27 MHz vs 49 MHz – Which is Better?

In this article we look at the frequency of R/C cars and explain which is better. As a quick summary of the article – we found through our research that in most situations, 27 MHz is better than 49 MHz.

Let’s get into the details.

What does 27 MHz mean on an RC Car?

27 MHz is the frequency at which the remote control communicates with the toy car. It is in the High Frequency (HF) communication band.

Which is faster – 49 MHz or 27 MHz?

The frequency of the remote control communication does not have any impact on the speed of the car. As a result both 27 MHz and 49 MHz RC cars operate at the same speed.

Is 49 MHz better than 27 MHz?

Here is a list of Radio Control car frequencies:

• 49.830 MHz
• 49.845 MHz
• 49.860 MHz
• 49.875 MHz
• 49.890 MHz
• 26.995 MHz
• 27.045 MHz
• 27.095 MHz
• 27.145 MHz
• 27.195 MHz
• 27.255 MHz

Note that there are 5 channels at 49 MHz compared with 6 channels at 27 MHz.

With a larger number of channels, there are more opportunities at 27 MHz to avoid RF interference from other RC cars. This makes 27 MHz better than the 49 MHz band.

The only exception to this is when a CB radio is nearby. It can interfere with the 27 MHz band. When this happens either the range of the RC control is reduced or it works intermittently.

What is the control range of an RC car?

The range is 20-50 meters or 65-150 feet.

Can 2 remote control cars use the same frequency?

Some RC cars are set to the same frequency value. This is an easier and less expensive job for the manufacturer. However if you (the user) try to operate these cars in the same area, they will interfere with each other and not work. In general we do not recommend using the same frequency for 2 RC cars.

RC controllers are not designed with any intelligence in them. They can’t tell when there’s another one nearby and to switch to a different frequency.

Does CB Radio Interfere with R/C car?

While CB radio operates in the 27 MHz band, the center frequency of operation is different from that of RC cars. It therefore does not interfere directly with R/C car operation. You can see this in the frequency table below.

R/C Frequency (MHz)	CB Frequency (MHz)
	26.965
	26.975
	26.985
26.995
	27.005
	27.015
	27.025
	27.035
27.045
	27.055
	27.065
	27.075
	27.085
27.095
	27.105
	27.115
	27.125
	27.135
27.145
	27.155
	27.165
	27.175
	27.185
27.195
	27.205
	27.215
	27.225
	27.255
	27.235
	27.245
27.255
	27.265
	27.275
	27.285
	27.295
	27.305
	27.315
	27.325
	27.335
	27.345
	27.355
	27.365
	27.375
	27.385
	27.395
	27.405

However if the receiver is not well designed then there is a chance that adjacent channels from CB radio (which is a much stronger signal) can interfere with RC cars.

How to change the frequency on an RC car?

Cheaper RC cars operate on the same frequency and have no options to change. In this case if two people in one room are trying to control two different cars from the same manufacturer in one room they will interfere with each other and not be able to communicate.

The frequency of operation is determined by an oscillator. In some instances this frequency can be changed as the oscillator frequency can be varied electronically. In other cases it is a crystal oscillator and fixed in frequency. In such cases, it cannot be changed through programming. Instead it has to be switched out with another crystal oscillator at a different frequency.

RC Car Frequency Jammers

A jammer is a device that will prevent your RC controller from talking or communicating with the car. In general it is very easy to buy a jammer and all you have to do it turn it on. The jammer will send out a strong signal that will overpower the signal from the RC controller. This will prevent the car from being able to understand the commands sent by the controller.

What is the future of RC Cars?

These days, more and more RC cars are built with 2.4 GHz radio technology for communication. This frequency range and associated modules brings more functionality and features to the world of RC cars.

Summary

In this post we have discussed the pros and cons of the two frequencies 27 MHz and 49 MHz for RC cars. Based on our research and analysis, 27 MHz is the better frequency.