The invention is an apparatus and method for using electromagnetic energy as the means of automatic data collection (ADC). The communication system that comprises the invention utilizes frequency modulated (“FM”) sideband electromagnetic energy to enable full duplex communication with another communication device. In one embodiment one of the communication devices is passive and the carrier is used to power the passive device. In another embodiment the communication devices are active and the carrier is suppressed to increase range or decrease power constraints, as the application requires.