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RAK2011 WisLink Cellular BG96 Arduino Shield Datasheet

Overview​

Description​

The RAK2011 WisLink Cellular BG96 Arduino Shield is a compact cellular communications module that supports Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA) technology for networking Internet-of-Things (IoT) devices. It can simultaneously support 2G, 4G/LTE, NB-IoT, and GPS, with an additional feature of Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) for high definition (HD) and uninterrupted voice calls.

This multitude of features allows users the flexibility of migrating from 2G to 4G/LTE. It requires no hardware change and improves power consumption, system capacity, and spectrum efficiency by utilizing the Narrow Band Internet-of-Things, tracking units through GPS and location-based services (LBS), staying on the 4G/LTE network even when making or receiving calls, and other networking features.

The RAK2011 is based on the Quectel BG96 module and comes with drivers for Windows, Linux, and Android support via AT commands. It supports networking protocols such as PPP, TCP, UDP, SSL, TLS, FTP(S), HTTP(S), NITZ, PING, and MQTT. This is useful for facilitating software development and system integration into any IoT application.

RAK2011 can be used as a development platform in tandem with external microcontrollers/microprocessors-based platforms for IoT applications, or it can be used as a standalone device. It is in full compliance with FCC, CE, RoHS, and Japan TELEC/JATE.

Features​

  • Supports Low-Power Wide-Area (LPWA) Technology
  • Features Voice-over-LTE (VoLTE) for high definition (HD) and uninterrupted voice calls
  • Based on the Quectel BG96 module
  • Supports networking protocols
  • Flexible in migrating from 2G to 4G/LTE

Package Content​

  • BC96 LPWA IoT Cellular Arduino Shield
  • Cellular Antenna
  • GPS Antenna

Specifications​

Overview​

Board Overview​

Figure 1 shows part identification on the top view of RAK2011 WisLink Cellular BG96 Arduino Shield.

Figure 9924: RAK2011 WisLink Cellular BG96 Arduino Shield Top View

The underside and dimension of the RAK2011 are shown in Figure 2.

Figure 9925: RAK2011 WisLink Cellular BG96 Arduino Shield Bottom View

Functional Diagram​

The block diagram in Figure 3 shows the internal architecture and external interfaces.

Figure 9926: RAK2011 Functional Diagram

Hardware​

The hardware specification is categorized into seven (7) parts. It discusses the interfacing of the module and its corresponding functions and diagrams. It also covers the electrical, environmental, mechanical, and antenna parameters that include the tabular data of the functionalities and standard values of the RAK2011 WisLink Cellular BG96 Arduino Shield.

Interfaces​

The RAK2011 is built around the Quectel BG96 LPWA IoT cellular module and provides the following interfaces, headers, jumpers, buttons, and connectors:

  • Micro-B USB
  • Micro SIM Card Slot
  • Arduino Headers (UART1, UART3, RESET, PWRKEY, STATUS, AP_READY, DTR, RI, PSM_IDC, W_DISABLE, 5 V, 3.3 V)
  • 2x4 PCM Voice Headers (I2C, I2S)
  • 2x3 Digital/Analog I/O Headers (ADC0, ADC1, GPIO0, GPIO1)
  • 1x4 Debug UART Header (UART2)
  • 1x2 USB BOOT Jumper

It has two push buttons to allow the user to power on/off and reset the board:

  • POWER_KEY – Power on/off the BG96 module
  • RESET – Reset the BG96 module

It has two SMA antenna connectors:

  • Cellular (LTE/GSM) Antenna (3GPP Bands) – UART1
  • GPS Antenna (1575.42±1.023 MHz) – UART3
Operating Modes​

The RAK2011 WisLink Cellular BG96 Arduino Shield can operate in the following modes:

1. Normal Operation

  • Idle: Software is active. The BG96 module has registered to the network and is ready to send and receive data.
  • Talk/Data: Network connection is ongoing; the power consumption is determined by the network settings and data transfer rate.

2. Extended Idle Mode DRX (e-I-DRX)

BG96 module may negotiate with the network, via non-access stratum signaling, the use of e-I-DRX for reducing power consumption while being available for mobile terminating data and/or network originated functions within a certain period depending on the DRX cycle value.

3. Airplane Mode

AT+CFUN command or W_DISABLE# pin can set the module into airplane mode. In this case, RF functions are disabled.

