This will serve as a listing of “community approved” antennas.
Discussion is over at BIG Antenna Discussion or on the #antennas channel on chat.helium.com (slack)
916 MHz MHW Series Antenna with RP-SMA Connector and 2 m (79 in) Cable
916MHz MHW Series Antenna with RP-SMA Connector and 4.6 m (180 in) Cable
Product Description
The Second Generation of RAK LoRa Antennas is a high-performance omnidirectional monopole. All LoRa bands are supported.
To choose the appropriate antenna with regards to the LoRa frequency of your region, please refer to the <https://www.thethingsnetwork.org/docs/lorawan/frequencies-by-country.html|TTN’s guide>, and/or the <https://lora-alliance.org/lorawan-for-developers|Regional Parameters Documentation >provided by the LoRa Alliance.
Complete documentation of this product can be found on our <https://downloads.rakwireless.com/en/Accessories/Antenna/Fiberglass-Antenna/|website documentation page>.
Key Features
3dBi5.8dBiFrequency Range (MHz)860 - 930860 - 930Gain (dBi)2.6 ~ 3.15.1 ~ 5.8VSWR≤2.5≤2.0Beamwidth360º360ºImpedance (Ohms)50Ω50ΩPolarizationVerticalVerticalRadome BodyFiberglassFiberglassConnectorN-Type MaleN-Type MaleBracket InclusionNo brackets included.2pcs bracketsDimensions (mm)ø25, 360 ± 10mmø25, 800 ± 10mmOperation Temp (ºC)-20ºC~ +65ºC-40ºC~ +60ºCStorage Temp (ºC)-30ºC~ +75ºC-30ºC~ +75ºC
Packaging
• 3dBi Inclusions:
• 1x Antenna
• 1x Pigtail interface converter
• 5.8dBi Inclusions:
• 1x Antenna
• 1x Pigtail interface converter
• 2x Mounting brackets
Helium Hotspot ships with this antenna.
Historically, the differences were as follows:● SMA (Sub-Miniature Version A): connectors were developed in the 1960s and it's coaxial RF connectors.● RP-SMA (Reverse Polarity SMA) is a variation of the SMA connector specification which reverses the gender of the interface.Antenna connectors used for WiFi devices were SMA and TNC connectors for decades. The problem was that both SMA and TNC were readily available on the market in the form of coaxial cable assemblies and antennas.To prevent users from equipping their wireless routers with such accessories, the FCC mandated that WiFi manufacturers utilize a new type of connector on the back of their devices, so the manufacturers create an irreplaceable connector.They simply swapped the center pin and hole location between the male and female connectors. So the term actually refers to this hardware "gender" change.
Wi-Fi equipment manufacturers have widely used RP-SMA connectors to comply with specific national regulations, such as those from the FCC, which are designed to prevent consumers from connecting antennas that provide additional gain and therefore breach Part 15 compliance. However, by 2000, the FCC regarded the connectors as readily available, though delaying its ruling indefinitely. As of 2018, leading manufacturers such as Netgear and Linksys are still using RP-SMA connectors on their Wi-Fi equipment.