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I am using an arduino micro controller with a LoRa radio module to communicate. The shield has 2 ways of connecting an antenna: either a SMA jack or a hole for soldering.

Now my problem is this: I need to get the antenna away from the module itself, so that i can get the antenna out of the container of the arduino. What ways are there of doing this? Can I just use a wire? But on the other hand, would that wire not act as an antenna itself? Are there special cables or something?

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  • $\begingroup$ friendly reminder: please accept an answer or clarify what is not satisfactory about the answers you've gotten. This site stops working if askers don't give feedback!! $\endgroup$ – Marcus Müller Apr 15 '17 at 10:20
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You have an SMA connector – use that! You can buy ready-made coax cables with SMA connectors on both ends.

As mentioned, what you want is a coax cable. The electromagnetic wave travels within the cable, so, no, if not damaged and properly attached to the radio and to an actual antenna, it won't double as antenna.

Very much like your TV cable doesn't emit radio waves.

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  • $\begingroup$ Here is an example: amazon.com/Microwave-Handheld-Antenna-Extension-Coaxial/dp/… $\endgroup$ – Kerry Hatcher Apr 12 '17 at 20:30
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    $\begingroup$ 2ft is about 60cm, right? Not the cheapest cable there is (for 433 MHz and a couple cm out of a case, you don't need the greatest cable in the world), but will certainly do its job! $\endgroup$ – Marcus Müller Apr 12 '17 at 23:44
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    $\begingroup$ this farnell product listing would list a lot of alternatives. I don't know what suits your case. $\endgroup$ – Marcus Müller Apr 13 '17 at 0:01
  • $\begingroup$ I was just showing the type of cable, but yes that cable is much longer than what he needs. I just so happen to have had that listing open in another tab for a similar project. $\endgroup$ – Kerry Hatcher Apr 14 '17 at 16:16
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You can make a solder-able on aerial with a length of screened wire. On the board end separate the screen from the wire inside it. The centre wire is soldered onto the hole for the aerial. The screen is soldered onto the nearest earth point. (Make sure it does not short against any thing.) At the other end you remove the screen for a section of the length, thus just the inner wire is left exposed. This is then placed where you want it to be. The screen is just that - a screen. Make the length of the exposed wire [for a frequency of 868MHz ] 8.2cm in length. Reference = Page 30 of https://partner.orange.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/04/LoRa-Device-Developer-Guide-Orange.pdf (I am Rob Scott of scott_electronics@yahoo.co.uk )

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  • $\begingroup$ Actually I think this might be the most elegant and lightweight solution available. Thanks! The problem would be finding a solid core and thick enough wire for an antenna... $\endgroup$ – user5227744 Apr 13 '17 at 9:34
  • $\begingroup$ Maybe I could use something like this, by just inserting the wire and connecting the shield to the GND pin on the arduino (which is "minus" in case you are not familiar with arduino) $\endgroup$ – user5227744 Apr 13 '17 at 9:41
  • $\begingroup$ link $\endgroup$ – user5227744 Apr 13 '17 at 9:41

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