Antenna Guide
This guide provides a high-level overview of antenna specifications and integration best practices for all Blues Notecards, Starnote, and GPS/GNSS receivers included on Notecards/Starnote that include cellular or satellite connectivity.
warningWe strongly advise comprehensive field testing in the final enclosure and deployment environment to ensure reliable connectivity with your chosen antenna(s).
Quick Reference
| Radio | u.FL Port(s) | Required Bands (MHz) | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| Cellular | MAIN, DIV (optional) | See reference for required bands | DIV can improve LTE Cat-1 reception only. |
| WiFi | WIFI (Cell+WiFi only) | 2401-2484 | Onboard antennas are included on Notecard WiFi and Cell+WiFi. Use of external antenna is optional on Cell+WiFi. |
| LoRa | Unlabeled | 902-928 (US) or 863-870 (EU) | A region-specific LoRa antenna is required. |
| Satellite | SAT | S-Band / L-Band frequencies on B23, B255, B256 for Skylo; L-band (1616–1626.5 MHz) for Iridium | Use the supplied flexible antenna (u.FL version) or onboard Ignion antenna (Antenna version) only. |
| GPS/GNSS | GPS | 1164-1610 (L1/L2/L5) | Recommend using active antennas, but see appropriate Notecarrier datasheet for proper usage. |
Cellular Antennas
Frequency Coverage (Cellular)
Cellular Notecards support NB-IoT, LTE-M, Cat-1, and Cat-1 bis protocols, depending on the model. Each requires an antenna matched to the LTE bands supported by its onboard modem.
Please see the Cellular Band Support by SKU section of the Notecard product family guide for detailed information on the ideal frequency band coverage for each Notecard.
Connectors and Antenna Placement (Cellular)
Every cellular-based Notecard includes a MAIN u.FL connector that requires an
antenna connection. The "wideband" Notecards that support LTE Cat-1 include an
additional DIV (diversity) u.FL connector that, when connected to a separate
antenna, can improve reception (downstream) connectivity.
Be sure to keep an 11mm clearance around any cellular antenna and its wiring, avoid bends that may permanently damage the wiring, and route coax away from potentially noisy traces.
Please be aware that many third-party cellular antennas utilize an SMA connector, so you may need to source an SMA to u.FL adapter for use with Notecard.
noteNotecarrier A includes onboard antennas from Ignion specifically tuned to cover all required cellular and GPS/GNSS frequencies across all Notecard variants.
Additional Resources (Cellular)
- Cellular Band Support by SKU
- Notecard Cellular Antenna Requirements (choose the appropriate Notecard SKU at top of page)
- Diagnosing Cellular Connectivity Issues
- Quectel Antenna Design Guide
WiFi Antennas
Frequency Coverage (WiFi)
The WiFi radio on Notecard WiFi and Notecard Cell+WiFi supports 2.4 GHz transmissions only; 5 GHz bands are not supported.
Connectors and Antenna Placement (WiFi)
The onboard ceramic antenna on Notecard WiFi suffices for most products. Be sure to provide at least an 11mm clearance around the antenna.
Notecard Cell+WiFi includes an onboard antenna, but also an optional WIFI
u.FL connector. While the onboard antenna suffices for most designs, the WIFI
connector can be used to attach an external antenna.
Additional Resources (WiFi)
LoRa Antennas
Frequency Coverage (LoRa)
Notecard for LoRa (US) supports the 902 MHz to 928 MHz band and Notecard for LoRa (EU) supports the 863 MHz to 870 MHz band. Use of an antenna tuned for US LoRa frequencies on the Notecard for LoRa (EU) version (and vice versa) is not supported.
Connectors and Antenna Placement (LoRa)
Each Notecard for LoRa device includes a single (unlabeled) u.FL connector for an antenna. Be sure to keep an 11mm clearance around the LoRa antenna and its wiring, avoid bends that may permanently damage the wiring, and route coax away from potentially noisy traces.
Additional Resources (LoRa)
Satellite Antennas
Starnote for Skylo
warningStarnote for Skylo with u.FL connectors is certified on Skylo's network exclusively with the antenna provided in the kit. If you replace or modify the antenna, Skylo classifies the device as uncertified and may block it.
Should you wish to pursue Skylo certification with a different antenna, you'll need to work with your test house to produce a report that demonstrates that the combination of device + antenna does not exceed an EIRP of 30dBM. This delta test lab report demonstrates that the transmission power of the device does not exceed regulatory limits and can be done by any lab that is authorized to do CTIA/OTA testing. If you don’t have a test house that can perform this test, Blues can recommend one.
Regardless of antenna choice, we strongly advise comprehensive field testing in the final enclosure and deployment environment to ensure reliable connectivity.
