Modules Manage Low-Power Coms

June 10, 2010

The MRF89XA transceiver modules from Microchip Technology operate with low 3-mA receive current in sub-GHz wireless communications networks. The MRF89XAM8A (868-MHz) module and the MRF89XAM9A (915-GHz) module both integrate a power amplifier capable of +12.5 dBm output power at 1-dB compression and low-noise amplifier (LNA) that enables receiver sensitivity of -113 dBm in their respective bands. The transceiver modules include an integrated packet handler with a 64-B first-in, first-out (FIFO) memory for transmit and receive buffering. According to Steve Caldwell, Director of the company's RF Products Div., "The new MRF89XA transceiver and modules are ideal for low-power wireless sensor and metering communication. The combination of this transceiver with our nanoWatt XLP family of eXtreme Low Power PIC microcontrollers provides an industry-leading platform for Sub-GHz wireless networking." Applications include remote meter reading, home/building/industrial automation, and remote keyless entry (RKE) systems.

About the Author

Jack Browne

Technical Contributor

Jack Browne, Technical Contributor, has worked in technical publishing for over 30 years. He managed the content and production of three technical journals while at the American Institute of Physics, including Medical Physics and the Journal of Vacuum Science & Technology. He has been a Publisher and Editor for Penton Media, started the firm’s Wireless Symposium & Exhibition trade show in 1993, and currently serves as Technical Contributor for that company's Microwaves & RF magazine. Browne, who holds a BS in Mathematics from City College of New York and BA degrees in English and Philosophy from Fordham University, is a member of the IEEE.