Antennas
By default all our products are shipped with an internal PCB antenna for both cellular (LTE-M / NB-IoT) and wM-Bus / LoRaWAN. For installations with poor signal conditions — e.g. metal enclosures, basements, or meter cabinets — external antenna variants can be mounted to the housing on request.
Antenna Variants
External antennas are ordered as a variant of the device. The variant determines which radio uses an external antenna and how many connectors are mounted:
- External LTE only — external cellular antenna, wM-Bus / LoRaWAN internal.
- External wM-Bus / LoRaWAN only — external metering antenna, LTE internal.
- Both external — external antennas for both radios (2× SMA).
- Shared external — the internal antenna path is routed to a single external SMA connector.
The exact type suffixes and variant codes are listed in the Order Codes & Type Designations reference. Contact sales@lobaro.de for availability of antenna variants per add-on.
Connector Types
SMA (standard)
External antennas are connected with a standard SMA RF connector mounted on the housing:
An external rod antenna (2 dBi) is included with the external antenna variants.
FAKRA (on request)
As an alternative to SMA, external antennas are also available with FAKRA connectors (e.g. for automotive-style installations). Contact sales@lobaro.de for availability and ordering details.
FAKRA is ordered as a separate modification (FAK), not as an antenna variant — it replaces the SMA connector on all RF connectors. See Order Codes & Type Designations for the exact suffix.
Choosing an Antenna Variant
- Internal (default): suitable for most installations with reasonable signal coverage.
- External LTE (
A1): for weak cellular coverage — e.g. inside metal cabinets or basements. - External wM-Bus / LoRaWAN (
A2): to improve meter reception or LoRaWAN range. - Both external (
A3): for challenging installations where both radios need an external antenna. - Shared external (
A): the internal antenna path is simply routed to a single external SMA connector.