RF vs Baseband | difference between RF and Baseband
This page compares RF vs Baseband and mentions difference between RF and Baseband. The applications of RF(Radio Frequency) and Baseband are also mentioned.
RF | Radio Frequency
Following points describe RF or Radio Frequency:
• Definition: The frequencies higher in the range usually from 3KHz to 300 GHz is known as
radio frequencies. This is shown in the figure-1.
• There are different bands defined under RF range viz. from ELF (Extremely Low Frequency)
to EHF (Extremely High Frequency).
• Modulation is applied to RF signals before transmission.
• BPF (Band Pass Filtering) is used to extract desired RF signal and later they are
downconverted to baseband signal to retrieve information.
• RF to Baseband conversion is done using heterodyne or homodyne architecture
based on RF mixers.
• The various types of transmission lines and coaxial lines are used as RF channels for
transmission of RF signals.
• Applications:
• Used for transmission of information (voice/data) over the air after conversion to
RF frequencies as per requirement of different wireless technologies viz. WLAN, WiMAX, GSM, CDMA, LTE, Zigbee, Z-wave, LoRa etc.
Different wireless technologies use different frequency bands as per link budget requirements.
• RF is used in numerous medical applications viz. RF ablation, Skin tightening, spectroscopy, telemetry, Wireless Body Area Network etc.
• RF is used for home automation, automatic car parking, meter reading etc.
• Radio frequencies are used for over the air transmission as it withstand against channel which is
not possible with baseband signals.
Refer more on What is RF>>.
Baseband Frequency | Near Zero Frequency
Following points describe Baseband Frequency:
• Definition: The signal which has non-zero magnitude near to zero frequencies and will have
negligible magnitude at other frequencies is known as baseband frequency. This is shown in the figure-1.
• The bandwidth of baseband signal is equal to highest frequency component present in the
signal.
• It is also named as physical layer as it exists at OSI layer-1.
• Modulation is not applied to baseband signals before transmission.
• LPF (Low Pass Filtering) is used to retrieve baseband information as they are
present in the vicinity of zero frequency.
• Baseband to RF conversion is done using heterodyne or homodyne based
architecture based on RF mixers.
• Serial cable and twisted pair cables used in LANs are examples of baseband channels used for
transmission of baseband signals.
• Baseband signals are not suitable for over the air transmission and are mainly
used for wired transmission.
• Applications:
• Ethernet physical layer standards 10Base5, 100Base-Tx etc.
• Baseband signal processing in DSP or FPGA, which will contain
physical layer of any wired or wireless standards.
• Usually the output of ADC (Analog to Digital Converter) will have information
at baseband frequencies.
The figure depicts interfacing between RF and PHY layers through ADC/DAC.
➨Refer difference between RF versus PHY >> and
interfacing between RF, PHY and MAC layers >> for more information.
RF and Baseband Related Links
Following are useful links on RF and Baseband:
Difference between RF and IF
RF converter design
ADC types
Modulator vs Demodulator
PHY vs MAC
Medical RF Applications Related Links
RF Skin Tightening
Medical Telemetry
RF Ablation technique
RF spectroscopy
Wireless Body Area Network
What is Difference between
difference between FDM and OFDM
Difference between SC-FDMA and OFDM
Difference between SISO and MIMO
Difference between TDD and FDD
Difference between 802.11 standards viz.11-a,11-b,11-g and 11-n
FDM vs TDM
RF heterodyne versus homodyne receiver
SCPC Vs. MCPC
Diplexer versus Duplexer
Sensitivity Vs. selectivity
RF RELATED LINKS
stripline basics and types Microstrip line variants Slotline basics and types Finline basics CPW(Coplanar Waveguide) basics C band RF Transceiver basics RF filter design RF vector Signal generation/analysis Microstrip line basics