RF Wireless Technology

A radio frequency (RF) signal refers to a wireless electromagnetic signal used as a form of communication, if one is discussing wireless electronics. Radio waves are a form of electromagnetic radiation with identified radio frequencies that range from 3Hz to 300 GHz. Frequency refers to the rate of oscillation (of the radio waves.) RF propagation occurs at the speed of light and does not need a medium like air in order to travel. RF waves occur naturally from sun flares, lightning, and from stars in space that radiate RF waves as they age. Humankind communicates with artificially created radio waves that oscillate at various chosen frequencies. RF communication is used in many industries including television broadcasting, radar systems, computer and mobile platform networks, remote control, remote metering/monitoring, and many more.

While individual radio components such as mixers, filters, and power amplifiers can be classified according to operating frequency range, they cannot be strictly categorized by wireless standard (e.g. Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, etc.) because these devices only provide physical layer (PHY) support. In contrast, RF modules, transceivers, and SoCs often include data link layer support for one or more wireless communication protocols.