RF407
RF407
Orderable900 MHz Spread-Spectrum Radio
Overview
The RF407 is a high-speed 900 MHz serial radio designed for unlicensed operation in several countries, including the United States and Canada. The RF407 is a 902 to 928 MHz frequency-hopping spread-spectrum radio with a configurable transmit-power output of 5 to 250 mW and software-selectable channel masking for improved RF interference immunity. This power-sipping, yet speedy, radio provides a cost-effective way to network data loggers.
The RF407 is part of the RF407 series of radios that includes:
- RF407: North America (FCC & IC), 902 to 928 MHz
- RF412: Australia (ACMA RCM), 915 to 928 MHz
- RF422: Most of Europe and some of Asia (ETSI), 863 to 870 MHz
- RF427: Brazil (ANATEL), 905/920 MHz
Note to RF401A users: The RF401A is factory upgradeable to an RF407. Contact Campbell Scientific for a Return Material Authorization (RMA).
Benefits
- Does not require individual operational license in the United States or Canada
- High-speed serial communication, optimized for PakBus networks
- Low power (< 2 mA idle) during periods of inactivity
- Supports point-to-point with RF retries and point-to-multipoint operations
- Remote diagnostics using PakBus node operations
Specifications
- Radio Type
- Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS)
- Frequency
- 902 to 928 MHz
- Country Used In
- US, Canada
- Transmission Distance
- -Note- Transmission distance assumes line-of-sight and appropriate antenna. Line-of-sight obstructions, RF interference, and antenna type will affect transmission distance.Up to 1.61 km (1 mi) with omnidirectional antenna; up to 16.09 km (10) mi with higher-gain directional antennas at ideal conditions
- Power Output
- 5 to 250 mW
(software-selectable)
- Receiver Sensitivity
- -101 dBm
- Channel Capacity
- Eight 25-channel hop sequences sharing 64 available channels
- Data Rate
- 200 kbps
- Link Throughput
- 105 kbps
(maximum)
- Antenna Connector
- Reverse Polarity SMA (RPSMA) jack
- LEDs
- Red TX/PWR and green RX
- RS-232 Baud Rate
- 1200 to 115200 bps
- CS I/O Modes
- SDC 7, 8, 10, 11, and ME master
- Operating Temperature Range
- -40° to +70°C
- Power
- 9 to 16 Vdc
- Power Connector
- 2.5 mm DC power jack
- Powered Over
- CS I/O or barrel plug
- Average Current Drain
- Transmit: < 80 mA
(250 mW TX Power)
Receive: 15 mAStand-by: < 0.5 mA(depending on power-saving mode)
- Communication Ports
- RS-232 9-pin D femaleCS I/O 9-pin D maleUSB Type B jack
- Maximum Nodes in Network
- 50
- Service Requirements
- Shares frequency with other devices.
Must not cause harmful interference to licensed radios. Requires line-of-sight.
- Dimensions
- 11.1 x 6.9 x 2.7 cm
(4.4 x 2.7 x 1.1 in.)
Dimension are from the tip of the antenna connector to the other side of the case, and from the bottom of the case to the top of the DB9 connector jack screw. The width includes the thickness of the screw heads on the screws that hold the case together. - Weight
- 136 g
(4.8 oz) without "Ships With" items
283.5 g(10 oz) with "Ships With" items
Certifications
- United States (FCC Part 15.247)
- MCQ-XB900HP
- Industry Canada (IC)
- 1846A-XB900HP
- Mexico IFT
- RCPDIXB15-0672-A1
Accessories
(8)14204
900 MHz 0 dBd 1/2 Wave Omnidirectional Antenna with RPSMA Connector
Orderable14221
900 MHz 3 dBd Omnidirectional Antenna with Mounting Hardware
Orderable14201
900 MHz 9 dBd Yagi Antenna with Mounting Hardware
Orderable14291
Field Power Cable, 12 Vdc Plug to Pigtail
Orderable15966
Wall Charger with Barrel Plug
Orderable15730
900 MHz 0 dBd 1/4 Wave Omnidirectional Antenna with RPSMA Connector
Limited availability15731
900 MHz 0 dBd 1/4 Wave Omnidirectional Antenna with RPSMA Connector
Limited availability18663
Null Modem Cable, 9-Pin PIn (Male) to 9-Pin Pin (Male)
Orderable
Common Accessories
(14)15966
Wall Charger with Barrel Plug
One charger or field cable is needed per base unit or when the radio is used on a datalogger's RS-232 port. The 15966 charger is typically used at the PC where ac power is available.
