Wireless control over a long distance with the LoRa modem
Conclusion
I hope the system described in this article, and the details of how it was built, will prove of interest. For an in-depth understanding of the modem chip, see the datasheet [14], as well as many of the LoRa resources on Semtech's site. There is always scope for improvement, both in hardware and software. The LoRa HAT board could be put to many different uses with simple changes and additions to the software. The SX1272 software module provides a very simple abstraction of the modem function, so replacing something like an RS485 link or an existing TCP/IP messaging system would be fairly simple. For a more in-depth understanding of LoRa and its applications, see the many excellent YouTube tutorials on the subject – and on low-power radio in general.
Infos
- LoRa: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LoRa
- LoRa world distance record: https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/article/lorawan-distance-world-record
- US 915MHz licence-free band: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ISM_band
- European 868MHz license-free band: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short-range_device#SRD860
- LoRa modulation basics: https://www.semtech.com/uploads/documents/an1200.22.pdf
- LoRa example deployments: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LoRa#Deployments_of_LoRa_Technology
- Semtech's SX1272RF1BAS module: https://www.digikey.co.uk/product-detail/en/semtech-corporation/SX1272RF1BAS/SX1272RF1BAS-ND/4490407
- LoRa test software for the Raspberry Pi: https://github.com/mngiess/lora-sx1272-test/blob/master/README.md
- SX1272 modules: SX1272RF1xAS – 868 or 915 MHz – Combined RFI and PA_BOOST design: https://www.semtech.com/products/wireless-rf/lora-transceivers/sx1272
- Planar F-Antenna Reference Design: https://www.semtech.com/uploads/documents/AN1200.20-SARANT_V1_0_STD.pdf
- Slice of relay – Pi accessory: https://rlx.sk/en/raspberry-pi/2120-slice-of-relay-raspberry-pi-b047-relay-board-for-raspberry-pi-.html
- Author's GitHub project page: https://github.com/andrewrussellmalcolm/lora_hat
- LoRaWAN introduction: https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/docs/lorawan/
- SX1272 datasheet: https://www.semtech.com/uploads/documents/SX1272_DS_V4.pdf
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