What is AM, RF in EAS and what are the differences?

Gateways generally work on two technologies: 1. Radio Frequency (RF) RF Antennas work on 8.2 MHz and can cover limited distance - up to 2 meters. Benefits: * Low power consumption. RF Antennas require a little power necessary to secure not-electronic items. * Low cost solution. As compared to AM Gateways, the price for RF is lower. * Can detect magnets Drawbacks: * Inability to work with electronics The main drawback of RF technology is malign intereference with electronic waves, which makes the whole system ineffective in securing electronic merchendise. * Advanced Installation. Generally, it requires a qualified and experienced expert to install RF gateway. 2. Acousto-Magnetic (AM) AM Antennas work on 58 kHz frequency and can support the distance up to 3 meters. Benefits: * Tolerant for electronics items. While RF technology is inapplicable to securing electronics, AM is a great solution for stores, selling electronic goods. * Wide aisle allowed. AM technology allows retailer to install antennas at the large distance between them - uo to 3 meters * Wall-mounting. Some AM gateways can be wall-mounted, such as: AM Loop Drawbacks: * Inability to detect magnets. AM technology is pretty weak at detecting magnets. For that reason, option with Magnet Detector is also available. * High use of resources. AM gateways use 20-30x more power than RF gateways. Moreover, soft labels for AM gateways are considerably more expensive than those for RF gateways. * Intermediate installation. Despite being easier than RF gateways installation, AM still requires experts to install and adjust antennas.