Dragino LoRa Shield for Arduino V95 (915/868/433MHz)

The Dragino LoRa Shield V95 is pre-configured at the factory for a specific frequency band (433MHz, 868MHz, or 915MHz). You must select the correct variant when purchasing. The band is set in the transceiver's internal registers; you typically do not need to change it in your Arduino sketch if using the standard LoRa library, as it uses the library's default settings which should match the hardware. Always verify your regional ISM band regulations before deployment.

This shield is compatible with popular Arduino LoRa libraries such as the Sandeep Mistry 'LoRa' library. Simply stack the shield onto your Arduino Uno, Mega, Leonardo, or DUE board, ensuring proper alignment. Install the library via the Arduino IDE Library Manager. Basic examples include sending and receiving packets. The shield uses the SPI interface (pins D10-D13, with DIO0 typically connected to D2). No external wiring is needed beyond stacking and attaching the included SMA antenna to the connector.

Range varies significantly with environment. With the included antenna in an open rural area with clear line-of-sight, you can achieve several kilometers. In urban or dense suburban environments with obstructions, range may be reduced to 1-2 km. The shield's high +20 dBm transmit power and -148 dBm sensitivity maximize the link budget. For best results, ensure the antenna is vertically oriented and consider using a higher-gain external antenna connected via the IPEX/SMA connector for challenging deployments.

Yes, this shield can function as a LoRaWAN Class A end-device when used with a compatible LoRaWAN stack library (like MCCI LoRaWAN LMIC). To manage power consumption, utilize the transceiver's built-in sleep modes via library commands. The host Arduino microcontroller should also be put into a deep sleep mode between transmissions to minimize overall system current. The shield itself draws minimal current when the transceiver is in sleep mode, making it suitable for battery-operated sensor nodes that transmit data periodically.