Tag: LoRa

6.2 dBi 868 MHz Omni Outdoor Fibreglass antenna

Written by EAD Admin on 18th March 2022. Posted in 169 / 433 / 868 / 915 Antennas.

The 6.2 dBi 868 MHz Omni outdoor omni-directional antenna from EAD is centre-tuned and optimised at 868 MHz. Ideal for Helium applications, this antenna is terminated in a N-Female connector allowing it to be connected to a Helium hotspot via custom RP-SMA Plug (Male) cable. For other LoRA, SigFox and LP-WAN applications, the OMNI-868-62 offers consistent and durable mechanical and electrical performance.

Measuring 77cm in overall length (excluding the bracket), the OMNI-868-62-NF is a quality antenna manufactured for permanent outdoor installation. With a fibreglass tube and a robust mounting bracket (including U-bolts for 35-42mm mast diameter) allowing both pole and wall mounting, this antenna is designed for long-term outdoor deployment without degradation.

Check out our DMO8684 for a 4.3 dBi optimsed 868 MHz Omni Antenna.

Specifications:

Centre Frequency: 868 MHz
VSWR: <1.5:1
Polarization: Linear – Vertical
Gain: 6.2 dBi
Impedance: 50 Ohm
Radiation (H-plane): 360 degrees omni-directional
Radiation (e-plane Beamwidth @ -3dB: 22 degrees
Length: 77cm
Connector: N-Female
Mounting: Pole / Wall Mount (supplied with U-bolts) – Mast diameter 35-42mm

YS8066 800/868 MHz robust directional yagi antenna

Written by EAD Admin on 23rd August 2021. Posted in VHF/UHF Antennas.

The YS8066 800/868 MHz robust directional yagi antenna from Laird is one of family of antennas in the Silver Series range. Offering 9 dBd gain at 868 MHz, the YS8066 yagi is designed for long-lasting performance.

Ideal for 868 MHz applications including LoRa, NB-IoT, Sigfox and other unlicenced frequency deployments, the YS8066 is particularly suited where a high gain, robust and durable antenna is required. Supplied with a pole mount kit for rapid mast deployment, the YS8066 800/868 MHz robust is terminated in N-Female connector ready to connect to custom low loss cables for the application. Check out our RF195, RF240 and RF400 low loss cable options.

Supplied fully assembled and ready to install, each YS8066 yagi antenna is fully tuned on a network analyser for best power match and VSWR before leaving the factory.

LoRa Sigfox outdoor omnis address terminal mount applications

Written by EAD Admin on 8th July 2020. Posted in News.

LoRa Sigfox outdoor omnis from EAD are ideal for terminal and enclosure mounting. They are based on our WCO (Waterproof Compact Omni) antenna platform. Using either N-Female through-hole mount or N-Male connectors, they are robust and durable and offer consistent RF performance.

The antenna element is housed in a UV-resistant, black Luran Sheath. The sheath measures approximately 116mm in overall length and is screwed and bonded onto the barrel of the connector for durability.

For 868 MHz LoRa and SigFox applications, check out the WCO-868.

For 915 MHz Lora and SigFox applications, check out the WCO-915.

Our LoRa Sigfox outdoor omnis can offer flexible mounting options with other connectors such as TNC-Male available on request or alternatively the antennas with N-Female connector can be supplied with a L-bracket for wall-mounting and complemented with a RF195 or RF240 low loss cable.

Our WMO86916 antenna is a high gain (5.8 dBi) wall-mount antenna that can be used to extend the range of 868 MHz and 915 MHz deployments. For customers in Europe wanting low quantities, this can be purchased via the Connex Webshop.

The WCO range can also be supplied at other frequencies including 169, 433, 450 MHz and 2.4 GHz. For more information and a customised quotation, please feel free to contact us.

LoRa LPWAN IoT Antennas four hot products

Written by EAD Admin on 18th February 2020. Posted in News.

LoRa LPWAN IoT Antennas are a hot topic right now and building out a reliable network based on 868 MHz or 915 MHz requires the deployment of quality antennas and accessories. Here we look at four robust antenna types to facilitate consistent and dependable installation.