Note: The 15966 is not needed at field sites when connecting to the CS I/O port.Orderable14291
Field Power Cable, 12 Vdc Plug to Pigtail
One charger or field cable is needed per base unit or when the radio is used on a datalogger's RS-232 port. The 14291 power cable terminates in a barrel plug on one end and two pigtails on the other end.
Note: The 14291 is not needed at field sites when connecting to the CS I/O port.Orderable14201
900 MHz 9 dBd Yagi Antenna with Mounting Hardware
The 14201 is a high-gain (9 dBd), directional (Yagi) antenna. It is useful for making RF links over longer distances in one direction. This antenna is typically used with sub-315 mW radios. The 14201 requires an antenna cable to connect it to the spread-spectrum transceiver.
Orderable14221
900 MHz 3 dBd Omnidirectional Antenna with Mounting Hardware
The 14221 is a 3 dBd omnidirectional antenna for use with many of our spread-spectrum products. The 14221 is suitable for base station use where you need to communicate with multiple stations located in different directions. It is also preferred in mobile applications and in other applications in which the best radio path is not constant, including close-up applications without clear line-of-sight.
Orderable14204
900 MHz 0 dBd 1/2 Wave Omnidirectional Antenna with RPSMA Connector
The 14204 is a 0 dBd gain 1/2 wave antenna with an RPSMA (reverse polarity SMA) connector and articulating base. It is designed for use with radios operating at 900 to 930 MHz. This small, low-cost antenna is typically used in applications where space is constrained and antenna gain is not required to maintain a strong RF link.
Orderable15731
900 MHz 0 dBd 1/4 Wave Omnidirectional Antenna with RPSMA Connector
The 15731 is a 0 dBd gain 1/4 wave helical antenna with an RPSMA connector designed for use with radios operating at 900 to 935 MHz. The 15731 is typically used with one of our 900 MHz radio products with an RPSMA antenna jack. This small, low-cost antenna is typically used in applications where space is constrained and antenna gain is not required to maintain a strong RF link.
Limited availability15730
900 MHz 0 dBd 1/4 Wave Omnidirectional Antenna with RPSMA Connector
The 15730 is a 900 MHz, unity gain (0 dBd), 1/4 wave whip, right-angle antenna. The 15730 is an omnidirectional antenna that attaches directly to the product (no cables). It should be used inside an enclosure or building.
Limited availability15970
900 MHz 1 dBd Omnidirectional Dipole Antenna with Adhesive Mount
The 15970 is a 1 dBd, omnidirectional antenna. Its adhesive backing adheres to a wall, rear-view mirror, window, or another suitable flat, non-conductive surface. This antenna should reside inside a building or enclosure.
OrderableCOAXRPSMA
LMR195 Antenna Cable with Reverse Polarity SMA and Type N Pin (Male) Connector
The COAXRPSMA is an LMR195 coaxial cable fitted with a Type N pin (male) connector on one end and a Reverse Polarity SMA (RPSMA) pin (male) connector on the other end. This cable is commonly used to connect an antenna with Type N connector to a spread-spectrum radio with an RPSMA connector.
OrderableCOAXNTN
RG8 Antenna Cable with 2 Type N Pin (Male) Connectors
The COAXNTN consists of an RG8/U, low-loss coaxial cable fitted with a Type N Male connector on each end. It can support any 50 ohm transmission line application.
Orderable31314
Surge Protection Kit, Type N to RPSMA, 700 to 2700 MHz
The 31314 is an RF surge protection kit with flange mounting bracket that is used with the COAXNTN-L. It may be flange-mounted to an enclosure backplate or bulkhead-mounted through an enclosure wall. One side of the surge protector connects to a radio with an RPSMA antenna connection. The other side connects to an antenna/antenna coaxial cable with Type N connector.
Orderable21212
Black Cold Shrink Tape
The 21212 is a 10-ft roll of black self-vulcanizing tape. This cold shrink tape can help protect non-whip antenna connections in RF, cellular, or satellite networks.
Orderable18663
Null Modem Cable, 9-Pin PIn (Male) to 9-Pin Pin (Male)
This 1 ft, null modem cable has 9-pin connectors on both ends for connecting the datalogger's RS-232 port to a peripheral's RS-232 port. An interface such as the SC105 or SC932A is typically not required.