4. Minimum Functionality Mode

AT+CFUN command can set the BG96 module into a minimum functionality mode without removing the power supply. In this case, both RF function and (U)SIM card will be disabled.

5. Sleep Mode

In this mode, the current consumption of the BG96 module will be reduced to a lower level. During this mode, the BG96 module can still receive paging messages, SMS and TCP/UDP data from the network.

6. Power Saving Mode (PSM)

The BG96 module may enter into Power Saving Mode for reducing its power consumption. PSM is similar to power-off, except the BG96 module remains registered on the network and there is no need to reestablish PDN connections.

7. Power OFF Mode

In this mode, the power management unit shuts down the power supply. The software is not active and the serial interfaces are not accessible, but the operating voltage remains applied.

Micro-B USB Interface​

A standard Micro-B USB compliant with the USB 2.0 standard specification is used to provide an interface to connect to a PC for control of BG96 cellular modem and firmware upgrade.

Figure 9927: Micro-USB Interface

The Micro-B USB pin definition is shown below:

PinDescription
1USB_VBUS (+5 V)
2USB_DM
3USB_DP
4N/C
5GND
USB Boot Jumper​

A standard two (2) pin USB Boot header (when closed) is used to force the RAK2011 to boot from USB port for performing a firmware upgrade.

Figure 9928: USB Boot Jumper
PWRKEY Push Button​

PWRKEY push button is used to turn on/off the BG96 module. To turn on the BG96 module, push the PWRKEY button for at least 100 ms. The STATUS pin from Arduino header will output HIGH. To turn off the BG96 module, push PWRKEY button for at least 650 ms. STATUS pin from Arduino header will output LOW.

RESET Push Button​

The RESET push button is used to reset the BG96 module. To reset the BG96 module, push the RESET button between 150 ms and 460 ms.

Figure 9929: PWRKEY and RESET Push Button
LED Indicators​

Three LEDs are used to indicate the operating status. Below are the functions of the LEDs:

🔴 Red LED

  • POWER ON: Indicates power status.

🟢 Green LED

  • STATUS: Indicates module operation status.

🔵 Blue LED

  • NETLIGHT: Indicates network activity status.

Pin Definition​

Arduino Header​

The mapping of Arduino headers on the RAK2011 WisLink Cellular BG96 Arduino Shield is shown in Figure 7.

Figure 9930: Pin Configurations for the Arduino headers
NamePinI/ODescription
UART1_TXDD0D0UART1_TXD
UART1_RXDD1D1Receive cellular (LTE/GSM) data
R1D2D0Ring indicator
DTRD3D1Data Terminal Ready (sleep mode control)
AP_READYD4D1Application processor sleep state detection
RESETD5D1Reset signal of the BG96 module
PWRKEYD6D1Turn on/off the BG96 module
STATUSD7D0Indicate the BG96 module’s operation status
W_DISABLED8D1Airplane mode control
PSM_INDD9D0Power saving mode indicator
UART3_RXDD11D0Transmit GPS data
UART3_TXDD12D1Receive GPS data

  • UART1 interface supports 9600, 19200, 38400, 57600, 115200, 230400, 460800, and 921600 baud rates, and the default is 115200 bps. It is used for cellular (LTE/GSM) data transmission and AT command communication.

  • UART3 interface supports 115200 bps baud rate. It is used for outputting GPS data and NEMA sentences.

PCM Voice Header​

A standard 2x4 (2.54 mm) male header is used to provide one Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) digital interface and one I2C interface to the external CODEC extension board.

Figure 9931: PCM Voice Header

PCM voice header pin definition is shown in the table below:

Name Pin I/O Description Comments
I2C_SCL1ODI2C serial clock External pull-up resistor is required. 1.8 V only. Keep this open if unused.
I2C_SDA2ODI2C serial data
PCM_SYNC3DOPCM frame sync output 1.8 V power domain. Keep this open if unused.
PCM_CLK4DOPCM clock output
PCM_IN5DIPCM data input
PCM_OUT6DOPCM data output

The reference design for the external CODEC extension board is shown in Figure 9.

Figure 9932: External CODEC Extension Board
Analog Input & Digital I/O Header​

A standard 2x3 (2.54 mm) male header is used to provide two (2) analog input (ADC0 and ADC1) and two (2) digital input and output port pins (GPIO0 and GPIO1) to an optional external extension board for additional features that may utilize these analog Input and digital I/O port pins. The analog input and digital I/O header pin layout are in Figure 10.

