If you're looking for long range wireless communications, the just released
tRF click is the click for you. It carries the Telit LE70-868 - 868 MHz
transceiver module, an SMA connector for an antenna, and two radio
communication LEDs. The transceiver module has an embedded stack
that is easy to integrate and use in point-to-point or star network topologies.
The board enables radio data rates from 4.8 to 57.6 kbps with maximum
output power of 500mW.
The Telit LE70-868 also has very low power consumption. This makes
it an ideal solution for designing point-to-point or Star networks in applications
like energy monitoring, weather-stations, irrigation. Basically any application
where you want to wirelessly send and receive UART data.
Specs, details, and Libstock examples here.
Now, for the highway story.
According to the official specs, Telit LE70-868 has a range of up to 10km in
open space. This works in ideal conditions with no barriers to disrupt the signal.
As our average user will rarely encounter such conditions, we wanted to check
the range in a casual, non-scientific kind of test, one that would recreate a
scenario a hobbyist might encounter. So we took out our mikroBUS-carrying R/C buggy
(the one you might have seen in the SpeakUp - make a move video)
and went out to a stretch of highway with a slight bend near our HQ. We
managed to get a range of about 4km. That's still an impressive range.
Of course, we didn't literary drive the buggy down the highway. No traffic laws
were violated during this test. The hardware guy holding the remote was standing
at an intersection. Our video/photo production guy drove a real car, with the
buggy laid upside down on the backseat. The wheels of the Buggy were turning
until the signal from the remote control faded. As we said, it wasn't a scientific
experiment
Yours sincerely,
MikroElektronika
