News

EAD is pleased to announce its new M-Puck platform offers LTE magnetic antenna solutions for mobile and fixed 4G and LTE applications where a permanently mounted antenna is not desirable. The M-Puck is a very durable solution for roof-mount, cabinet and outdoor applications and does not have a whip element like many magnetic antennas.

The MP modular platform caters for a wide range of installations due to the variety of  models offering 2 x LTE antenna elements, 2 x LTE + GPS/GLONASS, 1 x LTE + 1 GPS/GLONASS, 1 x LTE + 1 x WiFi and 1 x LTE + 1 x WiFi + 1 x GPS/GLONASS. The model numbers are as follows:

MP-2L – MIMO LTE magnetic puck antenna
MP-2LG – MIMO LTE + GPS/GLONASS magnetic puck antenna
MP-LW – LTE + WiFi magnetic puck antenna
MP-LG – LTE + GPS/GLONASS magnetic puck antenna
MP-LWG – LTE + WiFi + GPS/GLONASS magnetic puck antenna

Housed in the popular CPO/CMO housing, the M-Puck product has a robust base that has a high pull strength magnetic integrated whilst the cables exit from the side of the antenna. Depending on the model, the M-Puck antennas can be configured with 1, 2 or 3 RF cable feeds.

For more information on magnetic LTE antennas, please contact us. Formal product releases will be made during early Februrary.

A new version of EAD’s VLP4 antenna integrates 450 LTE GPS WLAN frequencies into one low profile roof-mount antenna. Ideal for LTE 450 and LTE multiband applications, this VLP4 version also offers a 2.4 GHz WLAN element and an active  GPS/GLONASS element for positioning.

Fed by three cables, one for LTE450/700-2700 MHz, one for WLAN and one for GPS/GLONASS, the VLP4 is an effective solution for transit applications, trucking and machinery where 4G connectivity alongside positioning and WiFi capabilities is required.

For more information and pricing on this antenna, please contact us here at EAD and we’ll be happy to help you.

For more generic VLP4 information, please visit the product page.

The WMO is a High Gain Outdoor Omni for Sigfox and LoRa with two models operating at either 868 MHz or 915 MHz for wall-mounted applications. The WMO8685 operates at 868 MHz offering 5 dBi gain and the WMO9156 operates at 915 MHz with 6 dBi gain. Both antennas come with a wall-mount L-bracket and 5M cable and a SMA-Male connector as standard.

Designed for continuous outdoor deployment, the WMO8685 and WMO 9156 are housed in a fibreglass sheath and are robustly built. Ideally suited to applications on the fringe of LoRA or SigFox coverage where a high gain antenna is desirable, these antennas provide reliable and consistent performance.

For pricing and availability information on the WMO8685 and WMO9156 high gain outdoor omni for SigFox and LoRa antennas, please contact your local EAD distributor or us directly for assistance.

The CMG dual LTE GNSS antenna is a neat solution for MIMO LTE and GNSS applications requiring a robust and low profile puck antenna. Based on EAD’s popular CPx platform, two 690-2700 MHz antenna elements coexist alongside an active GPS/GLONASS antenna.

The CMG is mounted via way of a threaded stud and locking nut underneath and with a robust gasket is IP67 rated when mounted correctly onto a flat surface such as a vehicle roof, street cabinet or kiosk enclosure. The antenna is feed by 3 cables which can be terminated with coaxial connectors per customer requirements including SMA, FME, MMCX, TS9, CRC9.

A version without the GPS/GLONASS element is available – it is called the CMO. It offers 2 x LTE elements and is an ideal complement to LTE routers that have two antenna ports. The CMO can be purchased via the Connex webshop.

The BTR2458 dual band wifi terminal antenna is a 2.4 and 5 GHz compact dipole antenna designed for portable and fixed WiFi terminals and devices. Available with either a SMA-Male or RP-SMA connector and housed in a black, injection-moulded ABS sheath, the BTR2458 will connect to most WLAN terminals and devices offering robust performance in a discreet form factor.

The antenna is small enough for mobile or portable devices and has an articulating connector that can lock in either the horizontal or vertical positions for operational flexibility.

For more information on the BTR2458 antenna, you can download the specification sheet from the product page or contact EAD for any other questions.

Focusing on 433 MHz frequencies, we present here four 433 MHz terminal antennas for ISM band applications. Many 433 MHz applications require a terminal mounted antenna, typically with a SMA-Male connector. EAD offers a number of interesting solutions for ISM licence-free frequencies and we summarise them here.

WR/WS433 – 433 MHz stub antenna

The WR433 and WS433 antennas are compact quarter wave, groundplane dependent stub antennas. Requiring a groundplane (metal mounting surface) to operate efficiently, the WR433 and WS433 are usually terminated in a SMA-Male connector. Containing a 1/4 wave coil, the antenna element is housed in robust and durable acetal sheath.

433 MHz captive mount antenna

The W433-FLY is a captive-mount 1/4 wave whip antenna with flying lead. The design enables the antenna to be integrated into the wall of an enclosure and the cable fed inside to the radio. As standard the cable is RG174 for a SMA, RP-SMA or MMCX connector, however it can be offered with a U.FL flying lead for radios mounted with U.FL receptacles. The W433-FLY does require a groundplane to operate effectively.