Figure 9933: Analog Input & Digital I/O Header

The analog Input/Digital I/O header signal definition is shown in the table below:

Name Pin I/O Description DC Characteristics Comments
GPIO01IO General Purpose Input/Output VOLmax=0.45 V
VOHmin=1.35 V
VILmin=0.3 V
VILmax=0.6 V
VIHmin=1.2 V
VIHmax=2.0 V
1.8 V power domain. Keep this open if unused.
GPIO12
ADC03 AI General Purpose Analog to Digital Converter Voltage Range: 0.3 V to 1.8 V
15-bit resolution 		Keep this open if unused.
ADC14
Debug Header​

A standard 1x4 (2.54 mm) male header is used to provide a serial port (UART2) interface for debug and log output at 115200 bps baud rate. The debug header pin definition is shown in Figure 11.

Figure 9934: Debug Header

The analog Input/Digital I/O header signal definition is shown in the table below:

Name Pin I/O Description DC Characteristics Comments
DB_G_RXD2di Receive Data VILmin=0.3 V
VILmax=0.6 V
VIHmin=1.2 V
VIHmax=2.0 V
1.8 V power domain. Keep this open if unused.
DBG_TXD3DOTransmit Data VOLmmin=0 V
VOLmax=0.45 V
VOHmin=1.35 V
VOHmax=1.83 V 		1.8 V power domain. Keep this open if unused.
ADC03 AI General Purpose Analog to Digital Converter Voltage Range: 0.3 V to 1.8 V
15-bit resolution 		Keep this open if unused.
ADC14

Antenna​

Figure 9935: RAK2011 LTE and GNSS Antenna
Cellular (LTE/GSM)​
Overview​

The cellular (LTE/GSM) antenna for the RAK2011 covers the working frequency band from 824 MHz to 2690 MHz.

Figure 9936: Cellular Antenna
Antenna Dimension​
Figure 9937: Cellular Antenna Dimension
Antenna Parameter​

The Voltage Standard Wave Radio (VSWR) plot is shown in Figure 15.

Figure 9938: Cellular (LTE/GSM) Antenna Parameter

The VSWR data is shown in the table below:

Frequency (MHz)VSWR
7009.3
8004.6
8803.6
9604.9
17109.3
18804.4
217015

The Smith plot is shown in Figure 16.

Figure 9939: Smith Plot
Radiation Pattern on H-Plane​
Figure 9940: Radiation Pattern on H-Plane
Radiation Pattern on E1-Plane​
Figure 9941: Radiation Pattern on E1-Plane
Radiation Pattern on E2-Plane​
Figure 9942: Radiation Pattern on E2-Plane
UGain and Efficiency Table​
Frequency (Hz)EfficiencyGain (dBi)Frequency (Hz)EfficiencyGain (dBi)
7.00E+0849%1.6329481.71E+0935%0.02584
7.10E+0851%1.8263951.72E+0935%0.0088
7.20E+0849%1.8332881.73E+0936%0.647356
7.30E+0844%1.6006591.74E+0944%0.806863
7.40E+0846%1.8961421.75E+0935%0.03676
7.50E+0850%1.9367881.76E+0946%0.549059
7.60E+0850%1.7211121.78E+0934%0.14522
7.70E+0846%1.4062811.79E+0935%0.41562
7.80E+0845%1.4918291.81E+0936%0.35094
7.90E+0847%1.83091.83E+0934%0.30882
8.00E+0845%1.8439671.85E+0938%0.430313
8.06E+0841%1.7143661.86E+0935%0.33059
8.10E+0845%2.2155381.88E+0937%0.008792
8.24E+0842%1.973121.90E+0943%0.479122
8.34E+0844%1.8900231.92E+0940%0.111459
8.44E+0842%1.4071881.94E+0946%0.407999
8.54E+0842%1.4537141.96E+0944%0.037526
8.64E+0847%2.1116461.98E+0948%0.405617
8.74E+0846%1.932891.99E+0948%0.112167
8.80E+0848%1.9609582.00E+0947%0.144104
8.84E+0846%1.9303332.02E+0946%0.14634
8.94E+0852%2.3473372.04E+0947%0.033818
9.00E+0850%2.1929462.06E+0945%0.112366
9.10E+0850%2.2653942.08E+0951%0.672779
9.20E+0849%2.0819872.10E+0948%0.291807
9.30E+0848%2.0057512.12E+0954%0.939911
9.40E+0849%2.1289942.14E+0954%1.161325
9.50E+0849%2.3054492.16E+0959%1.631935
9.60E+0848%2.2330222.17E+0959%1.967355
GPS Antenna​
Overview​

The GPS antenna for RAK2011 is shown in Figure 20.