High gain outdoor omni-directional antenna

On the edges of the network where signal strength cannot always be depended on, a quality outdoor antenna is often a go to solution. Common requirements for such antennna are be robust with the antenna and bracket built from quality components, offer high gain (5 dBi+) to provide a stable signal, be compact enough to be discreet and offer flexible mounting options. Combining these factors will deliver consistent performance whatever the climate conditions. A fine example of such an antenna is the WMO86916.

Wall-mount omni-directional antenna

Some external LoRA LPWAN IoT antennas are required because the antenna cannot, for one reason or another, be mounted directly onto the radio. For reasons of signal coverage, location of radio/terminal below ground or in a shielded area, willful damage or simply practicality, wall-mounted omni-directional antennas are often used. For most applications they need to be compact, discreet and cost-effective while offering robust RF performance. They also need to be easy to install in order to keep installation costs/time to minimum. Two excellent choices of such antennas are the Wall-Blade and the WCO-868-WMB. Both are very compact, easy to install and offer accomplished RF performance.

Low profile permanent mount puck antenna

Antennas are often required to mount directly onto a terminal or enclosure. Mostly permanently mounted by a threaded boss through which the cable is fed, they offer a secure and effective way to facilitate 868 MHz and 915 MHz communications. Such antennas need to be very compact with a durable radome, be of a material to withstand inclement weather, possess a durable mounting stud and offer reliable RF performance. Many of the small pucks, smaller means that they less likely to draw attention to themselves, are groundplane dependent i.e. they have to be mounted onto a metal surface. One such antenna is the Button 868 915 MHz antenna. This antenna is compact as it gets without compromising on RF performance.

Terminal/Radio-mounted dipole antenna

In cases where the antenna does not need to be mounted away from the radio or terminal, a dipole antenna can offer reliable RF performance when directly connected via a coaxial connector. This type of antenna is not the smallest, you can find small 1/4 wave antennas that are much more discreet, but they typically offer robust RF capabilities. Especially where no groundplane is available, for example if the terminal has a non-metal enclosure, the dipole style antenna can offer RF advantages over rival terminal antennas. In addition, do verify the build quality of such antenna so that you can be assured that it is built to last as inferior antennas can be very easily damaged thereby demanding costly engineer revisits. A good example of a quality dipole antenna is the BKR915 and the BKR868.

Aside from the antennas, it is wise to make sure that if you are running coaxial extension cables you use quality cables to minimise cable losses. At 868 MHz and 915 MHz for cable runs up to 10M, you could typically use RF195 type cable. From 10-20M it would be worth considering RF240. And for longer RF400 cable installations. Using inferior coaxial cable will negate the benefits of use quality antennas as signal losses across the inferior cables will be experienced.

Some of the antennas mentioned can be purchased via the Connex webshop.

High Gain 915 MHz LoRa LPWAN antenna ideal for outdoor installs

Written by EAD Admin on 18th February 2020. Posted in News.

A new High Gain 915 MHz outdoor wall-mount omni-directional ideal for LoRA and LPWAN applications has been released by EAD. Offering 5.8 dBi gain at 915 MHz, the WMO86916 is a compact and robust solution. It is supplied with an effective, reversible L-bracket allowing both wall-mount and pole mount capability.

The WMO86916 antenna is supplied with a white low loss 5M cable as standard terminated in a SMA-Male connector. Other connectors such as RP-SMA and RP-TNC are available. The cable length can also be customised from 0.5M to 5M in overall length.

Designed with fringe sites in mind, this high gain 915 MHz antenna is an excellent for ensuring signal continuity. The antenna tube is made out of fibreglass for longevity and with an overall length of just 840mm, the WMO86916 is compact enough to be discreet in many installations. Applications include remote monitoring applications, ultilities, RF mesh networks and unlicensed RF frequency band deployments.

Alternative omni-antennas for 915 MHz are available including the compact Wall-Blade antenna and the WCO-915-WMB antenna.

