed for wireless mesh network applications, where numerous devices within a geographic area communicate with the neighbors, which pass the message along to its neighbors, and so forth, to create a distributed network. Smart Power Meters, installed at business and residences, have begun using ZigBee to communicate power usage and billing data.
ZigBee transmitters are unlicensed devices that operate in bands typically used by other unlicensed devices, such as Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and cordless phones.
According to the ZigBee Alliance, "after 10 years and millions of implementations every year, ZigBee standards prove you can rely on the widest variety of smart and easy-to-use products for just about anywhere you work, live or play. Our innovative standards are designed to let product manufacturers help their customers create their own Internet of Things and M2M wireless sensor networks to gain greater control of, and even improve, everyday activities."
ZigBee supports data rates of up to 250 kbps using O-QPSK modulation in the 2.4 GHz band (worldwide); 40 kbps using BPSK in the 915 MHz band (North America and Australia only); and 20 kbps using BPSK in the 868 MHz band (Europe). Unlike Bluetooth, ZigBee does not use frequency hopping.
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Channelized Frequencies |
Frequency | Bandwidth | Channel | Use | Service | Table |
868.3 MHz | 600 kHz | 0 | ZigBee (Europe) | - | - |
906 MHz | 1.2 MHz | 1 | ZigBee (North America & Australia) | - | - |
908 MHz | 1.2 MHz | 2 | ZigBee (North America & Australia) | - | - |
910 MHz | 1.2 MHz | 3 | ZigBee (North America & Australia) | - | - |
912 MHz | 1.2 MHz | 4 | ZigBee (North America & Australia) | - | - |
914 MHz | 1.2 MHz | 5 | ZigBee (North America & Australia) | - | - |
916 MHz | 1.2 MHz | 6 | ZigBee (North America & Australia) | - | - |
918 MHz | 1.2 MHz | 7 | ZigBee (North America & Australia) | - | - |
920 MHz | 1.2 MHz | 8 | ZigBee (North America & Australia) | - | - |
922 MHz | 1.2 MHz | 9 | ZigBee (North America & Australia) | - | - |
924 MHz | 1.2 MHz | 10 | ZigBee (North America & Australia) | - | - |
2405 MHz | 2 MHz | 11 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2410 MHz | 2 MHz | 12 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2415 MHz | 2 MHz | 13 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2420 MHz | 2 MHz | 14 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2425 MHz | 2 MHz | 15 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2430 MHz | 2 MHz | 16 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2435 MHz | 2 MHz | 17 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2440 MHz | 2 MHz | 18 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2445 MHz | 2 MHz | 19 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2450 MHz | 2 MHz | 20 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2455 MHz | 2 MHz | 21 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2460 MHz | 2 MHz | 22 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2465 MHz | 2 MHz | 23 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2470 MHz | 2 MHz | 24 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2475 MHz | 2 MHz | 25 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
2480 MHz | 2 MHz | 26 | ZigBee (worldwide) | - | - |
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LocataNet
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Locata has created a technology called LocataNet that is a complement to GPS for terrestrial positioning. According to the company's Web site: "Locata utilizes a network of small, ground-based transmitters that blanket a chosen area with strong radio-positioning signals. Because it is terrestrially based and provides powerful signals, Locata can work in any internal or external environment."
According to technical documents, Locata is presently utilizing frequencies in the 2.4 GHz ISM band, although the core technology is generally frequency agnostic.
Locata is useful in situations where GPS is of limited availability or intentionally blocked, such as in battlefield situations, mines, and other circumstances.
Locata is presently experimenting with systems at the White Sands Missile Range in New Mexico, the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety's Vehicle Research Center near Washington, DC, and the Boddington Gold Mine in Western Australia, among other locations.
Transmit power for LocataNet is less than or equal to 1 W, according to the Interface Control Document.
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Frequencies |
Frequency | Bandwidth | Use | Service | Table |
2414.28 MHz | 20.46 MHz | LocataNet S1 frequency | - | - |
2465.43 MHz | 20.46 MHz | LocataNet S6 frequency | - | - |
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