RFM69HCW LoRa Radio Transceiver

RFM69HCW LoRa Radio Transceiver Breakout @ 868MHz (European)

Experience the great adventure of sending data whenever you want over truly remarkable distances. You will genuinely be amazed by the possibilities that this simple yet extremely interesting radio module can offer.

Although most wireless chipsets, such as Bluetooth, WiFi, Zigbee, and others use 2.4GHz frequencies, which are excellent for high-speed transmissions, you may prefer to use lower license-free frequencies, such as 900 MHz. The speed will be lower, but the distance over which you can send data will certainly be much greater.

Additionally, since the structure of this compact radio is less complex than BLE or WiFi, you will not need to worry about pairing or connecting anything. You can simply send data whenever you want, and your data will be received by any other module, as long as the receiver is tuned to the same frequency and shares the same key (that is, the same encryption system). The receiver can also send a reply. This module not only handles packetization and error correction, but is also capable of automatic retransmission. Thanks to all these features, you will have fewer things to worry about and can consume less power for pairing or maintaining a link.

This Adafruit RFM69HCW Transceiver Radio Breakout works extremely well with Raspberry Pi, Arduino, and other microcontrollers if you want to create a sensor node network or transmit data across a city. Keep in mind, however, that you need two or more radios with matching frequencies. Fortunately, computers and smartphones usually already include WiFi and Bluetooth.

There are several variants of radio modules, but this product is definitely more powerful.

This module is the RFM69HCW radio. This compact +20dBm FSK radio offers several interesting extras, such as automatic retransmission and encryption. Using simple wire antennas, you can achieve at least 500m line of sight (LOS), or, by using directional antennas and some tweaking, you can reach up to 5 km.

• SX1231 module with SPI interface.
• +13 to +20 dBm up to 100mW Power Output Capability (power output selectable via software)
• 50mA (+13 dBm) to 150mA (+20dBm) current consumption during transmission, ~30mA during active radio listening.
• Range of approximately 500 meters, depending on obstructions, frequency, antenna, and power output.
• Create multipoint networks with individual node addresses.
• Packet engine with AES-128 encryption.
• Packet radio with ready-to-go Arduino libraries.
• Uses the license-free ISM band: “European ISM” @ 868MHz or “American ISM” @ 915MHz for the 868 or 915 MHz model.
• Use a simple wire antenna or spot for uFL or SMA radio connector.

This radio is sold individually and can communicate only with radios sharing the same number: RFM69HCW 915 MHz can communicate only with RFM69HCW 915 MHz.

Each radio comes with a header, a 3.3V voltage regulator, and a level shifter capable of handling 3-5V DC power and logic; thanks to this, you can use it with both 3V and 5V devices. The header requires some soldering to be connected. In addition, you will need to solder a small piece of wire to create the antenna. Alternatively, you can obtain a uFL connector or an SMA edge-mount connector and connect an external duck.

You can check the Adafruit tutorial for the RFM95W 915 breakout, where you will find wiring diagrams, sample code, and much more.

Technical Details:

• FCC Test Report
• Dimensions: 25.3 x 29.3 x 3.5 mm / 1.0″ x 1.15″ x 0.14″
• Weight: 3.4g

Adafruit name: RFM69HCW Transceiver Radio Breakout – 868 or 915 MHz – RadioFruit [ADA3070]