ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 - 2.4GHz Smart RF Eval Board | Microchip
MPN: ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $405.9 | $405.90 |
| 10 | $405.9 | $4,059.00 |
| 100 | $405.9 | $40,590.00 |
| 500 | $405.9 | $202,950.00 |
| 1,000 | $405.9 | $405,900.00 |
ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 Overview
An RF evaluation board is a hardware development platform that lets engineers test and validate a wireless transceiver IC before committing to a custom PCB design. Within the product hierarchy, it sits under development boards, kits and programmers, then RF development tools, then wireless/ISM evaluation platforms. Evaluation boards typically expose the RF IC, its supporting passives, antenna matching network, and an on-board microcontroller so the entire physical layer can be exercised out of the box.
Key features of this platform include a fully integrated low-IF receiver with integrated LNA, a fully integrated GFSK modulator supporting data rates up to 1152 kbit/s, and multi-channel operation across 95 channels in the 2.4 GHz ISM band. The high sensitivity of typically -93 dBm, achieved thanks to the integrated LNA, directly extends link budget, while the typically +4 dBm output power supports cable-replacement range targets.
Technically, the board pairs the ATR2406 Smart RF transceiver with an ATmega88 AVR microcontroller, matching Microchip's ISM reference design (document doc4624), whose proprietary Smart RF firmware implements adaptive frequency hopping for robust cable-replacement links. This combination allows designers to evaluate both the analog RF performance and the full protocol stack in one setup.
Typical applications include 2.4 GHz proprietary wireless links, cable replacement, wireless sensor and industrial control prototyping, and RF education platforms.
Design consideration: evaluate link margin at your target data rate, since sensitivity degrades as data rate increases.
This page synthesizes distributor pricing, availability, reference-design context, and practical evaluation guidance not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone. Pricing data referenced as of 2026-09-19.
Drop-in alternatives for ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 — same package, pin-to-pin compatible. Different-package parts requiring PCB rework are excluded.
Variants in this series
Same-series models that are drop-in compatible with ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Product Type, Receiver Architecture, Data Rate, Channel Count, Integrated Blocks.
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Request AlternativesATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | RF Evaluation Board |
| RF Frequency Band | 2.4 GHz ISM |
| Main Transceiver | ATR2406 Smart RF Transceiver |
| Companion Device | T7024 |
| On-board MCU | ATmega88 (AVR) |
| Modulation | GFSK |
| Receiver Architecture | Fully Integrated Low-IF with Integrated LNA |
| Receive Sensitivity (typical) | -93 dBm |
| Output Power (typical) | +4 dBm |
| Data Rate | up to 1152 kbit/s |
| Number of Channels | 95 |
| Target Use | Board dev for ATR2406 / ATmega88 |
| Reference Design | Microchip ISM reference design (doc4624) with adaptive frequency hopping |
ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 Interfaces & Connectors
No manufacturer-published interface list is available for ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2. Refer to the manufacturer documentation for connector and header details.
Refer to the manufacturer documentation for the full expansion header pinout and connector pin numbering.
Typical Applications
ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 is suitable for 6 applications: 2.4 GHz Proprietary Wireless Links, Wireless Cable Replacement, Industrial Wireless Sensor Prototyping, RF Education and Training Labs, Legacy Product Maintenance and Requalification, Wireless Remote Control Systems.
2.4 GHz Proprietary Wireless Links
The ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 fits proprietary 2.4 GHz point-to-point and point-to-multipoint links because the ATR2406 transceiver integrates the complete low-IF receiver with LNA and a GFSK modulator supporting up to 1152 kbit/s across 95 channels. During evaluation, engineers exercise adaptive frequency hopping from Microchip's Smart RF firmware (reference design doc4624) to measure real-world PER and link margin. The typical -93 dBm sensitivity and +4 dBm output power define the available link budget, letting designers verify whether a custom ATR2406 PCB will close the link at the target distance before layout freeze.
Recommended
Wireless Cable Replacement
Microchip's ISM reference design based on the ATR2406 and ATmega88 was explicitly created for cost-effective, flexible cable-replacement solutions, and this evaluation board implements that design in hardware. The ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 lets teams replace serial or parallel cabling with a 2.4 GHz GFSK radio delivering data rates up to 1152 kbit/s, sufficient for many industrial data links. The adaptive frequency-hopping firmware mitigates interference in the crowded 2.4 GHz band, while 95-channel operation allows frequency planning. Engineers should verify throughput under interference using two boards as a TX/RX pair before committing to production hardware.
