Small dual-band antenna for IoT offers strong performance on networks

Antenova Ltd has launched a new low-profile antenna providing strong performance on Europe’s 868MHz bands and the US 915MHz bands.

The new antenna is designated ‘Lama’, part number SRFI065. It was created for small, connected devices running on the LP-WAN networks, including LoRa, Sigfox, Wi-SUN and MIoTy. This antenna utilises the ISM frequencies in Europe and America or both, which indicates that one product design can be sold in US and European markets.

Lama is a remarkably small antenna, making it suitable for designs with limited real estate. It is an FPC antenna measuring 35mm x 10mm x 0.15mm, supplied with a standard 100mm RF cable with an I-PEX MHF connector. This shape enables it to be mounted in several different ways in a design.

The antenna performed equally well in tests for the 868MHz and 915MHz bands, showing a peak efficiency of 60% and maximum VSWR of 1.5:1 for both frequency bands.

The LP-WAN networks, also known as ISM, use frequencies 863-870MHz in Europe and 902-928MHz in the US. They are licence-free bands typically employed to connect large fleets of low-powered devices that transmit small packets of data across large physical distances at low bit rates.

These characteristics make the Lama antenna suitable for small networked devices operating across wide geographic areas in IoT applications. The antenna, therefore, targets the fast-growing markets in smart agriculture, smart cities and tracking.

It will also serve 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 antenna is suitable for commercial applications in cold chain transport, distribution, logistics and tracking of goods and containers.

Antenova’s Michael Castle comments: “ The Lama antenna targets these growing markets which will need large volumes of devices on all continents of the world. For example, we estimate there could be 45 million connected street lights worldwide by 2025.”