Choosing an Integrated Radio-frequency Module for a Wildlife Monitoring Wireless Sensor Network

We consider the choice of a radio transceiver module for use in a wireless sensor network aimed at wildlife monitoring. In this application, power consumption and communication range in difficult terrain are key challenges. From field measurements we firstly establish that little is to be gained in terms of improved signal transmission by using the lower ISM frequency of 169MHz. Subsequently we evaluate 5 currently commercially available 433MHz radio modules in representative terrain and configurations. Four of these communicate using FSK, while one is LoRa-capable. We find that the LoRa module offers clear advantages in terms of power consumption and range, allowing communication over 5500m at a power of 20dBm with 2% packet loss. We conclude that this technology presents potential for integration into a sensor network for wildlife monitoring.