Best LoRa Antenna | Choosing LoRaWAN Antenna

How to Choose the Best LoRa Antenna?

Wondering what the best LoRa antenna is? From impedance and gain to outdoor fiberglass solutions, this article explains everything you need to know before choosing the right LoRaWAN antenna.

Table of Contents

Introduction

What Are the Key Parameters Affecting the Best LoRa Antenna?

How to Select the Most Suitable LoRa Antenna Type?

What is the Best LoRa Antenna for Outdoor Use?

What Frequency Does LoRaWAN Use?

How to Choose the Best LoRa Antenna and LoRaWAN?

How to Install a LoRa Antenna?

Conclusion

Introduction

LoRa, short for Long Range Radio, is a low-power wide-area network (LPWAN) protocol characterized by its long transmission range, low power consumption, and cost-effectiveness.

Antennas are critical components in RF systems. When selecting the optimal antenna for LoRa devices such as nodes and gateways that operate in the RF frequency band, antenna performance is particularly crucial.

This article outlines the primary parameters affecting LoRa antenna performance and explains how to choose the best LoRa antenna and LoRaWAN based on specific application scenarios.

What Are the Key Parameters Affecting the Best LoRa Antenna?

The fundamental performance of an antenna is influenced by the following parameters: impedance, VSWR, gain, frequency, etc.

What do these antenna parameters represent? How can one select the best LoRa antenna and LoRaWAN based on these parameters? Below is a brief introduction to several distinct parameters:

Impedance

The input impedance of an antenna is the ratio of the input voltage to the input current at the antenna feed point. Most commercial antennas have a 50Ω impedance, the industry standard.

VSWR

VSWR shows how well the antenna matches the transmission line and relates to the reflection coefficient. Its value ranges between 1 and infinity. A VSWR of 1 indicates perfect matching. Commercially available antennas typically have a VSWR < 1.5.

Gain

Antenna gain measures the antenna’s ability to transmit or receive signals in a specific direction. Higher gain allows signals to travel farther, making it one of the most critical parameters when selecting base station antennas. Note that excessively high gain in urban or multi-obstacle environments may cause uneven signal coverage, necessitating scenario-specific selection.

Frequency Band

LoRa antennas operate across multiple bands including 169 MHz, 315 MHz, 433 MHz, 868 MHz, and 915 MHz, each suited for distinct application scenarios.

How to Select the Most Suitable LoRa Antenna Type?

After determining the parameters, you also need to select the antenna type based on the application environment. Common LoRa antennas include:

LoRa Spring Antenna: Compact size, suitable for space-sensitive applications like LoRa nodes.
PCB/FPC LoRa Antenna: Can be embedded within devices, commonly used in compact terminals.
LoRa Rubber Duck Antenna: A common SMA external antenna suitable for indoor nodes.
LoRa Magnetic Antenna: Offers flexible installation, suitable for general indoor or vehicle applications.
LoRa Fiberglass Antenna: Suitable for LoRaWAN gateways, especially outdoor scenarios, offering better gain and weather resistance.

Generally:

LoRa Nodes: Primarily utilize spring antennas, PCB antennas, or FPC antennas due to their compact size.
LoRaWAN Gateways: Typically opt for fiberglass antennas. These antennas are highly resistant to weather, corrosion, UV, aging, and impacts. They perform reliably in harsh environments spanning high temperatures and extreme cold (-45°C to 110°C), making them more suitable for diverse complex conditions.

What is the Best LoRa Antenna for Outdoor Use?

In outdoor applications, fiberglass antennas are typically the optimal choice due to their high gain and weather resistance. For example, Airplux’s LoRa fiberglass outdoor antennas are specifically designed for the 850–930MHz frequency band, suitable for common LoRaWAN applications at 868 MHz and 915 MHz.

Airplux offers multiple specifications including 3dBi LoRa fiberglass antennas, 4dBi LoRa antennas, 5dBi LoRa antennas, 5.8dBi fiberglass antennas, 6dBi LoRa antennas, 8dBi LoRa antennas, 10dBi LoRa antennas, 12dBi LoRa antennas, 15dBi LoRa antennas, and 20dBi LoRa antennas.

What Frequency Does LoRaWAN Use?

LoRa is a digital wireless data communication IoT technology. It transmits via license-free megahertz radio frequency bands: 169 MHz, 315 MHz, 433 MHz (Asia), EU 868 MHz, and US 915 MHz. LoRa enables ultra-long-range wireless data transmission.

How to Choose the Best LoRa Antenna and LoRaWAN?

When selecting the best LoRa antenna and LoRaWAN applications, you should prioritize electrical parameters, installation environment, and physical constraints, rather than external appearance.

Common LoRa antenna types include spring antennas, PCB antennas, FPC antennas, Ipex SMA antennas, and fiberglass antennas. Different antennas can be chosen based on the LoRa module’s power output and operating frequency.

100mW modules: Spring antennas, PCB antennas, or FPC antennas are suitable.
Modules above 500mW: SMA rubber duck antennas are recommended.
Modules above 2W: Magnetic mount antennas or fiberglass antennas can be selected.

LoRa antennas typically support a specific range of frequency bands. Using them outside this range will result in a certain degree of performance degradation.

For example, a 915 MHz antenna should be used in the 915 MHz band. Using a 915 MHz antenna in the 868 MHz band will yield poor results. However, if the antenna is designed to cover both 915 MHz and 868 MHz bands, it will perform well at both frequencies.

Therefore, devices should operate within the frequency bands supported by their antennas to achieve optimal transmission performance.

In communication systems, antenna gain directly impacts the ability to radiate or receive wireless signals. Under identical conditions, higher gain enables wireless signals to propagate over greater distances.

Consequently, selecting a high-gain antenna is an effective strategy for extending the communication range of wireless modules.

How to Install a LoRa Antenna?

Place the fiberglass antenna onto the fixed U-clamp bracket. Install the fixed U-clamp bracket kit at the top of the pole or tower, then connect the N-type female connector to the antenna.
Position the antenna as far from the ground as possible. During testing, keep people at least 2 meters away from the antenna.
Do not place the antenna near large metal objects or near rivers. Minimize obstacles between antennas.
Both antennas should be installed at the same horizontal height and remain vertically aligned.

Finally, pay attention to the antenna feed cable assembly, SMA-to-N-type adapter cables, and the length of cables used with magnetic-mount antennas. Particularly with longer cables, the attenuation effect of the conductors on the antenna must be fully considered for signal integrity.

Conclusion

Airplux is a wireless antenna manufacturer offering optimal antennas for LoRa 169 MHz, LoRa 315 MHz, LoRa 433 MHz, LoRa 868 MHz optimal antennas, and LoRa 915 MHz optimal antennas. These solutions also support NB-IoT, GSM, 4G LTE, 5G NR, Wi-Fi, GPS, GNSS, UWB, UHF, and VHF applications, meeting diverse multi-scenario requirements.