Taoglas MFX3 Antenna vs. FXUB63

Connectivity BLE // NFC
, ,
1

I was browsing through Documentation today and realized that the product photo of the Boron has a Taoglas MX3 antenna connected to it. I was curious, so I looked up the antenna and it’s specific to NB IoT and Cat M1 bands.

Has anyone tested these antennas side-by-side and noticed any improvement on the MX3 over the FXUB63 on a Boron or E Series LTE?

2

@fishmastaflex it looks like the only one certified with the Boron is the FXUB63.07.0150C.

Comparing the two datasheets, they appear to be about the same. There are some differences though…

Comparing the peak gain across the different bands tells a different story. With that said, the performance improvements you see will be provider dependent. (i.e. it depends on what band your provider uses.) This may require some extra leg work on your end to figure that part out.

The FXUB63.07.0150C performs better in most cases though. That likely why they likely ended up choosing it over the MFX3.07.

3

I noticed that as well.

But setting certification aside, here’s the thing…AT&T is Particle’s primary provider for CAT M1, which runs specifically on Bands 2, 4, and 12. The Taoglas MFX3 antenna has higher peak and average gain values exactly in those same frequency bands when compared to the FXUB63. Both antennas are the same form factor. I’m sure the FXUB63 was safer to go with for future compatibility reasons.

That being said, I’m still interested if there are any noticeable signal improvements when using the MFX3 on a Boron. I might just have to buy one and try it out!

4

@fishmastaflex,

Did you ever check this out?

Thanks, Chip

5

I never did, actually! I went the external antenna route (Taoglas TG.30.8113) and am currently in the quoting stages of FCC certification. I can send you a PM if you’re interested in results of that. Cheers.

2 Likes
6

A FCC certified external antenna for a Boron, that has awesome written all over it!

7

Ha…if only I could share the certification with the community!

8

@fishmastaflex,

Wow, I am interested in this, PM please.

I assume you saw a big enough improvement to make the time / expense of FCC certification worthwhile. Was it that the antenna is better (higher efficiency but less gain than the default Particle LTE antenna) or is it that an external antenna gave you the mounting options you needed?

Thanks,

Chip

1 Like
9

@fishmastaflex, any updates on this?

10

Hey fellas,

@chipmc The antenna was recommended both here on Particle forums and also by a Taoglas representative. They told me that it’s used extensively in outdoor IoT hardware because it’s IP-rated. In the limited field tests I performed, the Taoglas TG.30.8113 external antenna outperforms the FXUB63 PCB trace antenna mostly in the quality of the signal. When comparing the two in areas of limited cellular reception (my product is installed in rural commercial solar plants), the units with FXUB63 would have to constantly reconnect to the cell towers and the units with TG.30.8113 would hold steady. The measured RSSI signal strength wasn’t particularly higher with the external antenna, but the quality and ability to keep a connection made it the obvious choice for me.

@superseb I actually had my device in an official test lab chamber for radiated emissions, and it passed EN 301 908-1 and EN 301 511 standards (GSM 900, GSM 1800, UMTS Band 1, UMTS Band 8) with the E-Series E310 as the Particle module (uBlox SARA-U201). That is a step in the right direction for full CE certification. So pretty exciting.

1 Like
11

Thanks for the quick response!
2 questions come up to my mind.
First, do you have a picture of how you mount it? Since it has a swivel joint, how do you prevent the wind to blow it flat? And is that SMA connector really good enough for 10 years outside?
And secondly, why pick and antenna that is slightly better if you go through all that trouble, why not pick a big 9db antenna (assuming your device is stationary)?

12

The antenna swivel part of the antenna is pretty rigid, so I haven’t had any move in the wind. Have you purchased one to test the rigidity yet?

I don’t know if it will last 10 years outside, but in general, what does at that cheap of a price? Antennas are $15 and can be replaced with minimal work, so I had to think practical.

I didn’t pick a higher gain antenna because, admittedly:

  1. I’m a bit naive when it comes to radio engineering. Particle did most of the work for me, which is why I choose them.
  2. Higher gain antennas cost more.
  3. I wanted to pass radiated emissions testing and expedite CE certification for market readiness.
  4. I already had good results with the TG.30.8113 that fit my application.