Specifications
AirPrime Embedded Module Hardware Integration Guide
40 Proprietary and Confidential 2130114
Ground connection
When connecting the module to system ground:
• Prevent noise leakage by establishing a very good ground connection to the
module through the host connector.
• Connect to system ground using the two mounting holes at the top of the
module (shown in Figure 3-1 on page 39).
• Minimize ground noise leakage into the RF.
Depending on the host board design, noise could potentially be coupled to
the module from the host board. This is mainly an issue for host designs that
have signals traveling along the length of the module, or circuitry operating at
both ends of the module interconnects.
Shielding
The module is fully shielded to protect against EMI and to ensure compliance with
FCC Part 15 - “Radio Frequency Devices” (or equivalent regulations in other
jurisdictions).
Note: The module shields must NOT be removed.
Note: Values in this guide
are taken from the appro-
priate product specifi-
cation documents (PSDs)
(listed in Related
documents on page 13)—
in the case of a
discrepancy between this
document and the relevant
PSD, use the value listed
in the PSD.
Antenna and cabling
When selecting the antenna and cable, it is critical to RF performance to match
antenna gain and cable loss.
Choosing the correct antenna and cabling
Consider the following points for proper matching of antennas and cabling:
• The antenna (and associated circuitry) should have a nominal impedance of
50 with a return loss of better than 10 dB across each frequency band of
operation.
• The system gain value affects both radiated power and regulatory (FCC, IC,
CE, etc.) test results.
Developing custom antennas
Consider the following points when developing custom-designed antennas:
• A skilled RF engineer should do the development to ensure that the RF
performance is maintained.
• Identify the bands that need to be supported, particularly when both CDMA
(MC57xx) and UMTS (MC8xxx) modules will be installed in the same
platform. In this case, you may want to develop separate antennas for
maximum performance.
Note: For detailed electrical performance criteria, see Appendix A: Antenna Specification
on page 91.