The WMO86916 also supports 868 MHz with a gain figure of 5.8 dBi.

For more information on these antennas, please contact your local EAD representative or contact us directly.

868 915 MHz Antennas offer new options for connectivity

Written by EAD Admin on 15th January 2020. Posted in News.

Two new 868 915 MHz antennas from EAD offer more choices for connectivity in 868 MHz and 915 MHz applications. Addressing deployments such as LoRa, Sigfox and other unlicensed frequency band systems, the Button 868/915 and the Wall-Blade offer designers and installers more flexibility when rolling out wireless systems.

The Button 868/915 antenna is a compact low profile puck antenna designed to be mounted onto a groundplane (i.e. metal surface) such as a cabinet, enclosure, kiosk or roof. Permanently mounted via a threaded stud underneath, the antenna is fed by a single cable and supports both 868 MHz and 915 MHz frequencies. It measures just 62.7mm in diameter and 27.5mm in height and offers a robust, discreet solution for modems, gateways and access devices where an antenna needs to be mounted externally.

The Wall-Blade antenna is an effective wall-mounted blade antenna for 868 and 915 MHz with small dimensions to enable unobtrusive installation either indoors or outdoors as required. It is supplied with bracket and fixtures for mounting and is fed by a 3M cable and SMA-Male as standard. The Wall-Blade offers reliable and consistent performance in both bands and is an innovative alternative to standard tube-style omni-directional antennas.

For more information on these antennas and other solutions we offer for 868 MHz and 915 MHz, please visit our product catalogues.

For European customers some EAD 868 and 915 MHz antennas can be purchased via the Connex webshop.

Button 868 915 MHz Low Profile Puck Antenna

Written by EAD Admin on 13th January 2020. Posted in 169 / 433 / 868 / 915 Antennas.

The Button 868 915 MHz compact low profile antenna is a discreet screw-mounted puck antenna. Supporting 868 MHz and 915 MHz frequencies, this robust antenna is mounted via a 14mm mounting hole for permanent mounting. Measuring just 62.5mm in diameter and 27.5mm in height, the Button 868 915 MHz compact antenna is one of the smallest low profile ISM band antennas on the market. The Button 868 915 Mhz antenna when mounted securely onto a flat metal surface is waterproof rated to IP67.

This antenna is ideal for LoRA and licence-free applications such as wireless security, vending and retail kiosks as well as access applications where a small permanently mounted antenna is required.

Various cable and connector options can be configured. Typical connectors include SMA, FME, CRC9, TS9, MCX and MMCX.

Check out the Button LTE antenna for frequencies from 700-2700 MHz.

ISM band terminal antennas overview

Written by EAD Admin on 8th October 2018. Posted in News.

When selecting ISM-band and LoRa terminal antennas, there are many options for your application. Download our ISM band terminal antennas overview here:

ISM Antennas

If you are mounting antennas directly onto a terminal or enclosure using 169 MHz, 433 MHz, 868 MHz or 915 MHz, then the flyer has some suggestions for antenna choices. Our portfolio is not limited to these antennas and we have a full range for terminal antennas through to high gain omni antennas like the DMO8684 or the WMO8685.

The 169 MHz antennas are used for the European licence-free metering band at 169 MHz and we can offer terminal or wall-mount antennas at this frequency.

868 MHz LoRa antennas – a selection guide

Written by EAD Admin on 20th September 2018. Posted in News.

868 MHz LoRa antennas are becoming a hot topic in our markets. Using the licence-free ISM frequency bands, LoRa is a long range, but low power wireless technology that is increasingly being used for IoT technology. By wirelessly enabling devices and terminals to operate using LoRa technology, applications can be developed for control and monitoring without the need to use mobile cellular networks such as GSM, 3G or LTE. All of the LoRA enabled nodes will need an antenna of some description and here we look at some options to help enable your 868 MHz IoT environment.

There are many choices of 868 MHz LoRa antennas, but we’ll focus on internal, terminal mount and outdoor omni antennas to cover requirements for remote devices and hub/concentrator applications.