Frequency Requirements (Skylo)
Starnote for Skylo's NTN radio provides support for for S-Band / L-Band frequencies on B23, B255, B256 bands.
Connectors and Antenna Placement (Skylo)
Starnote for Skylo (Antenna) includes onboard antennas from Ignion.
Starnote for Skylo (u.FL) includes a certified dual-band flexible antenna.
This must be attached to the SAT connector on Starnote.
For both Starnote variants, be sure to keep an 11mm clearance around the antennas to avoid interference and ensure the antennas have a clear view of the open sky. If using the external flexible antenna, avoid bends that may permanently damage the wiring and route coax away from potentially noisy traces.
Additional Resources (Skylo)
Starnote for Iridium
warningStarnote for Iridium is certified on Iridium's network exclusively with the antenna provided. If you replace or modify the antenna, Iridium classifies the device as uncertified and may block it.
Should you wish to pursue Iridium certification with a different antenna, please reach out to Blues for guidance.
Regardless of antenna choice, we strongly advise comprehensive field testing in the final enclosure and deployment environment to ensure reliable connectivity.
Frequency Requirements (Iridium)
Starnote for Iridium operates operates in the Iridium L-band user link at 1616–1626.5 MHz.
Connectors and Antenna Placement (Iridium)
Starnote for Iridium includes an Iridium-certified antenna. This must be attached to the available u.FL connector on Starnote.
Be sure to keep an 11mm clearance around the antenna to avoid interference and ensure the antenna has a clear view of the open sky. Avoid bends that may permanently damage the wiring and route coax away from potentially noisy traces.
Additional Resources (Iridium)
GPS and GNSS Antennas
Frequency Requirements (GPS/GNSS)
Notecard Cellular, Notecard Cell+WiFi, and Starnote include GPS receivers that operate on 1164 MHz to 1610 MHz frequencies (L1/L2/L5 bands).
Connectors and Antenna Placement (GPS/GNSS)
For best GPS/GNSS performance, Blues recommends using an active antenna
connected to the GPS u.FL connector when using a Notecard Cellular or
Cell+WiFi device. Select an active antenna with 50-Ohm impedance which accepts
voltages in the 3.3V-4.0V range. Notecard does also support the use of passive
GPS/GNSS antennas, but performance may be degraded. See the
Notecard datasheet for your
specific Notecard variant for more information on using an active or passive
GPS/GNSS antenna.
noteBlues Starnote is designed for use with passive GPS/GNSS antennas only.
As with all antennas, maintain an 11mm clearance around the antenna to avoid interference, avoid bends that may permanently damage the wiring, and route coax away from potentially noisy traces. Ensure your GPS/GNSS antenna is outdoors and has a clear view of the open sky. Buildings, trees, and other obstacles can increase the amount of time it takes to acquire a fix on GPS satellites.
Using External GPS/GNSS Antennas with Blues Notecarriers
Individual Notecarriers must be properly configured to work with active vs passive GPS/GNSS antennas.
warningDO NOT use a passive antenna when a Notecarrier is configured to use an active
antenna. The passive antenna can permanently damage the Notecard by presenting a
DC short circuit to the GPS u.FL connector which has a 3.9V DC bias.
Notecarrier A features an onboard active GPS/GNSS antenna and was designed with a sufficient buffer to isolate the antenna and minimize interference with other electronics. Notecarrier A models do not support external active GPS/GNSS antennas.
Notecarrier CX supports passive GPS/GNSS antennas by default. If using with
an active GPS antenna, add a 0-Ohm 0603 jumper to the unpopulated spot next
to the ACT_GPS_IN pin. This will power an active GPS LNA with a 3.8VDC bias
voltage on the center conductor of its GPS u.FL connector. Please see the
datasheet
for more information. A passive antenna is included with the purchase of a
Notecarrier CX.
Notecarrier F includes a dip switch labeled GPS_ANT that allows for the
use of active or passive antennas. When switched to ACTIVE this applies 3.9VDC
to the center conductor of the Notecard GPS antenna connector to power the
low-noise amplifier (LNA) of an active GPS antenna. This switch must be set to
PASSIVE (default) if used with a passive GPS antenna. A passive antenna is
included with the purchase of a Notecarrier F.
Notecarrier Pi includes a dip switch labeled GPS ACTIVE that allows for
use of an active antenna when switched to ON. This switch must be set to OFF
if used with a passive GPS antenna. A passive antenna is included with the
purchase of a Notecarrier Pi.
Notecarrier X/XM/XS support passive GPS/GNSS antennas by default. If using
with an active GPS antenna, add a 0-Ohm 0603 jumper to the unpopulated spot
between VGPS_OUT and VGPS_IN. Please see the
datasheet
for more information. A passive antenna is included with the purchase of a
Notecarrier X/XM/XS.