XBee ZB RF Data Rate vs. XBee ZB Data Throughput

Hi everyone! I have had my first XBee modules (2 XBee ZB) since last week. I’ve been reading a lot to try to understand all the aspects need it too put them to work under the requirements of a project that I have. I haven’t found a clear response to a particular question and I hope you could help me.

1.- What’s the difference between RF Data Transfer and Data Throughput.

I also have a more specific question that could bring light to what I really want to know.

2.- Supposing I am working the modules in API mode. One of them is connected to a computer (Coordinator) and the other is connected to a micro-controller (Router/End Device). I am sampling with the micro-controller at certain speed and sending it via UART to the XBee Router/End Device. The specific frame type that I am using to send the data sampled is Transmit Request (Frame Type 0x10). If you look in the manual you’ll find that to send 2 bytes of data (10-bit samples), it is needed 17 bytes more of information: Start Delimiter (1 byte), Length (2 Bytes), …, Checksum (1 Byte). That’s information of interest to the programmer, but primarily to the XBee modules. The question is: Does Data Throughput (which is 35000 bps in XBee ZB modules) has to do with the amount of user data (10-bit samples in my example) that can be send, or the amount of user and machine data (the whole API packet) that can be send in practice?

The RF data rate is a fixed data rate in which the radios talk to each other. Where as the throughput is the effective data rate after all over head is accounted for that I can stream data in from one COM port and out the other.