In areas of low signal or for concentrator applications where a higher gain antenna is required, an outdoor omni antenna is often a good choice. Especially if you can select an antenna with good gain figures, the nature of an omni-directional antenna in radiating in a 360 degree pattern allows communication with other devices and hubs in every direction. These outdoor antennas can be wall or pole mounted and can be supplied with various levels of gain depending on the antenna size – see the DMO8684 for a 4.3 dBi gain in a compact package or the WMO86916 for a 5.8 dBi gain version which is a bit larger.

For external mount antennas where the following terminal antennas cannot be deployed, sometime a compact wall-mount antenna offers a useful alternative. Perhaps the radio is housed in a metal enclosure or a cabinet and a terminal antenna will not fit directly onto it. An antenna like the Wall-Blade which has a small footprint might well solve the problem.

For terminal mount antennas i.e. antennas that mount directly onto the device or terminal, typically you can go with a small stub antenna like the WS868 and the MW868 or a dipole style antenna similar to the BKR868 or HWD868. The stub antennas are smaller, however usually offer lower performance than the longer whip or dipole antennas. The selection of the terminal antenna depends on the environment in terms of space available and the desired performance. Captive mount terminal antennas are also possible where the antenna is locked in placed with a nut so it cannot be removed and the antenna is connected via an integrated coaxial cable and connector – for an example see the W868-FLY.

For internal mount antennas, a simple solution is a groundplane independent PCB such as the IoTa or Morava antenna. These antenna mount inside a non-metal enclosure or terminal housing with a minimum of 15mm clearance from any metal components or surfaces and can provide a discreet way of enabling 868 MHz communications without the need for external antennas.

Hopefully the above information has given you some food for thought about possible LoRa antenna solutions and offered some suggestions on how to enable antenna solutions with your application. For customers not using 868 MHz, for example in the USA or New Zealand, many of the above antennas can be re-tuned for 915 MHz if required or have 915 MHz options.

For customers in Europe, the some of these antennas including the WMO86916, DMO8684 and IoTA can be purchased via the Connex webshop. For other questions, requests and quotes for 868 MHz LoRa antennas, please feel free to contact us.

DMO8684 – 868 MHz dual mount omni antenna

Written by EAD Admin on 21st May 2018. Posted in 169 / 433 / 868 / 915 Antennas.

The DMO8684 (DMO – Dual Mount Omni) has been designed for continuous outside use and can be either pole or wall-mount using the same innovative bracket. Ideal for remote sites using ISM band frequencies including IoT networks using LoRa and Sigfox, this new 868 MHz dual mount omni antenna is a flexible solution enabling fast and clean installations.

With 4.3 dBi peak gain, the DMO8684 offers exceptional performance in a fibreglass sheath that measures approximately 500mm in length. Terminated in a N-Female connector, this outdoor 868 MHz omni antenna can be used with a variety of jumper cable types to tailor cable lengths and connectors to each individual application. It can be used with cables such as BWL195, RF240 and RF400.

The zinc plated mounting bracket supplied with the DMO8684 antenna allows for mast/pole mount and can be reversed and used for wall-mounting

An alternative 868 MHz 5 dBi Omni with 5M cable is also available – WMO8685.

New outdoor 868 MHz omni antenna announced

Written by EAD Admin on 15th May 2018. Posted in News.

EAD has today announced a new outdoor 868 MHz omni antenna for IoT things applications. The DMO8684 (DMO – Dual Mount Omni) has been designed for continuous outside use and can be either pole or wall-mount using the same innovative bracket. Ideal for remote sites using ISM band frequencies including networks using LoRa and Sigfox, this new 868 MHz omni antenna is a flexible solution enabling fast and clean installations.

The zinc plated mounting bracket supplied with the DMO8684 antenna allows for mast/pole mount and can be reversed and used for wall-mounting.

The DMO8684 antenna should start shipping from the end of June 2018. For more information, please contact us.

A higher gain wall-mount 868 MHz omni antenna is also available called the WMO8685.

For small orders once released, the DMO8684 will be available via the Connex webshop.

