NORA-B1 series - System integration manual
UBX-20027617 - R02
Design-in
Page 27 of 58
C1-Public
4.3.3
On-board antenna (NORA-B106 only)
To reach an optimum operating performance, follow these instructions:
•
The module should be placed in the center of an edge of the host PCB, preferably on the longest
edge. Placing the module in or near a corner will distort the radiation pattern and reduce
performance.
•
A large ground plane on the host PCB is a prerequisite for good antenna performance. It is
recommended to have the ground plane extending at least 10 mm on the three sides of the module
that are not against the edge. See Figure 6.
•
The host PCB should include a full GND plane underneath the entire module, with a ground keep-
out under the antenna according to the description in Figure 7.
•
NORA-B106 has six extra GND pads under the antenna that need to be connected for good
antenna performance. Detailed measurements of the footprint including these extra GND pads
can be found in the NORA-B1 series data sheet [1].
•
High / large parts including metal shall not be placed closer than 10 mm to the module antenna.
•
The module is designed to accommodate a small amount of material near the antenna, such as
thin (1-2mm) plastic enclosures, with minor effect. A large amount of dielectric material near the
antenna area can detune the antenna, reducing performance.
•
Ensure all ground pads are well connected to the ground plane via wide traces and/or stitching vias
•
Ensure the antenna keep-out is followed on all layers.
•
Designs that accommodate the other NORA modules may also use this keep-out area in order to
provide a common host PCB for different antenna arrangements.
Figure 6: Extend GND plane outside the NORA-B106 module
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