TABLE OF CONTENTS
- Features:
- Specification
- Dimensions
- RF Characteristics
- Block Diagram
- Interfaces
- Board Pinout
- Operating Frequencies
The Nebra LoRaWAN module is a LoRaWAN Concentrator module with mini-PCIe form factor based on the SX1302/3. This enables easy integration into routers and other networking equipment, adding gateway capabilities. The module can be used in any embedded platform offering a mini-PCIe slot with an SPI or USB connection*.
Despite its small size, this is an 8-channel concentrator module SF5 - SF12. By integrating it together with a computing core a fully-fledged gateway solution can easily be created.
Features:
- Mini PCIe form factor mounted heatsink with fin design for excellent heat dissipation
- SX1302/3 baseband processor emulates 49 LoRa demodulators and 10 parallel demodulation paths. It supports 8 uplink channels and 1 downlink channel
- 2x SX1250 Tx/Rx front-ends high/low frequency
- Built-in USB to SPI conversion
- Operates at 3V3, making it compatible with standard 3G/LTE card slots of Mini PCIe type
- Tx power up to 27 dBm, Rx sensitivity down to -141 dBm @ SF12, BW 125kHz
- Supports global license-free frequency band (EU433, CN470, IN865, EU868, US915, AU915, KR920, and AS923)
Specification
| Specification | Nebra LoRa Concentrator |
| Frequency MHz | 868, 915, 433, 470 |
| Modulation Type | ISM Band LoRa |
| LoRa Chipset | SX1302/3 |
| Host Interface | SPI, USB |
| Sensitivity | -141dBm |
| Maximum Tx Power | 27dBm* |
| LEDs | Green (Power), Red (Tx), Blue (Rx) |
| Form Factor | Mini PCI Express |
| Power Consumption | Tx (Max) <415mA, Rx <40mA, standby 7.5mA |
| Antenna Connector | uFL |
| Operating Temperature | -40C to +85C |
| Dimensions | 94mm (Length) x 70mm (Width) x 10mm (Height) |
| Certification | TBC |
| Weight | 16g |
*Maximum Tx power may be capped in some regions
Dimensions
RF Characteristics
| Signal Bandwidth kHz | Spreading Factor | Sensitivity dBm |
| 125 | 7 | -141 |
| 125 | 7 | -125 |
| 250 | 12 | -123 |
| 500 | 7 | -134 |
| 500 | 12 | -120 |
Block Diagram
Nebra LoRaWAN Concentrator integrates one SX1302/3 chip and two SX1250. The other chip is for RF signal, which represents the core of the device. This provides the related LoRa modem and processing functionalities. Additional signal conditioning circuitry is implemented for PCI Express Mini Card compliance, and one uFL connector is available for external antenna integration.
Interfaces
The Nebra concentrator comes with a number of interfaces for its operations and status indicator. It is designed to be fully automated with very little physical interaction required.
- The mounting holes are required to secure the mPCIe module down when inserted to ensure that it doesn’t come loose or disconnect from the socket.
- The heatsink covers the top half of the concentrator module and is used to dissipate any heat generated from the onboard ICs.
- Depending on your model of the Nebra concentrator module you will have either one or two antenna connectors. The LoRa antenna connector and a GPS antenna connector are both U.fl connectors.
- Mini PCI Express connector is used to connect the module to another expansion board. The connectors provide all the interface options and communication between the Host board and the module.
- There are three status LEDs to indicate some basic functionality. The Green LED indicates the module is configured (CFG), Yellow LED (middle) indicates the module is receiving a signal (Rx) and the Red LED indicates it is transmitting a signal (Tx)
Power
Nebra LPWAN Concentrator module must be supplied through the 3.3Vaux pins by a DC power supply. The voltage must be stable, because during this operation the current drawn from 3.3Vaux can vary significantly, based on the power consumption profile of the SX1302/3 chip.
SPI
SPI interface is provided on the HOST_SCK, HOST_MISO, HOST_MOSI, HOST_CSN pins of the system connector. The SPI interface gives access to the configuration register of SX1302/3 via a synchronous full-duplex protocol. Only the slave side is implemented.
