RAK910396 mounting is weird

WisBlock
1

I am trying to:

  • mount a RAK4631 module on a
  • RAK19007 baseboard and that on the antenna bracket of a
  • RAK910396 solar enclosure

I follow the instructions here:

The way the antenna bracket is designed, the baseboard is facing the wrong way when it’s mounted, because:

  • the USB port is facing the enclosure wall so it can’t be used
  • the IPEX ports for BLE and LoRa are on the wrong sides, so the wires have to cross over the module to connect.

But the bracket doesn´t allow you to turn the baseboard 180 degrees because the screw holes do not form a rectangle but have different spacings between them on both sides.

Can someone explain the rationale behind this? It will work, but it makes it unnecessarily bothersome.
Now I have to install the OTAFIX BLE loader before fully assembling this, and cross the wires.

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2

Welcome to the forum @Philbert

There is nothing weird or wrong, it is exactly like this.

3

Thank you for replying.

So like this?

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Why was it chosen this way? It’s a bit awkward that I can only use the USB before the bracket is placed in the enclosure and not anymore later.

4

Yes, that is correct.
I do not understand what the USB has to do with the placement of the antennas.
What enclosure are you using? Please share some pictures.

5

The point I was trying to make in the post was: I think it would make more sense if the baseboard was rotated 180 degrees, for 2 reasons:

  • the BLE and LoRa IPEX ports would be on the same sides on the baseboard and the mounting bracket
  • the USB port would be reachable even when the bracket is bolted into the enclosure.

It looks like this now:

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I can´t flash software like this, I have to take it out. That works, but if later on I have problems with the firmware, I have to take it out again.
I just don’t understand why it was designed this way. I am new to this type of thing but I cam curious. Are there other common modules for which that space is reserved?

6

It is mounted like this, because there is a reserved space for IO modules.

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Like here:

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7

Thank you for explaining. Sorry about my choice of words in the first post. I will get there.