SparkFun
SparkFun Pro RF - LoRa, 915MHz (SAMD21)
The SparkFun Pro RF is a LoRa®-enabled wireless board that marries a SAMD21 and a long-range RFM95W to make a compact and easy-to-use IoT Arduino board. With...
The SparkFun Pro RF is a LoRa®-enabled wireless board that marries a SAMD21 and a long-range RFM95W to make a compact and easy-to-use IoT Arduino board. With its fast MCU and excellent point to point data transmission in the 915MHz ISM band with LoRa Capabilities, the Pro RF is a great choice for anyone interested or experienced in utilizing long range data communication.
Every pin on the SparkFun Pro RF is accompanied with a ground connection making the buttons and LEDs easy to connect. In case you're building something to be embedded into clothing or other physically harsh environment the antenna includes a stress relief hole to make sure your wire antenna survives. A short (3 inch) wire antenna is sufficient for "short" distances (up to 1 mile line-of-sight), but we've also included a u.FL antennae connector for potentially longer distances.
The Pro RF also includes a power switch and 2-pin JST connector for powering from a lithium battery. With a Micro-B USB and the power switch in the off position, the Pro RF will charge the attached battery! The board programs over a reinforced Micro-B connector with a slim reset button that fits nicely on the side of the board. We’ve even added our popular Qwiic connector to the edge of the board making it incredibly easy to add sensors and actuators without the need for solder or a soldering iron!
Thanks to the Arduino LoRa library, the RFM95W radio is an easy to use packet radio. But it doesn’t stop there because closing a few jumpers on the underside of the SAMD21 Pro RF initiates LoRaWAN mode on the radio module making it a node in a distributed sensor network.
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- IoT
- Short for Internet of Things, meaning physical devices that connect to networks or the internet to send data or be controlled remotely. It matters if you want projects such as connected sensors, remote controls or classroom data-logging activities.
- LoRa
- LoRa is a long-range, low-power radio technology often used for telemetry and remote sensors. It matters here because the connector and pinout are compatible with some LoRa telemetry products, even though this module uses Bluetooth instead.
- Qwiic
- Qwiic is a plug-in connector system for I2C devices that uses small 4-pin cables, so you can connect compatible sensors without soldering. It matters because your controller or adapter also needs Qwiic, or you will need a cable or breakout to wire it up.
- RF
- RF means radio frequency, referring to signals used for wireless communication and other high-frequency electronics. A low-noise, stable power supply is important for RF circuits because power noise can affect signal quality and measurements.
- SAMD21
- The SAMD21 is a Microchip microcontroller used in many Arduino-compatible boards. It matters here because USB host library support can depend on the exact microcontroller on your mainboard.
- u.FL
- u.FL is a tiny snap-on antenna connector often used on compact wireless boards. A board with u.FL usually needs an external antenna, which matters if the product will be inside an enclosure or needs better antenna placement.
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Connectivity
SparkFun Pro RF SAMD21 Schematic
Schematic · 104.0 KB · Click any page to view full size
SAMD21G Microcontroller Datasheet
Datasheet · 16.9 MB · Click any page to view full size
SparkFun Pro RF Graphical Datasheet
Datasheet · 953.2 KB · Click any page to view full size
RFM95W LoRa Module Datasheet
Datasheet · 3.6 MB · Click any page to view full size
MCP73831 LiPo Charger Datasheet
Datasheet · 928.8 KB · Click any page to view full size
Supplier page — sparkfun.com
Supplier Description · 724.3 KB · Click any page to view full size
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