The ‘Lama’ antenna, part number SRFI065, was developed for small connected devices operating on the LP-WAN networks including LoRa, Sigfox, Wi-SUN and MIoTy. It uses the ISM frequencies in Europe and America or both, which means that one product design can be sold in both US and European markets.
Lama is a particularly small antenna, making it suited to designs with limited real estate. It is a flexible printed circuit (FPC) antenna measuring 35 x 10 x 0.15 mm, supplied with a standard 100 mm RF cable with I-PEX MHF connector. This shape allows it to be mounted several different ways in a design.
The antenna was found to perform equally well in tests for the 868 MHz and 915 MHz bands, showing a peak efficiency at 60%, and maximum VSWR of 1.5:1 for both frequency bands.
The LP-WAN networks, also known as ISM, use frequencies 863 - 870 MHz in Europe and 902 - 928 MHz in the US. They are licence-free bands which are typically used to connect large fleets of low powered devices which transmit small packets of data across large physical distances at low bit rates.
The characteristics of the Lama antenna make it suitable for small networked devices operating across wide geographic areas in IoT applications and is intended for the fast-growing markets in smart agriculture, smart cities and tracking.
Lama will suit agricultural applications using cloud-connected sensors to measure ground moisture or temperature or to track livestock, as well as remote-controlled applications such as meter reading, environmental monitoring and connected services in smart cities controlling street lighting, parking sensors or waste bins.
In other IoT sectors, the Lama antenna fits commercial applications in cold chain transport, distribution, logistics and tracking of goods and containers.
