DWM1000 range of 10 meters only

Hello,

I am using DWM1000 modules for indoor localization. I interfaced the DWM1000 with a custom board based on a DSP and a FPGA, the code seems to work, the modules communication is OK but i have some troubles with the range wich is only about 10 meters line of sight (I expect a range of at least 100 meters). Above 10m, some packets are lost the localization can’t work anymore.

I configured the DWM1000 modules in the default “high range” mode (channel 2, 100kb/s, 16MHz PRF, preambleCode 3, preambleLength 1024), but i still have 10 meters of range. I replaced the “smart power” mode by setting manually the Tx power to the maximum (reg 0x1E : Tx Power Control = 0x001F1F00), the range increased to 15 meters (still not sufficient and I am not respecting the regulations).

I calibrated the modules to get a clock drift that is quite good (1-2ppm).

I also tried configuring the modules in 'High Datarate Rate" mode (channel 2, 6.8Mb/s, 16MHz PRF, preambleCode 3, preambleLength 128) and I still get a range of about 10m.

Do you have any clue of what is happening ? Does someone have an idea of what I could test to get more data about this problem of range ?

Thank you for your answers,

Yoann

[color=black][size=medium]Hi Yoann,[/size][/color]
[color=black][size=medium]To start off , could I ask you about your environment, for example is it indoor or outdoor, could there be refelections (eg if you place units 20m apart m is there still no comms happening? [/size][/color]
[size=medium][color=#000000]Also have a look at the application note on range (APS017) , it gives some recommendations
[/color][/size]
[color=#000000][size=small] [/size][/color]
[size=medium]Also , what TX power would you use (reg 0x1E) ? I’m asking as the DWM could do with extra power , and stay within the regulations, as stated in the DWM1000 datasheet (footnote on page 8) [/size]

[size=small]“[font=Arial, sans-serif]1[/font][font=Arial, sans-serif]To achieve best results when using the DWM1000 with Decaw[/font][font=ArialMT]ave’s DecaRanging software[/font][font=Arial, sans-serif], you will need to[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=Arial, sans-serif]adjust the default transmit power value programmed into the DWM1000 by the software. This is because[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=Arial, sans-serif]DecaRanging software is targeted at Decawave[/font][font=ArialMT]’s EVB1000 evaluation board which has a different RF path[/font][/size]
[size=small][font=Arial, sans-serif]compared to the DWM1000. You should increase the transmit power by approximately 3 dB.[/font][/size]
[size=x-small][font=Arial, sans-serif] [/font][/size]

Hi Leo,

Thank you for your help.

About the environment : I tried indoor (in a corridor, so lots of reflections) and outdoor (in a field, almost no reflections except the ground). Each module is mounted on a tripod that is 1.5 meters high, to limit ground reflections effect.

I configured the Tx power in manual mode, and I set the [size=medium]0x1E register to full coarse gain and full fine gain (value : 0x001F1F00).[/size]

I read this [color=#000000][size=medium]APS017[/size][/color] and I think that the recommendations are followed. As I am using the DWM1000 module, I suppose that the RF hardware circuit is OK. And I don’t see any other configuration that could change the TX power of the modules…

Mysteries…

Yoann

Maybe is somthing offtopic, but is the value : 0x001F1F00 the max value ? i thought it was 0x1F1F3F5F