High Gain Outdoor Omni for Sigfox and LoRa

Written by EAD Admin on 8th January 2018. Posted in News.

The WMO is a High Gain Outdoor Omni for Sigfox and LoRa with two models operating at either 868 MHz or 915 MHz for wall-mounted applications. The WMO8685 operates at 868 MHz offering 5 dBi gain and the WMO9156 operates at 915 MHz with 6 dBi gain. Both antennas come with a wall-mount L-bracket and 5M cable and a SMA-Male connector as standard.

Designed for continuous outdoor deployment, the WMO8685 and WMO 9156 are housed in a fibreglass sheath and are robustly built. Ideally suited to applications on the fringe of LoRA or SigFox coverage where a high gain antenna is desirable, these antennas provide reliable and consistent performance.

For pricing and availability information on the WMO8685 and WMO9156 high gain outdoor omni for SigFox and LoRa antennas, please contact your local EAD distributor or us directly for assistance.

Four interesting antenna solutions for 868 MHz

Written by EAD Admin on 30th October 2017. Posted in News.

We take a look at some interesting antenna solutions for 868 MHz that might be used for LoRA or Sigfox applications. 868 MHz in many parts of the world is a licence-free frequency band. Increasingly this frequency band is being used for IoT networks for longer range access for data applications. That being said no one antenna is suitable for every application, therefore many customers need to consider what mounting option is required and where best to position the antenna when designing an installation. Here are four suggestions:

868 MHz multi-position dipole antenna

For fixed and mobile terminals where the orientation of the device is not always certain, sometimes it helps to consider a multi-position antenna where the antenna can be moved from the horizontal to the vertical position. Terminated with a coaxial connector such as SMA, RP-SMA or TNC for example, the antenna element can be lock in three places depending on the installation.

868 MHz captive-mount monopole antenna

For applications where you would need a small quarter-wave antenna, but want to discourage the removal of the antenna from the application, you could consider a captive mount model. This means that the base of the antenna is mounted through the terminal’s metal enclosure and held in place by a locking nut. A coaxial cable feeds from the bottom of the antenna through the mounting boss and can connect to the radio module.

High gain 868 MHz outdoor omni antenna

For fringe areas of signal, a 5-6 dBi outdoor omni-directional might be useful. Wall-mounted and supplied with a 5M cable to connect to the radio or device some way away, this high gain antenna can often aid reception in difficult installations. Fully weatherproof with a fibreglass tube, this antenna can be mounted outdoors permanently.

Internal 868 MHz PCB dipole antenna

A half-wave groundplane independent PCB antenna, this enables the antenna to be installed inside a non-metal terminal enclosure enabling a discreet, but functional antenna installation. Various cable and connector options are possible including U.FL, MMCX and SMA.

This list of antenna solutions for 868 MHz is not exhaustive so if you cannot what you need here, please feel free to e-mail us or use our antenna configurator.

RF240 – 6mm diameter low loss cable assemblies

Written by EAD Admin on 27th September 2017. Posted in RF240 Cables.

RF240 coaxial cable is a 6mm diameter low loss cable suitable to operate as a jumper cable for outdoor wireless antennas. With excellent RF properties in a small diameter sheath, RF240 cable lends itself well to cable runs up to 15-20M for cellular applications.

With an outer diameter of 6.10mm, it is still pretty flexible. It has excellent RF performance with good attentuation figures across the bands up to 3 GHz. The RF240 is an equivalent to LMR240 cable, but a more cost effective alternative. We can offer this cable pre-terminated with SMA, N-Type, TNC and other RF connectors as required. As we assemble these cables in-house we can quickly accommodate customer requests for specific lengths or connector types. RF240 complements EAD omni antennas such as the FGO and LMO antenna or the directional panel antenna, the LPM8270.

For small quantity requirements of pre-configured RF240 6mm diameter low loss cable purchases can be made via the Connex webshop. We offer 3M, 5M, 8M, 10M and 15M cables as standard with various connector options. The individual cables can be purchased via the links below:

Buy 3M RF240 pre-terminated cable
Buy 5M RF240 pre-terminated cable
Buy 8M RF240 pre-terminated cable
Buy 10M RF240 pre-terminated cable
Buy 15M RF240 pre-terminated cable

For a slightly smaller diameter cable and cable runs up to 10M, take a look at RF195.