USB
Nebra LPWAN Concentrator can support the high-speed USB to SPI by the MCU USB bridge. It includes a USB 2.0 compliant interface, representing the interface for any communication with an external host application processor. The module itself acts as a USB device and can be connected to any USB host equipped with compatible drivers.
I2C & UART
Nebra module integrates EVA-M8M GPS module which has UART and I2C interface. The PINs on the golden finger provide a UART connection and an I2C connection, which allows direct access to the GPS module. The PPS signal is not only connected to SX1302/3 internally but also connected to the golden finger which can be used by the host board.
GPS
Nebra concentrator card includes the GPS_PPS input for received packets time-stamped.
Reset
Nebra concentrator module includes the RESET active-high input signal to reset the radio operations as specified by the SX1302/3 specification.
Antenna Interface
The module has one RF interface over standard UFL connectors (Hirose U. FL-R-SMT) with a characteristic impedance of 50Ω. The RF port supports both Tx and Rx, providing the antenna interface.
LEDs
There are in total four LEDs on the concentrator module that gives an indication of its status. There is one power LED (green) situated in between the two antenna connectors. This indicates that the module has power. There is a CFG (Green) LED next to the LoRa antenna connector, which indicates that the module has been correctly configured. The two LEDs next to that are Rx (Yellow) and Tx (Red). These LEDs indicate that the module is either receiving signals or transmitting.
Board Pinout
Operating Frequencies
SX1302
| Nebra SKU | Description | Frequency | Barcode |
| NBR-0077 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (SPI no GPS) | 915 MHz | |
| NBR-0078 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (SPI no GPS) | 868 MHz | |
| NBR-0079 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (SPI no GPS) | 470 MHz | |
| NBR-0080 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (SPI no GPS) | 433 MHz | |
| NBR-0081 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (SPI with GPS) | 915 MHz | |
| NBR-0082 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (SPI with GPS) | 868 MHz | |
| NBR-0083 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (SPI with GPS) | 470 MHz | |
| NBR-0084 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (SPI with GPS) | 433 MHz | |
| NBR-0085 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (USB no GPS) | 915 MHz | |
| NBR-0086 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (USB no GPS) | 868 MHz | |
| NBR-0087 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (USB no GPS) | 470 MHz | |
| NBR-0088 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (USB no GPS) | 433 MHz | |
| NBR-0089 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (USB with GPS) | 915 MHz | |
| NBR-0090 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (USB with GPS) | 868 MHz | |
| NBR-0091 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (USB with GPS) | 470 MHz | |
| NBR-0092 | Nebra SX1302 LoRa Module (USB with GPS) | 433 MHz |
SX1303
| Nebra SKU | Description | Frequency | Barcode |
| NBR-0093 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (SPI no GPS) | 915 MHz | |
| NBR-0094 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (SPI no GPS) | 868 MHz | |
| NBR-0095 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (SPI no GPS) | 470 MHz | |
| NBR-0096 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (SPI no GPS) | 433 MHz | |
| NBR-0097 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (SPI with GPS) | 915 MHz | |
| NBR-0098 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (SPI with GPS) | 868 MHz | |
| NBR-0099 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (SPI with GPS) | 470 MHz | |
| NBR-0100 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (SPI with GPS) | 433 MHz | |
| NBR-0101 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (USB no GPS) | 915 MHz | |
| NBR-0102 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (USB no GPS) | 868 MHz | |
| NBR-0103 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (USB no GPS) | 470 MHz | |
| NBR-0104 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (USB no GPS) | 433 MHz | |
| NBR-0105 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (USB with GPS) | 915 MHz | |
| NBR-0106 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (USB with GPS) | 868 MHz | |
| NBR-0107 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (USB with GPS) | 470 MHz | |
| NBR-0108 | Nebra SX1303 LoRa Module (USB with GPS) | 433 MHz |
Datasheet
Nebra LoRa Concentrator Datasheet