User`s guide

PICDEM

™

DEMONSTRATION KIT

USER’S GUIDE

Appendix C. PICDEM™ Z 2.4 GHz RF Card

C.1 INTRODUCTION

This appendix describes the PICDEM Z MRF24J40 2.4 GHz Daughter Card. Topics

discussed in this chapter are:

• The PICDEM™ Z MRF24J40 2.4 GHz Daughter Card

•Schematic

•PCB Layout

• PICDEM Z MRF24J40 Daughter Card Bill of Materials

• PCB Antenna Details

C.2 THE PICDEM™ Z MRF24J40 2.4 GHz DAUGHTER CARD

The PICDEM Z MRF24J40 2.4 GHz Daughter Card (AC163027-4) is shown in

Figure C-1. It features the MRF24J40 transceiver IC, all passive circuitry, PCB

antenna, and optional SMA connector footprint. It is designed to plug into the PICDEM

Z Motherboard, or to any application, using a 12-pin connector or Explorer 16

Development Board using the side edge connector.

The PICDEM Z MRF24J40 2.4 GHz Daughter Card is a good platform to evaluate an

inverted F-type PCB antenna. The optional SMA connector can be populated to

evaluate external antenna options or to connect to test equipment for measurement.

The PICDEM Z MRF24J40 2.4 GHz Daughter Card may be used as a reference

design. The Gerber files are available for download on the at Microchip website

http://www.microchip.com/wireless/ and on the PICDEM Z CD-ROM.

More information about the MRF24J40 IC, refer to:

“MRF24J40 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 RF Transceiver Data Sheet” (DS39776)

Features of the PICDEM Z MRF24J40 2.4 GHz Daughter Card include:

1. MRF24J40 Transceiver IC (U1): An IEEE 802.15.4 compliant transceiver IC in a

40-pin QFN package.

2. Daughter Card Connector (J2): Connector J2 is a 12-pin connector used to con-

nect to the PICDEM Z Motherboard or any application with a mating connector.

It supplies 3.3V power, 4-wire SPI, reset, wake and interrupt connections to the

MRF24J40. The pinout is shown in Figure C-2. The 12-pin connector is a Samtec

P/N LST-106-07-F-D.

3. PCB Edge Connector (J3): Connector J3 is a 30-pin connector used to connect

to the Explorer 16 Development Board. It supplies 3.3V power, 4-wire SPI, reset,

wake and interrupt connections to the MRF24J40. The pinout is shown in

Figure C-2.

4. PCB Antenna: An inverted F-type PCB antenna.

5. Optional SMA Connector (P5): The SMA footprint may be populated with an

SMA connector for connecting to an external antenna or test equipment. The

PCB antenna is connected by default. To enable the SMA connector and disable

the PCB antenna, removed capacitor C38 and move it to position C8.