Laird Technologies Publishes White Paper on RF Range

“Understanding range is important when integrating an RF solution into a device,” said Chris Downey, Laird Technologies Product Manager and the paper’s primary author. “This white paper helps device makers understand which factors have the most impact on the range of a radio transmission.”

After explaining how to compute RF range, the paper details factors that affect range, such as antenna type, antenna height, RF frequency, and environmental factors such as geography and weather conditions. Antenna selection must take required bandwidth and RF frequency into account. Proper antenna height ensures line-of-sight and removes possible interferers such as trees and buildings. The paper recommends conducting range tests several times a year to account for changes in factors such as tree foliage.