Figure 9943: GPS Antenna
GPS Antenna Dimensions​
Figure 9944: GPS Antenna Dimensions
GPS Environmental Requirements​

The antenna environmental requirements are listed in the table below:

ConditionsTemperatureHumidity
Working-35 °C ~ +80 °C0% ~ 95%
Storage-40 °C ~ +85 °C0% ~ 95%
GPS Antenna Parameter​

The GPS Antenna specifications and Post Environmental Tolerance (PET) are listed in the table below:

ItemSpecificationsPET
Range of Receiving Frequency1575.42±1.1±2.5
Center Frequency (MHz) w/ 30 mm2 GND plane1575.42±3.0
Bandwidth (MHz) (Return Loss ≤ -10 dB)≥10±0.5
VSWR (in Center Frequency)≤2.0±0.5
Gain (Zenith) (dBi Typ) w/ 70 mm2 GND Plane4.5±0.5
Axial Ratio (dB) w/ 70 mm2 GND Plane3.0±0.2
PolarizationRight-Handed Circular-
Impedance (Ω)50-
Frequency/Temperature Coefficient (ppm/ºC)0±10-

Amplifier Specifications are listed in the table below:

ItemSpecifications
Frequency Range1575.42 MHz
Gain27 dB
VSWR≤ 2.0 V
Noise Coefficient≤ 2.0 dBm
DC Voltage3 ~ 5 V
DC Current5 ± 2 mA

Environmental test performance specifications are listed below:

ItemNormal Temp.High Temp.Low Temp.
Amplifier Gain27 dB ± 2.027 dB ± 2.027 dB ± 2.0
VSWR≤ 2.0≤ 2.0≤ 2.0
Noise Coefficient≤ 2.0≤ 2.0≤ 2.0
NOTE

  • High Temperature Test: Soak in temperature (85° C) and humidity (95%) chamber for 24-hour and return to normal temperature (at least for 1- hour) without visual shape change.

  • Low Temperature Test: Soak in temperature (-40° C) chamber for 24-hour and return to normal temperature (at least for 1-hour) without visual shape change.

RF Characteristics​

Operating Frequency​

The table below lists all the supported cellular (LTE/GSM) operating frequencies:

3GPP BandTransmit (MHz)Receive (MHz)
B11920 ~ 19802110 ~ 2170
B2 (PCS1900)1850 ~ 19101930 ~ 1990
B3 (DCS1800)1710 ~ 17851805 ~ 1880
B41710 ~ 17552110 ~ 2155
B5 (GSM850)824 ~ 849869 ~ 894
B8 (GSM900)880 ~ 915925 ~ 960
B12699 ~ 716728 ~ 746
B13777 ~ 787746 ~ 757
B18815 ~ 829.9860 ~ 874.9
B19830 ~ 844.9875 ~ 889.9
B20832 ~ 862791 ~ 821
B26814 ~ 848.9859 ~ 893.9
B28703 ~ 748758 ~ 803
B391880 ~ 19201880 ~ 1920

Electrical Characteristics​

Schematic Diagram​
Figure 9945: RAK2011 Schematic Diagram
Figure 9946: RAK2011 Power Schematic
Figure 9947: BG96 Module Schematic
Figure 9948: USIM Schematic
Figure 9949: Voltage Transform
Figure 9950: USB to UART Schematic
Power Requirements​

The RAK2011 can be powered by +5 V from an MCU baseboard via Arduino header (POWER) if used as an Arduino Shield. It can also be powered by +5 V out of Micro-B USB if used as a standalone modem.

ParameterMin.Max.
Power Supply Voltage3.7 V5.5 V
Current Consumption-500 mA
Digital Input Voltage0 VIOREF
Digital Output Voltage0 VIOREF

Environmental Characteristics​

The table below lists the operation and storage temperature requirements:

ParameterMin.TypicalMax.
Operation Temp. Range-35° C+25° C+75° C
Extended Temp. Range-40° C-+85° C
Storage Temp. Range-40° C-+90° C