LoRa Daughterboard, 868MHz

The LoRa daughterboard lets you go off grid and still send text messages between WiPhones using the regular text message screen on the phone. You can also use it to write custom software to interface with LoRa enabled sensors, actuators or other messaging devices.

LoRa is a long range low bandwidth radio protocol that can be used on license free radio bands. Depending on your country, this usually lets you set up your own independent communications network without needing a license or registration with the authorities.

The LoRa daughterboard includes it's own antenna and it ready to plug and play on any WiPhone to send text messages directly over LoRa to other LoRa-enabled WiPhones. You will need 2 WiPhones + 2 LoRa daughterboards to send off grid text messages.

If you want to write software to use LoRa for a DIY Arduino project involving sensors, actuators, or other LoRa based communication devices, you will need 1 WiPhone, 1 LoRa daughterboard and 1 additional LoRa enabled sensor, actuator, or other communication device.

Range

You can roughly expect the useable range to match these distances:

• 15km+: Clear line of sight to high power base station located on top of a hill or other high elevation, both antennas in free air and correctly tuned. This is generally not possible except in very specific circumstances.
• ~1km: Both antennas near ground level, clear line of sight.
• ~300m: Both antennas at ground level, urban environment.
• <100m: Between hand held units, indoors and through walls.

If you want to read more about range, we did some testing and wrote it up in the blog: LoRa Range Testing

Frequency Bands

In most countries LoRa operates in license free bands. These bands vary depending on country. The information below is provided "best effort" and you should do your own research to make sure you are buying a radio that's legal to operate in your country, and to learn what you need to do to remain in compliance.

In general, North and South America should choose a 915MHz LoRa radio to comply with local regulations.

In general, most of Europe should choose an 868MHz LoRa radio to comply with local regulations.

Many places also allow operation at 433MHz. We don't stock 433MHz radios, but they can be made if you want to meet the 100 pc minimum order quantity.

Some countries use a band that's close enough to a default frequency that it can be covered, but requires changing the base LoRa frequency in software and recompiling before use:

Close to 915MHz:

• AS1 (920-923MHz) frequency band: Japan, Malaysia, Singapore
• AS2 (923-925MHz) frequency band: Hong Kong, Taiwan, Laos, Vietnam, Thailand, Indonesia, Brunei, and Cambodia.
• AU915-928 frequency band: Australia, Argentina, Brazil, Chile, New Zealand

Close to 868MHz:

• India

The Things Network has a nice summary explaining in more detail: https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/docs/lorawan/frequencies-by-country/