When choosing the best 868MHz antenna for your applications, we need to consider several key factors, like the environment and radiation pattern. Usually the 868MHz antenna can be used in LoRa, Sigfox and some ISM band, especailly in Europe.
- Antenna Type (Different types can offer different coverage and efficiency)
1.) Omni Directional —-Best for gateways, base stations, and test equipments
2.) Directional (Panel or Yagi)—-Best for long-range point-to-point links
3.) PCB or Chip—-Best for consumer products , small sensors or wearables and dongles
4.) Whip or Rod—-Best for outdoor or indoor IoT nodes, industrial routers, modems
5.) Helical or Stubby—-Best for small IoT devices, handheld devices (walkie-talkie, scanner)
Quick Guide:
- Need maximum range and reliability ? the omni directional type or directional type
- Designing consumer product with plastic enclosure? the PCB type or the Chip type
- Building a gateway or industrial routers ? the whip type or external dipole type
- Need to connect two stationary points over several kilometers ? the directional type
2. The key technical specifications to evaluate
1.) Gain
2.) Impedance
3.) VSWR
4.) Radiation Pattern
3. The mounting types
1.) PCB mount- for embedded solutions
2.) Connector mount- for external antenna or internal antenna
3.) Pole / Wall mount – for oudoor uses
4.) Magnetic mount — for temporary or vehicle installation
4. Cable and Connector Types
1.) Connector type (no matter external antenna or internal antenna, the common connector types are: SMA, BNC, TNC, N, FME, MMCX and MCX)
For connector type, just ensure the gender(plug or jack) and polarity (standard or reverse-polar) match the connector on your devices.
2.) Keep cable length to minimiza signal loss, for sometimes, using low-loss coaxial cable (RG58U, LMR195 or 3D-FB and so on) for long-run term is necessory.
5. Recommended Application Examples
1.) LoRa Gateway —Omni directional fiberglass antenna
2.) Sensor Node — PCB or stubby / whip antenna
3.) Smart Agriculture—External whip or directional antenna
4.) Urban Smart City— Omni outdoor antenna
5.) Industrial IoT— Rugged antenna or magnetic antenna
In Conclusion, when choosing a 868MHz antenna, you have to consider more factors, environment, coverage, antenna gain, form and budget to your IoT or wireless applications. Followings are some common questions when choosing a best 868MHz antenna.
1.) Is it tuned to 868MHz ?
2.) Is the connector type ok for your devices ?
3.) Is the gain appropriate for your distance and coverage ?
4.) Is it omni directional or directional based on your cases ?
5.) Is the installation mounting suitable ?
6.) Is the cable length suitable for low signal loss ?