Satellite Transceiver Function Board - Swarm M138

The Swarm M138 Satellite Transceiver is a cost-effective solution for transmitting and receiving short data messages via satellite. It operates worldwide, even in polar regions, and outperforms WiFi and Cellular networks. This device is ideal for various low-bandwidth applications, such as connecting people, tracking vehicles, ships, or packages, and transmitting sensor data for agriculture, energy, and industrial IoT applications. The inbuilt GNSS receiver enhances its tracking capabilities.

The SparkX Swarm MicroMod Function Board is a unique adapter board that adds Swarm Satellite connectivity to any MicroMod project. It can be plugged into the MicroMod Main Board - Single or MicroMod Main Board - Double. Once the Swarm M138 satellite modem is installed, communication is facilitated through the dedicated Swarm Satellite Arduino Library. This makes it an excellent choice for creating a satellite-enabled MicroMod Tracker or Data Logger using your preferred processor.

The Swarm modem has an inbuilt intelligent power control with "sleep for" and "sleep until" commands. The Function Board also includes a MIC94064 High-Side Power Switch that can completely power off the Swarm modem if needed, reducing current draw. The modem's GPIO1 and TX/RX pins are connected to the MicroMod processor, allowing utilization of the modem's wake-from-sleep, sleep indication, or message waiting features. The board also includes configurable pull-up and pull-down resistors on GPIO1 for added convenience.

All MicroMod function boards come with a small EEPROM, which lets the processor board know which function boards are installed. The Swarm Satellite Arduino Library examples are available to help you get started. Just uncomment one line of code to enable PWR_EN, and you're set!

Please note that the Swarm M138 modem is not included with the function board. You will need to purchase the Satellite Transceiver Breakout - Swarm M138 separately to obtain the modem, antenna, and ground plane. SparkX products are rapidly produced to bring you the most cutting-edge technology as it becomes available. These products are tested but come with no guarantees. For support or to ask a question, please visit our forum.

Features include u.FL Connections with separate connectors for VHF satellite communication and GPS / GNSS positioning, a 3.3V UART connected to the MicroMod Processor TX and RX pins, and a power supply provided by the MicroMod VCC rail. The current draw at 3.3V and 5.0V varies depending on whether the modem is in sleep, receive, or transmit mode. The MIC94064 High-Side Power Switch can be enabled or disabled by the MicroMod Processor via the PWR_EN pin. The modem's GPIO1 pin is connected to the MicroMod Processor and can be used to wake the modem from sleep mode if required. It can also indicate unread messages, unsent messages, or sleep mode.

For more information, please refer to the provided resources, including the product manual, schematic, dimensions, Eagle Files, Arduino Library, and GitHub Hardware Repo. You can also visit the Swarm website for additional resources such as how to register your Swarm M138 modem, Swarm Account Login, Swarm Pass Checker, Swarm FAQs, Swarm Newsletter Sign-Up, and the modem manual.