I work for a startup in Bangalore. We are using Digi Xbee 865LP and we found that Range of two xbee communicating to each other even at LOS is not too much (not more than 100 meter) in a urban area. We are using default 2 dBi dipole antenna for communication. When we tried searching on how to increase the range, we found out that either you use a 8dBi antenna or increase the TX power dissipation (as per DIgi 865LP data sheet, page 128)which by default is 4 (maximum power).
One more point which i came across is that if we can decrease the throughput of Xbee when communicating to other Xbee, Range can be increase.
So i had 2 questions
(1) Is it right that we can increase the range by decreasing the throughput of Xbee communicating to other Xbee? If it is, than how can we do that
(2) Range which i got while testing the Xbee communication, is it alright or should we get more range. A while back when i tested the same module in a open agriculture filed, i got the range of 400 meter, so why only 100 meter in urban area although the both Xbee were in LOS?
On this product, you would have to use one of the G4 channels may allow you to increase the output power and gain to increase the range. However you are then limited to 10% transmit duty cycle per governmental regulations.
Urban environments have more collisions and interference which affect range.
The maximum O/P TX power dissipation for this module is 25mW which is by default. Does G4 channels will increase the O/P beyond this? Also as per India regulations, we can use
0x0007F800
(channels 11 -
18, 865.35 -
866.75 MHZ).
Setting CM to 0x0007F800, will that increase the range?
Also, i am planning to use this in a warehouse where food and other organic things are kept. Its like a big cube with outer walls may be 12 inch thick followed by the thermocol? Inside the warehouse, there are lanes where we will be required to keep these nodes. Do you think that Xbee would be able to penetrate through the wall? We are considering to place the repeater on the one side of wall.