433 MHz quarter-wave helical antenna

The MH433 is a quarter-wave moulded helical antenna usually terminated in SMA-Male connector. Requiring a groundplane to operate effectively, the MH433 is compact whilst retaining some flexibility which is especially helpful in mobile applications. Other frequencies and connectors based on this design are possible, please contact us for more information.

433 MHz groundplane independent whip antenna

The FEW433 is a 433 MHz whip antenna that doesn’t require a groundplane to operate. Based around a moulded sheath, the FEW433 is flexible, however offers robust performance. It is available with the SMA-Male or TNC-Male connector as standard although a RP-SMA connector is also possible.

Four 433 MHz terminal antennas for ISM bands

These antennas are not the only 433 MHz antenna options available from EAD. We can also offer wall-mount or 1/4 wave whip antennas. If you do not see what you need, please use our antenna configurator to determine your requirement.

The WTR7270 4G LTE terminal antenna is an innovative solution for fixed and mobile applications requiring a blade-style antenna with a SMA-Male connector. Supporting worldwide 4G LTE bands from 700-2700 MHz, the WTR7270 offers a practical solution for mobile and fixed devices, routers and terminals whilst offering robust performance in a sleek black sheath.

Complementing many 4G and LTE routers and terminals, the WTR7270 is one of the most popular EAD antennas alongside the MIMO-Blade and the LMO7270 products. For further details on the WTR7270, please visit the product page.

For European customers, you can purchase small quantities online at www.connextech.co.uk or alternatively contact your local EAD distributor.

The formal part number is FWTR35292-SM-KR.

We take a look at some interesting antenna solutions for 868 MHz that might be used for LoRA or Sigfox applications. 868 MHz in many parts of the world is a licence-free frequency band. Increasingly this frequency band is being used for IoT networks for longer range access for data applications. That being said no one antenna is suitable for every application, therefore many customers need to consider what mounting option is required and where best to position the antenna when designing an installation. Here are four suggestions:

868 MHz multi-position dipole antenna

For fixed and mobile terminals where the orientation of the device is not always certain, sometimes it helps to consider a multi-position antenna where the antenna can be moved from the horizontal to the vertical position. Terminated with a coaxial connector such as SMA, RP-SMA or TNC for example, the antenna element can be lock in three places depending on the installation.

868 MHz captive-mount monopole antenna

For applications where you would need a small quarter-wave antenna, but want to discourage the removal of the antenna from the application, you could consider a captive mount model. This means that the base of the antenna is mounted through the terminal’s metal enclosure and held in place by a locking nut. A coaxial cable feeds from the bottom of the antenna through the mounting boss and can connect to the radio module.

High gain 868 MHz outdoor omni antenna

For fringe areas of signal, a 5-6 dBi outdoor omni-directional might be useful. Wall-mounted and supplied with a 5M cable to connect to the radio or device some way away, this high gain antenna can often aid reception in difficult installations. Fully weatherproof with a fibreglass tube, this antenna can be mounted outdoors permanently.

Internal 868 MHz PCB dipole antenna

A half-wave groundplane independent PCB antenna, this enables the antenna to be installed inside a non-metal terminal enclosure enabling a discreet, but functional antenna installation. Various cable and connector options are possible including U.FL, MMCX and SMA.

This list of antenna solutions for 868 MHz is not exhaustive so if you cannot what you need here, please feel free to e-mail us or use our antenna configurator.

The VLP4 antenna is a multiband transit antenna platform designed primarily for on-vehicle use. Based on a low profile footprint, the VLP4 can be developed to meet customer specifications for VHF, UHF, TETRA and multi-band frequency bands.

Examples of antenna configurations might be LTE450 + LTE 700-2700 MHz, 2 x LTE 450 MHz, TETRA + LTE or LTE450 + LTE 700-2700 + WiFi.

The antenna mounts directly onto a flat metal surface and requires a groundplane to operate correctly. The cable(s) exit underneath through a gland in the base plate.

Please feel free to contact us with your requirements for the VLP4 antenna. Some requirements may require additional chargeable development work depending on the parameters of the project.

You can also use our antenna configurator to help build your customised VLP4 multiband transit antenna platform solution.

EAD puck antennas IP67 rated. EAD is pleased to announce that it’s range of CPx puck antennas is now IP67 rated.

An IP (International Protection or also known as Ingress Protection) rating is a system of classifying the level to which a mechanical casing or electrical enclosure can withstand intrusion by dust and moisture/water. IP67 is a common requirement for outdoor antenna installations and means that it is totally protected against the ingress of dust and also protected against the effect of immersion between 15 cm and 1M.

The range of EAD puck antennas including the following models are all now confirmed to be IP67 compliant when correctly installed onto a flat enclosed mounting surface such as vehicle roof or watertight enclosure:

CPO – GSM/3G puck antenna
CMO – MIMO 4G/LTE puck antenna
CMG – MIMO 4G/LTE + GPS/GLONASS puck antenna
CLG – 4G/LTE + GPS/GLONASS puck antenna
CLW – 4G/LTE + WiFi puck antenna
CLWG – 4G/LTE + WiFi +GPS/GLONASS puck antenna

For more information on any of the above antennas, please contact us.