XCVR Development Board & Reference Design
Part of the Exponential Technology Group (XTG), a valued member of The TTI Family of Specialists, Connected Development (CD) is an engineering design services firm that specializes in wireless and Internet of Things (IoT) designs. RIoT™, a leading non-profit community for IoT enthusiasts, recently hosted a Lunch & Learn session with CD's Vice President of Advanced Technology, Dave Hoover. The event served as a quick start development guide for CD's XCVR Development Board and Reference Design. Based on Semtech’s SX126X Series, the XCVR Development Board & Reference Design with SX126x LoRa® Sub-GHz Radio Transceiver provides a cost-effective and compact development solution for a multitude of long-range wireless applications.
What is LoRa®?
Short for Long-Range, LoRa is a spread spectrum modulation technique derived from chirp spread spectrum (CSS) technology. LoRa is ideal for designs seeking a long-range, low data rate, extended battery life, and a low-cost connectivity solution. It provides a flexible set-up for communication settings, including bandwidth, spreading factor, transmission frequency, and coding rate. LoRa is well-suited for applications like:
Energy and Utilities
Water, gas, and electric metering
Energy conservation
Grid infrastructure monitoring
Solar infrastructure monitoring
Smart Cities
Lighting
Waste management
Parking
Storm water management
Traffic management
Building automation
Space optimization
Energy optimization
Automated cleaning
Safety
Environmental monitoring
Agriculture
Precision irrigation
Soil monitoring
Asset tracking
Animal husbandry
Environment monitoring
Supply Chain
Asset tracking
Fleet management
Cold chain monitoring
Supply chain monitoring
Intralogistics
Precision location ID
Industrial IoT
Oil and gas
Mining
Smart and safe factories
Production and manufacturing
Predictive maintenance
Valve monitoring
Resolve Chipset Challenges with XCVR Reference Design Solutions
When dealing with reference designs for chipsets, there are several challenges that developers and manufacturers may encounter. One of the most significant challenges revolves around RF performance when making any layout changes. Changing a specified reference design could affect things like:
Antenna matching
Harmonics
LoRa Transceiver Tx power and Rx sensitivity
Performance and stability
Developers must also keep in mind that their designs must meet regulatory certification standards for production, and making reference design changes could affect a device’s ability to be certified.
Connected Development’s XCVR Reference Design directly addresses chipset challenges head-on with its simplified design and integrated solutions. Available in three different variants targeting various parts of the globe, the XCVR reference design is size and cost-optimized. More importantly, it’s RF pre-tested. Customers can utilize the XCVR Development Board for testing, copy the layout for the SX126X radio/components to their application, and feel confident that their design will perform optimally.
Not only do XCVR solutions provide open-source hardware and software design, but there is also software support for devices incorporating Nordic Semiconductor System-on-Chips (SoCs), Silicon Labs SoCs, and STM MBED designs. Additionally, all radio design files including the schematic and board layout can be provided to end customers for integration in their final application.
XCVR Reference Design Lunch & Learn is Available On-Demand
In addition to providing the extensive features and benefits to utilizing an XCVR Reference Design solution, the Lunch & Learn’s expert guidance covers how developers can create an end-to-end LoRaWAN® application that periodically sends information through a gateway to the cloud. Discover real-world use cases, learn from professionals, and interact with a community of experts to explore the potential of LoRaWAN® and how it can empower your IoT projects.
The XCVR Development Board with SX126x LoRa® Sub-GHz Radio Transceiver is available exclusively at Mouser Electronics and Symmetry Electronics.
Semtech and LoRa are registered trademarks or service marks of Semtech Corporation or its subsidiaries.