Recommended
Industrial Wireless Sensor Prototyping
For industrial sensor nodes operating in the license-free 2.4 GHz ISM band, the ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 provides a complete RF front-end plus ATmega88 microcontroller platform for early firmware bring-up. The integrated LNA delivering typical -93 dBm sensitivity supports sensor placements with limited line-of-sight, while the typically +4 dBm output suits battery- or supply-powered gateway units. Engineers map their sensor acquisition routines onto the AVR and use the board to validate RF duty-cycle, channel selection among the 95 available channels, and adaptive frequency-hopping behavior before designing the custom low-power node PCB.
Recommended
RF Education and Training Labs
The ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 serves as a practical RF teaching platform because it exposes a complete 2.4 GHz GFSK transceiver system - low-IF receiver, integrated LNA, GFSK modulator, and 95-channel frequency synthesizer - alongside a programmable ATmega88 AVR microcontroller. Students can measure sensitivity (-93 dBm typical), output power (+4 dBm typical), and data-rate trade-offs up to 1152 kbit/s using standard test equipment, then modify the open AVR firmware to observe protocol-level effects such as frequency hopping. Because two boards form a working link, lab setups need no additional RF instruments beyond a spectrum analyzer for optional measurements.
Recommended
Legacy Product Maintenance and Requalification
For teams supporting products already designed around the ATR2406 Smart RF transceiver, this board is the reference hardware for regression-testing firmware updates and requalifying second sources of the ATmega88 MCU. The ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 reproduces the documented RF behavior - typical -93 dBm sensitivity, +4 dBm output, GFSK up to 1152 kbit/s, 95 channels - so production test limits can be validated against golden hardware. Maintenance engineers use it to isolate whether field issues originate in the RF section or the MCU firmware, and to verify that replacement ATmega88 variants behave identically on the radio interface.
Recommended
Wireless Remote Control Systems
Remote-control and telemetry applications in the 2.4 GHz ISM band benefit from the ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2's combination of 95-channel frequency agility and adaptive frequency-hopping firmware, which keeps command links alive in RF-congested environments. The transceiver's up-to-1152 kbit/s GFSK data rate comfortably carries control frames with low latency, while the typical +4 dBm output power balances range against regulatory and power constraints. During prototyping, developers use the board pair to tune packet retry strategies and channel maps on the ATmega88 before porting the validated Smart RF firmware stack to the production control-unit PCB.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATR2406-DEV-BOARD |
|---|---|---|
| Product Type | RF Evaluation Board | RF Evaluation Board (rev 1) |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Package | Bare development board (no IC package) | Bare development board (no IC package) |
| RF Band | 2.4 GHz ISM | 2.4 GHz ISM |
| Modulation | GFSK (low-IF receiver) | GFSK (low-IF receiver) |
| Receive Sensitivity (typical) | -93 dBm | -93 dBm |
| Output Power (typical) | +4 dBm | +4 dBm |
| Data Rate | up to 1152 kbit/s | up to 1152 kbit/s |
| Channels | 95 | 95 |
Key Differentiators
- Golden reference hardware for legacy ATR2406 designs (vs Modern 2.4 GHz dev kits (e.g., nRF24L01-based))
- Integrated adaptive frequency-hopping reference firmware (vs ATR2406-DEV-BOARD (rev 1))
- Trade-off: legacy platform lifecycle risk (vs Current-generation transceiver kits)
Design Notes
When measuring the ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2's receive sensitivity in the lab, use a shielded enclosure or conducted (cabled) RF connection with appropriate attenuation between two boards. The typical -93 dBm figure assumes maximum receiver gain on the integrated LNA; open-bench 2.4 GHz testing is polluted by Wi-Fi and Bluetooth traffic, which will show falsely poor packet error rates. Start conducted tests at -60 dBm and step attenuation in 10 dB increments to bracket the sensitivity point at your chosen data rate up to 1152 kbit/s.
This is a legacy evaluation platform: the ATmega88 + Smart RF firmware stack (Microchip reference design doc4624) is not actively developed as a product line. Do not start new production designs from this board without confirming long-term availability of the ATR2406 silicon itself. For new designs, treat the board as a characterization tool only, and budget requalification effort if you later port the adaptive frequency-hopping concept to a current-generation transceiver family.
When migrating from the ATR2406-DEV-BOARD2 to a custom PCB, copy the antenna matching network and RF layout topology from Microchip's ISM reference design rather than redesigning it from scratch - the low-IF receiver's sensitivity of typically -93 dBm depends heavily on matching-component placement and a continuous ground plane under the RF section. Keep the LNA input trace short and reference all RF grounds to a solid, unbroken pour. Validate the custom board against the evaluation board as golden hardware before releasing to production.
Compliance Information
Compliance data not stated in the provided verified web data for this evaluation board; request Declaration of Conformity from Microchip or the distributor.