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EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 8:40 pm
by viberama
Is there a correct way to set-up the 4 MHF4 output antenna connectors on the EM160R-GL or are they all the same?
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Mon Jan 11, 2021 11:28 pm
by Didneywhorl
For MIMO:
Pair M with D/G
2nd pair M1 and M2.
If all single antennas, then it doesnt matter really.
Never use only one antenna. Always use matched pairs of antennas.
If using only 2 antennas. Use M and D/G. Then use the AT command:
to turn off 4x4 MIMO.
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2021 3:16 pm
by theoriginalgiga
Question, if someone wanted to turn the mimo back on would it be:
AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/disable",0 ?
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Sat Jan 23, 2021 11:55 pm
by Didneywhorl
theoriginalgiga wrote: ↑Sat Jan 23, 2021 3:16 pm
Question, if someone wanted to turn the mimo back on would it be:
AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/disable",0 ?
I believe so, yes
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 2:02 pm
by BDF1234
By disabling 4x4, is it defaulting to 2x2? And therefore you would still get CA, just in the 2x2 format?
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Sun Jan 31, 2021 2:04 pm
by Didneywhorl
BDF1234 wrote: ↑Sun Jan 31, 2021 2:02 pm
By disabling 4x4, is it defaulting to 2x2? And therefore you would still get CA, just in the 2x2 format?
Yes and Yes. Two different technologies at work.
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Wed Feb 03, 2021 7:48 am
by BDF1234
Great. Thanks for the info. I am still contemplating my build. When I initially set up my EM160, I will only have a single 2x2 panel antenna. It may be a while before I spend the extra $230 to get the second antenna. Sounds like I could just run it in 2x2 mode (for lack of better term) until I get the full 4x4 antenna setup working.
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Fri Feb 05, 2021 4:56 pm
by Didneywhorl
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:45 am
by BDF1234
Thank you for the link. Very interesting. Do you have any thoughts on a 4x4 all-in-one panel vs twin 2x2 panels?
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Fri Feb 12, 2021 2:51 pm
by wh31415
Has anyone here actually managed to get their EM160R to switch to 2x2 MIMO mode? Every time I try it I get an error.
If I query the current setting it shows that the disable setting is off (i.e. 4x4 is enabled):
Code: Select all
AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/disable"
+QCFG: "lte4x4mimo/disable",0
OK
When I try to turn that setting on to disable mimo 4x4, it throws an error.
Code: Select all
AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/disable",1
ERROR
Have any of you actually gotten this to work? If so, is there some other setting you need to tweak to allow 4x4 mimo to be disabled?
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 6:52 pm
by Didneywhorl
BDF1234 wrote: ↑Sun Feb 07, 2021 8:45 am
Thank you for the link. Very interesting. Do you have any thoughts on a 4x4 all-in-one panel vs twin 2x2 panels?
Less to deal with and easier to aim. Not sure theres any difference in performance. Preference I guess.
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Sat Feb 13, 2021 8:17 pm
by Didneywhorl
wh31415 wrote: ↑Fri Feb 12, 2021 2:51 pm
Has anyone here actually managed to get their EM160R to switch to 2x2 MIMO mode? Every time I try it I get an error.
If I query the current setting it shows that the disable setting is off (i.e. 4x4 is enabled):
Code: Select all
AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/disable"
+QCFG: "lte4x4mimo/disable",0
OK
When I try to turn that setting on to disable mimo 4x4, it throws an error.
Code: Select all
AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/disable",1
ERROR
Have any of you actually gotten this to work? If so, is there some other setting you need to tweak to allow 4x4 mimo to be disabled?
What modem firmware are you using again?
I've heard the earlier versions don't work with this command, but I tried with A05 and it isnt working. I wonder if it is dependent on certain parameters. hmmmm...... <squirrelWheels>
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2021 12:04 am
by wh31415
Didneywhorl wrote: ↑Sat Feb 13, 2021 8:17 pm
What modem firmware are you using again?
I've heard the earlier versions don't work with this command, but I tried with A05 and it isnt working. I wonder if it is dependent on certain parameters. hmmmm...... <squirrelWheels>
I see the string "A05" in the revision number, so I assume that's A05?
Code: Select all
ATI
Quectel
EM160R-GL
Revision: EM160RGLAUR02A05M4G
OK
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Sun Feb 14, 2021 12:52 pm
by Didneywhorl
Yes. Generally the only parts that change on updates are in bold and underlined: EM160RGLAUR02A05M4G
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Wed Nov 17, 2021 11:29 pm
by 56387f
Didneywhorl wrote: ↑Sat Feb 13, 2021 8:17 pm
What modem firmware are you using again?
I've heard the earlier versions don't work with this command, but I tried with A05 and it isnt working. I wonder if it is dependent on certain parameters. hmmmm...... <squirrelWheels>
I think I figured out what is the problem (I use EM160RGLAUR02A05M4G). You have to run the command
AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/swmethod",0
to control lte4x4mimo via AT commands
and only after that
AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/disable",1
or
AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/disable",0
If you try to execute AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/disable",X without calling AT+QCFG="lte4x4mimo/swmethod",X first it simply does not work.
Re: EM160R-GL antenna pin outs?
Posted: Thu Nov 18, 2021 10:48 am
by mtl26637
Good point. I didn't think of that. Matter of fact there are A LOT of settings in Quectel modems that are handled in this way. You must first 'enable' the ability to change a setting to be able to actually change the setting. IMO, the most important command for checking signal strength/integrity seems disabled by default on the modems that I've seen. "CSI" channel state information which tells you several things such as how many MIMO streams are running "RI", modulation scheme "MCS", channel quality indicator "CQI" are all turned off by default for some reason.
