Semtech has launched the SX1272, the first product in a new family of long-range Radio Frequency Integrated Circuits (RFICs) with a transmission range up to 15 kilometers. The SX1272 integrates Semtech’s new LoRa (long range) modulation technology to enable drastic range improvements over alternative modulation methods. Compared to a typical range of 1 to 2 kilometers with smart meter transceivers using FSK modulation, the new device can transmit over more than 15 km, operating under the same conditions and regulatory limits.

 

The new RFIC achieves receiver sensitivity up to -137 dBm using a low-cost crystal, compared to current state-of-the-art FSK devices with a sensitivity of -115 dBm with a comparable crystal or -125 dBm using an expensive temperature controlled crystal oscillator (TCXO). The in-band interference signal rejection is also 25 dB better than FSK devices. This makes the device especially effective in ISM band applications because it provides immunity from sub-GHz 4G/LTE signals.

 

The SX1272 supports GFSK, FSK, GMSK, and OOK modulation in addition to LoRa and is designed to support WMBus, IEEE 802.15.4g (SUN), FCC 15.247, ARIB T96/108, EN 300-220, and other worldwide standards and regulations.