Orderable10873
Serial Data Cable, 9-Pin Socket (Female) to 9-Pin Pin (Male)
The 10873 is a serial cable that is useful for connecting the RS-232 port of the datalogger to the 9-pin RS-232 port of a computer. It is used with DTE devices, such as a PC or NL201.
Orderable
Replacement Parts
(5)193
Spacer Jack for Screw #4-40
This spacer is needed if screws are used to secure the cable to the device.
OrderableSC12
Robust CS I/O Cable, 2 ft
The SC12 is our standard cable for connecting the data logger's 9-pin serial I/O port to most peripherals with a 9-pin port. It is supplied with many of our standard communications peripherals. Its 9-pin pin (male) connector attaches to the data logger's CS I/O port, and the two 9-pin socket (female) connectors can attach to peripherals or interfaces.
Orderable17648
USB Cable, Type A Pin (Male) to Type B Pin (Male), 6 ft
The 17648 is a USB cable for attaching our products to a USB port on a PC. It has a type A pin (male) connector for connecting to the PC's USB port and a type B connector for connecting to the Campbell Scientific device.
Orderable505
Screw #6-32 x .375 Pan Phillips
These screws, along with the 6044 grommets, are commonly used together to secure our equipment to the backplates of our enclosures.
Orderable6044
Grommet for #6 or #8 Screw
These grommets are commonly used with the 505 screws to secure our equipment to the backplates of our enclosures.
Orderable
Services
(2)21107
900 MHz Radio Test Kit Rental for 5 Business Days
The 21107 kit includes both the RF407 (0.25 W) and the RF451 (1 W) 900 MHz spread-spectrum radios, allowing the testing of both options to determine the best radio for a site. The kit also includes a combination of antennas and mounting equipment to provide the tools needed to test and design a reliable radio network. The 21107 kit is simple to operate, and no radio experience is required to perform a radio test.
Orderable
The one-week rental of the 21107 kit includes shipping costs to and from the user's location. To schedule delivery of the kit, download and submit the Radio Test Kit Usage Agreement form.21109
5 Additional Days of Usage of Radio Test Kit
For the 21107 900 MHz Spread-Spectrum Demo Kit, the rental time period starts when Campbell Scientific ships the kit and ends when Campbell Scientific receives the kit. Each week, or a portion thereof, past the original two-week rental will be charged at the amount listed under the Ordering Info.
Orderable
Compatibility
Communications
The RF407 is over-the-air compatible with other RF407-based products. The RF407 can only communicate wirelessly with other RF407 radios and other Campbell Scientific products that have the "-RF407" option.
The RF407 is not over-the-air compatible with the RF401A. However, the RF401A is factory upgradeable to an RF407. Contact Campbell Scientific for a Return Material Authorization (RMA).
Data Logger Considerations
| Data Logger | RS-232 | CS I/O |
| CR200(X) |  |
|
| CR800/CR850 | |
|
| CR1000 | |
|
| CR3000 | |
|
| CR5000 | |
|
| CR9000(X) | |
|
| CR300 | * |
|
| CR6 | |
|
| CR510-PB | |
|
| CR10X-PB | |
|
| CR23X-PB | |
|
| Mixed-array data loggers | ** |
Notes:
*Use a 18663 null modem cable.
**It is possible to connect a mixed-array data logger (e.g., CR10, CR10X, CR23X, 21X, CR7) by using an SC932A or SC105 between the data logger's CS I/O port and the RF407's RS-232 port.
Related Resources
Documents
- Brochure
RF407 and RF412 900 MHz Spread Spectrum Radios
August 2017
View Document - Technical Paper
The Link Budget and Fade Margin
September 2016
View Document - Technical Paper
Line of Sight Obstruction
October 2016
View Document - Brochure
RF407 900 MHz Spread-Spectrum Radio
March 2026
View Document
Showing 4 of 9 results
See all DocumentsDownloads
- RF407 OSv03Login required
December 9, 2025
OS and FirmwareCurrent operating system for the RF407 Series of radios including the RF407, RF412, and RF422. Requires the Device Configuration Utility software to load.
- RF407, RF412, and RF427 Frequency Mask Calculator Spreadsheetv1.0Login required
April 9, 2025
Software ApplicationsThe Frequency Mask Calculator lets you disable specific frequencies by setting their value to 0 in the MASK column. The resulting RF4XX frequency mask is then entered into your RF4XX settings, as directed in the calculator.