For very low loss cables, take a look at the RF400.

Please note we do NOT supply bulk cable or individual connectors.

Using 915 MHz antennas for LoRa communications? Some food for thought!

Written by EAD Admin on 5th April 2017. Posted in News.

If you are designing wireless applications using the licence-free 915 MHz ISM band, for example using 915 MHz antennas for LoRa, LPWAN and IoT communications, choosing the correct antenna for your application is important for optimal wireless performance. To help our customers understand the options for 915 MHz antennas available, we thought it might be beneficial to list out some 915 MHz (there are also 868 MHz alternatives for regions using 868 MHz) omni-directional antenna options covering both small and larger antennas suitable for a variety of applications.

1/4 Wave Whip Antenna

An enclosure-mounted 1/4 wave moulded whip antenna (requires a groundplane typically 10x10cm to mount on) with RP-SMA or SMA-Male connectors typically (TNC, BNC connectors are also possible). Suitable for fixed and portable terminals.

1/4 Wave Whip Antenna with Flying Lead

Similar to the antenna above, this 915 MHz 1/4 Wave whip antenna has a mounting stud at the bottom for permanent mounting and a RG174 cable exiting at the bottome to connect the antenna to module/radio. This antenna can be used for both fixed and portable applications.

915 Mhz Whip with Flying Lead

Stub Antenna

A 1/4 wave helical stubby-style antenna with an approximate sheath length of 55mm. This is suitable for fixed and portable applications. The connector at the bottom can be SMA or RP-SMA and with either a straight or right angle orientation. This antenna should be mounted onto a groundplane (typically 10x10cm would be ideal).

915 MHz Stubby Antenna

Swivel Dipole Antenna

A 1/2 wave dipole antenna for 915 MHz with either SMA or RP-SMA. The antenna can be fixed in vertical or horizontal positions or at 45 degrees if required. This antenna is groundplane independent so can be mounted onto non-metal (i.e. ABC, PC etc.) surfaces such as plastic enclosures.

915 MHz Swivel Dipole

Waterproof Compact Omni Antenna

For outdoor applications, a compact waterproof 915 MHz omni antenna might be the solution. Where a durable, weatherpoof groundplane independent antenna is required, this antenna is discreet yet robust and flexible to accommodate a range of applications.

915 MHz Waterproof Compact Omni Antennas

Available with a variety of connectors including SMA, RP-SMA, N-Type, TNC, RP-TNC with straight and some right angle versions, these antennas a Flame retardant, UV-resistant sheath and there are versions at 915 MHz for mounting onto metal or non-metal surfaces. A through hole (stud mount) version is also available based on a N-Female Panel mount connector (with O-Ring for a watertight seal plus washer and nut for locking in place onto the enclosure.

Outdoor Wall-Mount Omni Antenna

For small, wall-mounted antennas, then the wall-mounted version of the above compact omni might be well worth taking a look at. This antenna is supplied with the flame retardant and UV-resistant sheath terminated in N-Female connector and mounted on a stainless steel bracket. Jumper cables can be specified to order depending on the grade of cable required for the length of cable run required – the jumper cable requires a N-Male Plug to connect to the antenna.

915 MHz Compact Wall-Mount Omni

High Gain Omni Antenna

A 5.8 dBi outdoor high gain omni antenna can be deployed when the site is located in an area of fringe signal. Typically supplied with a jumper cable such antenna is often housed in a fibreglass or weatherproof sheath and will come with mounting hardware.

915 MHz High Gain Omni Antenna

These are standard off-the-shelf 915 MHz omni-directional antenna products suitable when using 915 MHz antennas for LoRa communications . This listing is not exhaustive, but is designed to give you some food for thought. For further information and for other 915 MHz antenna requirements, please contact us at sales@ead-ltd.com.