|
Antennae options for the Mica2
The size of the antenna connector on the mica2 *smaller* than the connector on the mica, so the "can"/"bean" type antennae used
for the Mica won't fit. What has been used at Berkeley is a quarter wave whip antenna of solid copper wire. Regarding the length of the antenna, here is a rule of thumb: 75/frequency(MHz) = length in meters. Since Mica2s
come in two frequencies: 433MHz and 916MHz, the antenna lengths work out to:
916MHz: 8.2 cm solid copper wire antenna
433MHz: 17.3 cm solid copper wire antenna.
Note: If increased range is desired and size is of secondary concern, directional antennas may be attractive. Mica2 has an MMCX connector which will allow
for hooking up some real antennas.
Mica2Dot
The wire antennae that comes with the mica2dot are extremely fragile and poor for RF communication. They are stranded and high gauge, thus they tend to
break off after a few uses. We've been replacing our mica2dot antennae with solid wire also.
|
