Really poor Lora Range

liamho · PostJan 05, 2018#12018-01-05T14:48+00:00

Hi...

I have managed to get Lora comms going between a master and slave. The nodes that were sent to me are marked 915MHz.

While comms are working the range is lousy...we are talking about 6 inches!!

I have used the following setting combinations with no real improvement:
#define RADIO_FREQUENCY 916.0
#define RADIO_TX_POWER 2
#define HIGH_POWER true

#define RADIO_FREQUENCY 916.0
#define RADIO_TX_POWER 13
#define HIGH_POWER true

#define RADIO_FREQUENCY 868.1
#define RADIO_TX_POWER 2
#define HIGH_POWER true

Could I have been sent the wrong antennae? They are marked 40 100/Y-156

L

Talk2 · PostJan 06, 2018#22018-01-06T22:46+00:00

Hello,

Could please post a picture of your board (radio side) and antenna?

Additionally the contents of the "start up screen" presented in the serial after a factory reset? Need to get the serial number so we can check the board test results during production.

Thanks

liamho · PostJan 15, 2018#32018-01-15T11:52+00:00

My apologies for the delay. Came down with the Aussie flu.

Here are two pictures of the board. I will do a factory reset shortly and send you the rest of the data.

PostJan 15, 2018#42018-01-15T11:57+00:00

...and here is the "start up screen"...

================================================
T A L K 2 W H I S P E R N O D E LoRa 1.0v
================================================

Major Version: 1
Minor Version: 0
Running Mode: Client

## Configuration ##

:: SPI Flash ::
JEDEC ID: EF3013
Unique ID: D7:67:4:42:81:91:B1:32:
Write Protection: 100

:: Radio RFM95 ::
Frequency: 916.0000000000MHz
TX Power: 13dBm

:: Supply Voltages ::
Battery: 0mV
Micro-USB/VIN: 5139mV

:: Talk2 Bootloader ::
Major Version: 2
Minor Version: 2
EEPROM Data: 54:6C:6B:B2:1:A:0:7:0:0:0:0:0:0:11:A:0:0:1:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:FF:

============================================

Talk2 · PostJan 15, 2018#52018-01-15T13:59+00:00

Hi Liamo,

The antenna is the correct one and the "splash screen" looks fine. I'm wondering if the one of the antennas have a bad cable/connector. Would you mind testing a 1/4 wave antenna? this is basically a piece of wire soldered to the "through-hole". This needs to be of more-or-less 82mm and any copper wire should work.

Please provide your order number I'll also contact you directly with an alternative solution.

Regards,

liamho · PostJan 15, 2018#62018-01-15T15:39+00:00

Talk2 wrote: Hi Liamo,

The antenna is the correct one and the "splash screen" looks fine. I'm wondering if the one of the antennas have a bad cable/connector. Would you mind testing a 1/4 wave antenna? this is basically a piece of wire soldered to the "through-hole". This needs to be of more-or-less 82mm and any copper wire should work.

Please provide your order number I'll also contact you directly with an alternative solution.

Regards,

As it happens I changed the antenna to a pretty high spec multiband antenna and retested. It improved the range from a few inches to circa 6 feet LOS.

My order number is #20178

L

Talk2 · PostJan 16, 2018#72018-01-16T04:39+00:00

Thanks... just one more thing. Are you using the latest version of the Talk2 Library and the Voltage.Base and Voltage.Node examples configured for the "RFM95/LoRa" mode?

Finally, I can see your order has been shipped to Europe, is there any particular reason to use the 915MHz band? As far I can see 868MHz is the most appropriated (https://www.comreg.ie/media/dlm_uploads ... 0271R9.pdf)... might be a case of interference with another service already occupying the 915MHz band.

Regards,

liamho · PostJan 17, 2018#82018-01-17T14:16+00:00

yes. we are using the latest version.

We used the 915MHz version as we will be ultimately deploying this in the US.