Satellite Transceiver Breakout

Looking for a low-cost way to send and receive data messages via satellite? This is it! With a clear view of the sky, the Satellite Transceiver Breakout - Swarm M138 allows you to send and receive short messages. It works anywhere in the world, including the polar regions, far beyond the reach of WiFi and Cellular networks. It is perfect for a variety of low-bandwidth use cases: from connecting people and tracking vehicles, ships, or packages to relaying sensor data for agriculture, energy, and industrial IoT applications. The built-in GNSS receiver makes it perfect for many tracking applications.

At the heart of our product is a Swarm M138 satellite modem. This is a Mini-PCI Express Card containing both the satellite modem and a very capable GNSS receiver, all in one integrated package! It can operate from a wide range of supply voltages: 3.0V Min; 5.0V Max. Its standard 3.3V CMOS serial UART interface and NMEA-style command set makes it easy to integrate into your project. Our board includes both a USB-C interface (for power and/or serial data) and a full set of breakout pins. Want to plug it into your laptop or Raspberry Pi and use it to communicate out in the field? You can absolutely do that! We've written a Python3 PyQt5 GUI to get you started. Full details are available in the hookup guide and in the product repo. Want to connect it to your Arduino microcontroller board? You can absolutely do that too! Our Swarm Arduino Library makes that easy.

Our kit contains everything you need to get started:

• Swarm M138 Modem
• SparkFun Satellite Transceiver Breakout
• Swarm VHF Antenna
• u.FL - SMA Adapter
• SparkFun Antenna Ground Plane (PCB, 8" x 8")
• Molex adhesive GNSS Antenna (u.FL)
• 2 x u.FL to u.FL cables
• 2 x M2.5 Screws

Features

• PCB Dimensions (with modem attached):
  • 3.5" x 1.4" x 0.37" (89 x 36 x 9.5mm)
• SMA Connections:
  • Separate, robust connectors for VHF satellite communication and GPS / GNSS positioning
• Serial Interface:
  • USB-C via a CH340E USB-serial converter
  • 3.3V UART via 0.1" breakout pins
  • Split pads allow the TX and RX breakout pins to be isolated from the CH340E
  • TX and RX LEDs (configurable)
• Power Supply:
  • 3.0V (Min)
  • 5.0V (Max)
  • Power can be provided by USB-C or via 0.1" breakout pins
  • "Ideal diode" power mux circuit with ~0V voltage drop
• Current Draw @ 3.3V:
  • Sleep: Modem: 80µA (Peak); Power Mux: ~70µA
  • Receive: 26mA (Typ.); 40mA (Peak)
  • Transmit: 850mA (Typ.); 1000mA (Peak)
• Current Draw @ 5.0V:
  • Sleep: Modem: 110µA (Peak); Power Mux: ~100µA
  • Receive: 25mA (Typ.); 45mA (Peak)
  • Transmit: 550mA (Typ.); 600mA (Peak)
• Please note:
  • When powering the board from USB, please use a USB-C or USB 3 port
  • USB 2.0 is not supported

See below for our recommended extras.

Want to know more? Click the button below to open our hook-up guide: