nRF51822 Beacon Kit ideal orientation

[classicman]

Hello everybody,

I'm designing an app to track the position of the smartphone using six beacons; I would like to know if there is an optimal orientation of the antenna (e.g. towards the floor with the beacon flat to wall) to be respected in order to achieve the best performances. If a radiation pattern for the antenna is available, that would be very helpful.

Thanks.

[Roger Clark]

I think you got the answer to this question as part of your other question about RSSI

The antenna is just a track on the PCB, along the outer edge of the circular design.

AFIK...

Its radiation patter will be strongest at 90 deg to the PCB, and least strong on the plane of the PCB.

The battery holder is in very close proximity to the antenna, so will most likely shield the transmissions in the direction from the antenna that need to go through the batter and the holder.

If you want a beacon which has an omnidirectional radiation pattern, I think you will need to go with a custom design, or possibly buy a different beacon with possibly an external antenna, so that you can control the orientation and also ensure that the PCB and battery etc are not shielding the radiation in any direction you need it to go in.