I have a SQL Server 2008 database and a `nvarchar(256)` field of a table. The crazy problem is that when I run this query:

```
update ruds_values_short_text 
set value = '≤ asjdklasd' 
where rud_id=12202 and field_code='detection_limit'

```

and then

```
select * from ruds_values_short_text  
where rud_id=12202 and field_code='detection_limit'

```

I get this result:

```
12202 detection_limit = asjdklasd 11

```

You can see that the character ≤ has been transformed in =

It's an encoding related problem, for sure, in fact, if I try to paste '≤' in Notepad++ it pastes '=' but I get '≤' when I convert ANSI to UTF-8.

So.. I think I should write the query in UTF8.. but how? Thanks.