SparkFun LoRaSerial Kit - 915MHz (Enclosed)

The SparkFun LoRaSerial Kit is a robust pair of serial radio modems that effectively pass serial data to each other. The kit operates beyond the range of WiFi or Bluetooth, transmitting data via LoRa, which gives it a phenomenal range. It has proven its capability to transmit over a 15km line-of-sight using two LoRaSerial radios with a 5.8dBi antenna on the transmitter and the stock 1/2 wave dipole antenna on the receiver.

The LoRaSerial operates using a 1 Watt, 915MHz transceiver, and an open-source protocol to transmit AES-encrypted data at 4800bps, equivalent to approximately 480 bytes per second. Although not suitable for video streaming, it excels at transmitting data, whether encrypted or not, from one point to another without any complications. The radios in the kit also feature automatic frequency hopping (FHSS) between channels to avoid collisions. The data rate is adjustable up to approximately 2,000 bytes per second for shorter range, or for extremely long-range transmissions, as low as 40 bytes per second.

The radios in the LoRaSerial Kit support both simple point-to-point communication and multipoint broadcasts. This makes the kit perfect for GNSS RTK and other geospatial scenarios where one device needs to produce and distribute data that many other devices might need to use.

The LoRaSerial firmware features an innovative and easy-to-use ‘training’ method. By pressing the train button on both radios, a new random network ID and AES encryption key are generated and shared. This makes pairing radios in the field as simple as pressing a button. The LoRaSerial training method is as simple and secure as you could ask for.

The LoRaSerial Kit uses 915MHz modems that are permitted in most parts of the world. Please ensure to check your local restrictions before purchasing. The radios are fully configurable to limit frequencies, channels, dwell time, power output, and other settings to ensure compatibility with your local regulations.

Note: The LoRaSerial is designed to operate at the physical layer of LoRa, sending data directly to an endpoint as opposed to something like LoRaWAN which operates on the data and network layers. Therefore, LoRaSerial is not intended to operate on LoRaWAN.

The kit includes 2 enclosed LoRaSerial Radios with 915MHz, 1W LoRa Module, 2 915MHz 1/2 Wave 2dBi Antennas, 2 Serial Interface Cables, and 1 USB A to C Cable.

Key features include a 1 Watt (30dBm) power output, LoRa SX1276 Based, 915MHz unlicensed band radio with 902-928MHz configurable output, 256-bit AES GCM encryption, AT command set, built-in Frequency Hopping Spread Spectrum (FHSS) technology, Point-To-Point and Multipoint configurations, 3D Printed Enclosure, configurable air speeds from 400 bps (40 bytes per second) to 19200bps (1920 bytes per second), configurable standard serial data rates from 2400 to 115200bps, 4-LED RSSI Indicator, 3.3 to 5V operation, USB-C connection available for industrial systems and single-board computers (SBCs like Raspberry Pi), 6-pin JST connector available for embedded systems (5V and 3.3V tolerant I/O) with flow control, small footprint, lightweight, easily mountable, and open-source Software and Hardware.