Ren-W Antenna Info

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Overview

An XBee radio module needs an antenna to be able to transmit and receive data. Depending on the type of XBee in use, the antenna may be one that is built into the radio or instead, the radio may have an antenna connector so that it may be connected to an external antenna. The examples below show the 1" whip antenna, the on-chip antenna and the XBee with an RPSMA connector, or shortened to the "sma" version of the XBee for connecting to standard Wi-Fi antennas. Not shown is the Xbee radio with the U.FL. connector which is a tiny, snap-on connector on the top of the XBee module for connecting a short U.FL. cable that has an RPSMA connector on the other end.


The type XBee module as well as the type of antenna chosen makes a difference in terms of distance performance, as noted in the following chart from the manufacturer's documentation:


Radiation Patterns

An additional consideration is the radiation patterns for the various types of antennas, from left-to-right, on built-in 1" whip antenna, the on-chip antenna and an external antenna:
In actual testing over short distances any of the antennas have proven to be adequate but if either very long or wide-area coverage is desired, the obvious choice is to use an external antenna.


Transmission Power Losses/Gains

Additional Ren-W Links