Hi,
I’ve designed a custom PCB using the RAK11720 chip. I am hitting a major barrier with LoRa range: the chip completely stops reaching our RAK Gateway at around 170 meters non-line-of-sight. I am using RUI3.
Can I have some advice on how to improve the range?
Please give us more information.
Dear Begee,
These are the parameters.
LoRaWAN Region: US915
TX Power: AT+TXP=0
Data Rate: AT+DR=3
ADR Status: AT+ADR=0 (Disabled)
Node Position: The custom PCB with the rak11720 is placed outdoors for testing.
Gateway Antenna Position: Located outdoors.
Obstacles: There is a brick wall and some trees directly between the node and the gateway, making it a completely non-line-of-sight environment. There are some buildings off to the side, but none are blocking the direct path.
Antenna Connections: Yes, I have verified that the LoRa antenna is correctly connected to the LoRa antenna port, and there is no mix-up with the BLE antenna port.
Attached herewith is the displacement obtained from maps
On your custom PCB, you do not have any connections on the antenna pads?
Can you try to place the gateway antenna on a higher level (as high as possible)?
If you measure over the sea/lake/bay, do you get better range? See suggested directions on the map image.
The map image looks very familiar, did we discuss you case before?
I would think that if you are only using the included PCB antennas to the MHF connectors, that is limiting you.Probably OK for around the house, but not long range.
If you look closely at the PCB antennas you can see the copper traces, and while it is probably a good 50ohm impedance (I havent tested one yet), I personally think it would not be that great when it comes to gain or efficiency. Plus my assumption is that it is bi-directional (radiates mostly broadside to the PCB)
I just bought a new RAK kit that came with the 2 PCB antennas (LoRa and BLE), an MHF to SMA pigtail and a small rubber duck SMA LoRa antenna. I would think it is probably 0.5 - 1 dBi gain, for its size, but it would be more omni directional, being more like a stick.
I would try getting an inexpensive 900mhz antenna (they sell them on Amazon less than US$100) with at least 3-5dBi gain. And height is your friend, the higher you can get it the better. You can get a pair of the MHF to N adapters for US$9 on amazon.
Currently I have my repeater node (still on the bench in testing mode) feeding up 1/2" heliax hardline to a 9dBi gain antenna outside about 25’ high and can see “neighbors” a few miles away. I intend on putting a 5dBi stick antenna direct to the node enclosure and mounting the whole thing as high up my 50’ tower as possible (on CAT6 for PoE, not any batteries up that high…).
GL !
Jim
