I’m new here and I need your advice on how to proceed with my order
I need the RAK4631 WisBlock but configured with RAK4630 without IPEX. Since I couldn’t find this specific product available for purchase, would it be acceptable to desolder the existing IPEX connectors and connect chip antennas for both LoRa and Bluetooth?
Additionally, are there recommended chip LoRa and Bluetooth antennas or could you recommend for the RAK4630 without IPEX?
If I purchase 50Ω impedance antennas, can I solder them directly to the RAK4630, or would an additional matching circuit be required?
RAK4631 without IPEX is not working.
The WisBlock Core modules need the antenna connector on the module itself, because there is no other option to connect an antenna.
Only WisDuo RAK4630 is possible without IPEX, but then you have to connect the RF pads of the stamp module to an antenna connector or an integrated antenna.
On the WisBlock RAK4631 core module you would have to solder wires or the antenna directly to the RF pads, which
a) voids warranty
b) will most likely not work very well
@crmrosa & @beegee Thank you for you answers!! At the end of the day, I want to integrate the RAK4630 into my custom PCB design, and I will use ceramic chip antennas for both LoRa and Bluetooth. I will use the RAK4631 for the R&D phase, and I want to test the same antennas that will finally be integrated into my design.
Since it is not recommended to remove the IPEX connectors from RAK4630, should I approach RAK and request the Antenna RF Design Service in order to integrate the chip antennas to the RAK4630?
But even in that case how I will test the RAK4630 with the ceramic antennas since?
You can order the antenna design service if you want to use ceramic chip antennas. In this case we would not “design” an antenna, but we will help to design the proper RF path between the RF pad of the RAK4630 and your antennas and check if you have enough GND plane and distance to other routes. It will include as well the optimization of the antenna matching circuit that might be required.
For the antenna design service we will need:
PCB size, thickness, number of layers
schematic (PDF is sufficient)
enclosure size
the exact location of the PCB inside the enclosure
enclosure material
location of the battery
preferable to provide a 3d model with all the components
It seems that my prototype must be mature enough before requesting the antenna design service. It’s good to know beforehand what is required, though.
However, at this early prototype stage, what is your suggestion? Ideally, I want to use the RAK4631 and RAK19007 to speed up the design and testing phase for R&D on the RAK4630. After that, I will proceed with my custom PCB, enclosures, etc. Should I use the common IPEX antennas for both Bluetooth and LoRa antennas and later switch to ceramic chip ones?
When you start with the WisBlock modules, the best way is to use the IPEX connector antennas that come with the module. They are good enough for testing. They are the two antennas you linked to.
If they are not good enough for range tests, you can use an IPEX-to-SMA cable and connect some better antennas (like our Blade antenna for LoRa)
I will proceed with your suggestion. I also want to integrate an IMU (accelerometer + gyroscope) into the prototype setup. Do you have any IMU suggestions that are supported by the RUI3 SDK? I mean if firmware examples for a specific IMU are provided, it would be convenient to proceed with that one.
If you acceleration and gyroscope, the RAK12033 (6-axis) is the right solution.
For example firmware, we have nothing specific for RUI3. But you can use the Arduino example from our WisBlock repo, they should work (did not try it by myself)
