Low-cost 900 MHz Hopping Spread Spectrum Module

Operating in the 900 MHz ISM band, the DNT90 is a low-cost, long-range, multi-purpose OEM RF module suitable for wide variety of cost-sensitive applications including wireless sensor networking, telemetry and control applications.

"At a $29 single unit price, the DNT90 delivers FHSS reliability and robustness of 900 MHz performance without breaking the bank," said Tim Cutler, Director of Product Marketing for RFM. "The DNT90, with its unheard of price point, allows the integration of an incredibly reliable FHSS radio into applications that could not afford one in the past."

Cutler continued, "The DNT90 features 100 kb/s data rate with best-in-class RF power of +22dBm (150mW) coupled with excellent receive sensitivity of -99dBm to provide exceptional range and performance in an FCC (USA) and IC (Canada) certified module."

The DNT90 uses frequency hopping technology with a unique TDMA / CSMA hybrid multiple access scheme that delivers low latency to yet a virtually unlimited number of nodes in a single network. Point-to-point and multi-point networks are supported as well as peer-to-peer and store-and-forward repeating. Available in pinned and surface-mount versions, the DNT90 footprint and pin out is the same as RFM’s 2.4GHz LPR2430ER allowing OEMs to create both 900MHz and 2.4GHz products on a single hardware platform.

The DNT90’s store-and-forward repeating feature can extend the already substantial range of the 900 MHz module without the need for dedicated routing nodes. Plus, at a full 150mW of RF power, the DNT90 provides more than twice the power of competing modules to deliver exceptional range.

The DNT90 supports wireless applications needing to send over-the-air analog and digital data and / or serial data. The module offers 3 analog inputs and 6 GPIOs to not only report signal status but also to initiate actions without the need for additional intelligence. With a standard UART serial port supporting standard baud rates in addition to the analog and digital I/O, the DNT90 is well-suited for any sensor application. Its ability to auto-report sensor data and to sleep in-between reports makes the DNT90 suitable for battery operation. Its 128-bit AES encryption provides protection of highly sensitive application data.

RFM offers a developer kit - the DNT90DK - to help design engineers fast track their designs. This developer kit will be available by the end of October 2010 from RFM distributors Avnet, Digi-Key, Mouser Electronics, and Nu Horizons with a suggested retail price of $199.

RFM offers one of the broadest ranges of wireless sensor networking platforms in the RF module and boxed radio product categories in the market. RFM has earned a reputation for outstanding support of the integration of their OEM RF modules by customers with little or no RF expertise. Design engineers looking for RF module solutions look to RFM first. The RFM OEM RF module portfolio includes Wi-Fi®, WirelessHARTTM, ZigBee® / 802.15.4, Proprietary Mesh, and Proprietary FHSS RF modules and boxed radios.

RF Monolithics, Inc. - www.RFM.com