Hardware
Specifications
The Sigfox module is managed by UART and it can be connected to SOCKET0 or SOCKET1.
Sigfox EU module
The main features of the module are listed below:
Frequency: ISM 868 MHz
TX Power: 16 dBm
Chipset consumption:
TX: 51 mA @ +16 dBm
RX: 16 mA
Receive sensitivity: -126 dBm
ETSI limitation: 140 packets of 12 bytes, per module per day
Range: Typically, each base station covers some km. Check the Sigfox Network.
Sigfox certified: Class 0u (the highest level)
Sigfox US module and Sigfox APAC / LATAM module
The main features of the modules are listed below:
Frequency: ISM 900 MHz
TX Power: 24 dBm
Chipset consumption:
TX: 230 mA @ +23 dBm
RX: 21 mA
Receive sensitivity: -127 dBm
FCC limitation: Pending
Range: Typically, each base station covers some km. Check the Sigfox Network.
Power consumption
The Sigfox module is powered at 3.3 V. The next table shows the average current consumption in different states of the module.
Sigfox EU
The Sigfox EU module is powered at 3.3 V. The next table shows the module’s average current consumption in different states of the module
Sigfox US and APAC / LATAM
The Sigfox US module is powered at 3.3 V. The next table shows the module’s average current consumption in different states of the module
Region standards
Due to local regulations, laws or other operating constraints, the configuration of the Sigfox network differs among countries or regions. In other words, there is not a single Sigfox protocol, there are actually several versions. These RF configurations are different in frequency band, radiated power, time-on-air or duty cycle, etc. Check the Sigfox Network.
The next table shows the Sigfox zones and the Libelium's module that supports each zone:
A radio created for one zone will not work in other zone. Besides, a radio cannot be changed or reprogrammed to work in other zone (with the exception of RC2 and RC4).
Also, remember that any Sigfox transmission must be received by Sigfox base stations. This means that Sigfox (or any of his partners) must have installed their infrastructure in your country. It is not possible for one customer to build his own private Sigfox network, so please check if there is an operating Sigfox network in your country, and specifically if there is Sigfox coverage in the area of your project.
Time consumption
The client must keep in mind that sending processes take a while to be accomplished. So, this module would fit into a group of high-power consumption modules. In the case that acknowledgements are required, the time consumption increases several seconds.
The elapsed periods defined in this chapter take into account the following steps depending on the case:
Sending (from ON state): The sends the packet to the network (~6 seconds).
Sending (from OFF state): The module powers on (~6 seconds) and then the packet is sent to the network (~6 seconds).
Sending with ACK (from ON state): The packet is sent to the network (~6 seconds), then the module enters an idle state waiting for incoming data (~14 seconds) and finally a downlink transmission is performed from the network to the module(~19 seconds).
Sending with ACK (from OFF state): The module powers on (~6 seconds), the packet is sent to the network (~6 seconds), then the module enters an idle state waiting for incoming data (~14 seconds) and finally a downlink transmission is performed from the network to the module (~19 seconds).
How to connect the module
This module can be connected to both SOCKET0 and SOCKET1 on the Waspmote board.
In order to connect the module to the SOCKET1, the user must use the Expansion Radio Board.
Expansion Radio Board
The Expansion Board allows to connect 2 communication modules at the same time in the Waspmote sensor platform. This means a lot of different combinations are possible using any of the wireless radios available for Waspmote: 802.15.4, ZigBee 3, DigiMesh, 868 MHz, 900 MHz, LoRa, WiFi, NB-IoT / Cat-M, 4G, Sigfox, LoRaWAN, Bluetooth Pro, Bluetooth Low Energy and RFID/NFC. Besides, the following Industrial Protocols modules are available: RS-485/Modbus and CAN Bus.
Some of the possible combinations are:
LoRaWAN - 4G
802.15.4 - Sigfox
868 MHz - RS-485
NB-IoT / Cat-M - WiFi
DigiMesh - 4G
NB-IoT / Cat-M - RFID/NFC
WiFi - 4G
CAN Bus - Bluetooth
etc
NB-IoT / Cat-M and 4G modules do not need the Expansion Board to be connected to Waspmote. They can be plugged directly in the socket1.
In the next photo you can see the sockets available along with the UART assigned. On one hand, SOCKET0 allows the user to plug any kind of radio module through the UART0. On the other hand, SOCKET1 permits to connect a radio module through the UART1.
The API provides a function called ON() in order to switch the module on. This function supports a parameter which permits to select the SOCKET. It is possible to choose between SOCKET0 and SOCKET1.
Selecting SOCKET0: Sigfox.ON(SOCKET0);
Selecting SOCKET1: Sigfox.ON(SOCKET1);
The rest of the functions are used the same way as they are used with older API versions. In order to understand them we recommend to read this guide.
Warnings:
Avoid to use DIGITAL7 pin when working with the Expansion Board. This pin is used for setting the XBee into sleep mode.
Avoid to use DIGITAL6 pin when working with the Expansion Board. This pin is used as power supply for the Expansion Board.
Incompatibility with Sensor Boards:
Agriculture PRO v30: Incompatible with Watermark and solar radiation sensors
Events v30: Incompatible with interruption shift register
Smart Water v30: DIGITAL7 incompatible with conductivity sensor
Smart Water Ions v30: Incompatible with ADC conversion (sensors cannot be read if the Expansion Board is in use)
Gases PRO v30: Incompatible with SOCKET_2 and SOCKET_3
Cities PRO v30: Incompatible with SOCKET_3. I2C bus can be used. No gas sensor can be used.
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