Helium and Semtech recently announced that the Helium Network is one of the largest, public LoRaWAN networks in the United States. On the heels of this, we want to properly introduce the Helium Network to LoRa® Developer Portal users, and put together a few tutorials and deep dives to ensure this community can quickly take advantage of Helium for Internet of Things (IoT) applications.

The need to be able to create proofs-of-concept quickly is important to you. At Semtech we understand this, and now offer the Asset Tracking Reference Kit. This kit is designed to help you quickly determine whether or not a LoRa®-based tracking solution will work for your logistics and tracking applications.

Looking to scale-up your business by implementing affordable asset management solutions that can last for years, without wasting time and money recharging or replacing batteries?

Looking for asset tracking solutions that can provide robust end-to-end security without compromising system integrity, all in a single design that can support both indoor and outdoor applications?

Wait no longer.

Chirps are great for low power wide area networks (LPWAN) because they occupy a single dimension.

Let’s start with a real-world analogy: it is difficult to get lost in a one-dimensional space. For instance, if you walk along a coastline or a river it is fairly easy to find your way back. Similarly, it is possible to set up an appointment with a friend in a one-dimensional space (in a loose manner) such as “Let’s meet on Main Street near the restaurants.” If you’re both walking along Main Street near the restaurants at roughly same time, you will

Figure 1: LoRaWAN networks are everywhere

The answer is simple: Everywhere.

Whether public, private, mobile, or even satellite, the ubiquity of LoRaWAN-based networks and the solutions they support is growing rapidly, driven by the rapid pace of innovation across the LoRaWAN ecosystem.

Introduction

To effectively deploy a LoRa®-based Internet of Things (IoT) solution, you will either need access to an existing LoRaWAN® network, or will have to install your own. Conveniently, you have the option to register your LoRa-based devices with either a public or private network.

LoRa®-based devices connected to a LoRaWAN network operate in the unlicensed radio band known as the ISM band. While a LoRaWAN network can be deployed anywhere in the world, there are different regulatory requirements depending on the location of the deployment.

Welcome to the LoRa Developer Crossword Corner.

Last time we took a look at LoRa® and LoRaWAN® fundamentals. This time, we’re going to dig a little deeper and take a look at Adaptive Data Rate and Blind ADR in LoRa devices. Before trying your hand at our puzzle, we suggest reading two of our newest technical papers: Understanding the LoRa Adaptive Data Rate and LoRaWAN Mobile Applications: An Introduction to Blind ADR.

Have fun, and good luck!

Complete the puzzle: LoRa Adaptive Data Rate

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