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Refer to the radio output section for further details.
All communications modules have internal antennas suitable for sites with moderate to
good communications strength. The Iridium module is a separate
component designed to mount on top of the Ai1. Refer to the Iridium
quick start guide for further details about the Iridium integration and
operation. It is possible to order the Iridium transceiver as an easy upgrade to the Ai1.
Refer to these installation instructions:
Throughout this guide the Ai1-3G model connected to Eagle.io will be used for most
examples. Similar concepts apply to all models.
1.3
Enhancements
Many integrated enhancements may be included at the time of order. These enhancements may be combined
within the limit of the Ai1 I/O. A configurator spreadsheet is available which describes the I/O utilization for each
option and confirms that the Ai1 has capacity.
Figure 2
–
Iridium Quick Start guide
Iridium Technical Specification
The Iridium SBD transceiver provides true global operation with pole-to-pole coverage, requiring only a clear
view of the sky to communicate to the 66 orbiting satellites with the internal 1621MHz tuned patch antenna.
The rugged transceiver is IP68 rated, weighs only 300 grams, and operates over a wide temperature range (-40
to +85°C). Data is transmitted as emailed data reports which are easily decoded using Eagle.io. The email
includes an approximate geolocation for situations where a GPS is not used. The 12V power is easily switched
using a control line, to minimize power consumption. The transceiver draws 200mA briefly on power up with an
on-air power consumption around 20mA. Allow 30s from power up before sending the data report, with retries
to ensure that the message is transmitted. Transmission typically occurs within 60s from first attempt.
Data reports are priced per byte for cost effective transmission.