The latest Raspberry Pi computers have WiFi and Bluetooth connections, and now you can add even more radio options with the Adafruit Radio Bonnets! Upgrade your Raspberry Pi with a LoRa / LoRaWAN radio, so that it can communicate over very long distances. These cards connect directly to your Pi and offer you long-range wireless capabilities to remote nodes that can be battery powered. Or, you can easily create Internet gateways.

In addition to a radio module, you also have a 128x32 OLED display for status messages and three buttons to create a custom user interface or send test messages. All of the above is supported with our Python libraries so that you can send or receive LoRa data with other corresponding modules, send data to a LoRaWAN gateway, or even configure your own LoRaWAN gateways to the single channel Internet.

Compared to the 2.4 GHz WiFi/Bluetooth radios already installed on the Pi, these modules operate at 433 or 900 MHz (sub-GHz). You can't send data that fast, but you can send data much further away. These packet radios are simpler than WiFi or BLE, you don't need to associate, pair, scan or worry about connections. All you do is send data when you want, and all other modules set to the same frequency (and, with the same encryption key) will receive. The recipient can then return a response. Modules pack, correct errors and can also be transmitted automatically, so it's not as if you have to worry about everything, but less energy is wasted maintaining a connection or pairing.

These modules are ideal for use with other microcontrollers with suitable radios (such as our RadioFruit Feathers), for example if you want a network of sensor nodes or to transmit data on a campus or city. The compromise is that you need two or more radios, with corresponding frequencies.

These radio modules are available in four variants (two types of modulation and two frequencies). The RFM69 are the easiest to use and are well known and understood. LoRa radios are exciting and more powerful but also more expensive.

This is the 433 MHz radio version - the exact radio frequency is determined when you load the software because it can be set dynamically. These are LoRa +20dBm packet radios that have a special radio modulation that is not compatible with RFM69s but can go much further. They can easily go up to 2 Km in line of sight using simple wire antennas, or up to 20 Km with directional antennas and adjustment adjustments.

    Packet radio with ready-to-use CircuitPython libraries
    Uses the unlicensed ISM band: "European ISM" 868MHz or "American ISM". 915MHz @ 915MHz
    Use a simple wired antenna or a spotlight for uFL or SMA radio connector
    SX1276 LoRa®-based module with SPI interface
    +5 to +20 dBm up to 100 mW Output power (output power selectable by software)
    ~100mA peak for +20dBm emission, ~30mA during active radio listening.
    Range of about 2 km, depending on obstacles, frequency, antenna and output power.

All radios are sold individually and can only talk to radios of the same reference. For example, RFM69 900 MHz can only speak at RFM69 900 MHz, LoRa 433 MHz can only speak at LoRa 433, etc.

Each card is delivered fully assembled and ready for use. You can attach an antenna via the uFL connector, or cut and solder on a small piece of wire (any solid or stranded core is perfect) to create your antenna.

Technical details

    Dimensions: 65.2 x 30.6 x 9 mm
    Weight: 11g