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SAWbird+ IR is a self-contained LNA module designed for capturing L-Band signals, particularly from Iridium and Inmarsat satellites. It has a very high attenuation outside of the 60MHz bandpass region, centered around 1.620GHz, and a minimum of 30dB of gain within the bandpass region. Nominal current draw is 180mA.

The SAWbird+ series contains 2 ultra-low-noise LNAs sandwiched around a custom-designed, high-performance SAW filter centered at the frequency of interest. Each LNA module has 2 EMI shields to separate each delicate LNA from external interference. There are also M3 mounting holes available to mount the PCB in your custom enclosure or project with standard hardware.

Each module allows for 3 different power options, but you should only power with one option at any given time! The recommended power input through the SMA output port (for bias-tee capable SDRs like the NESDR SMArTee XTR) is 3V-5V DC. Alternatively, if you don't have a bias-tee capable SDR, you can use the external power options through the microUSB port or the power input header (female 0.1" header). The recommended external power input is 3.3V-5.5V DC. Though there is protection circuitry on the SAWbird for overvoltage conditions, and voltages of up to 12V DC should still work and will not damage the device, it is not recommended for long-term usage. Kindly note that damage resulting from overvoltage conditions would not be covered under the standard 1 year warranty.

As the frequency of this device borders on the maximum frequency capability of R820T-based SDRs, we recommend using it in conjunction with the NESDR SMArTee XTR v2, which contains a bias-tee capable of powering the SAWbird+ IR module with bias power. It also utilizes a different tuner IC than other low-cost SDRs, which means it is capable of frequencies well in excess of 2GHz.