ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 - 5.8GHz RF Eval Kit | Microchip
MPN: ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 100 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 1,000 | $0 | $0.00 |
ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 Overview
An RF evaluation board is a printed-circuit hardware platform that lets engineers exercise a radio-frequency IC without designing their own PCB first. Within the development-tool hierarchy (RF IC -> evaluation board -> development kit -> reference design), such boards expose the device's key pins, jumpers, and connectors so parameters such as link quality, data rate, and sensitivity can be measured directly with standard lab equipment.
Key features include operation in both receiver and transmitter roles at 5.8 GHz, a two-board kit topology that separates the device-under-test from the USB host interface, and jumper-controlled configuration. Per the board's evaluation documentation, jumper JP8 switches the on-board PRBS (pseudo-random binary sequence) generator on and off, jumpers JP9 and JP10 select the reference crystal, JP11 selects the data rate between 1.152 Mbps and 576 kbps, and JP12 exposes the output of the internal data generator.
The kit is a complete link-evaluation environment: the ATR2820 RF Demo Board carries the transceiver and its RF front-end, while the USB RF Interface Board connects to a PC USB port, allowing the supplied ATR2820 software to configure registers, transmit test patterns, and log received data. The 1.152 Mbps high-rate mode supports higher-throughput cordless audio and data experiments, while the 576 kbps mode trades speed for link margin.
Typical applications include 5.8 GHz cordless system prototyping, wireless audio link evaluation, RF education and laboratory training, and feasibility studies for short-range high-frequency data links based on the ATR2820.
A key design consideration: verify reference-crystal selection (JP9/JP10) matches your intended channel plan before range testing, and use the PRBS generator output for BER measurements rather than unstructured traffic.
This page synthesizes distributor listings, jumper-level configuration details from the official evaluation-board documentation, and sourcing information not found on a single manufacturer page.
Drop-in alternatives for ATR2820-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 ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Product Type, Application Standard.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATR2820-DEMOBOARD
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →ATR7032-DEV-BOARD
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 Specifications (manufacturer-published)
| Product Type | RF Evaluation / Development Kit |
| Frequency | 5.8 GHz |
| Function | Transmitter, Receiver |
| Target Device | ATR2820 |
| Supplied Contents | 2 Boards (ATR2820 RF Demo Board, USB RF Interface Board) |
| Kit Designation | KIT DESIGN RF 5.8GHZ COM-DCT |
| Host Interface | USB (via USB RF Interface Board) |
| Selectable Data Rates | 1.152 Mbps / 576 kbps (JP11) |
| Test Pattern Generator | PRBS generator with on/off jumper (JP8) |
| Reference Crystal Selection | Jumper selectable (JP9, JP10) |
| Data Generator Output | Accessible via JP12 |
| Control Software | ATR2820 software installed on PC |
| RoHS Status | RoHS Compliant |
| Lead Free Status | Lead Free |
| Category | RF Evaluation and Development Kits, Boards |
ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 Interfaces & Connectors
No manufacturer-published interface list is available for ATR2820-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
ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 is suitable for 6 applications: 5.8 GHz Cordless System Prototyping, RF Education and Laboratory Training, Wireless Audio Link Evaluation, Bit Error Rate (BER) Testing, Short-Range High-Rate Data Link Design, Feasibility Studies for Legacy ATR2820 Designs.
5.8 GHz Cordless System Prototyping
The ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 fits 5.8 GHz cordless-system prototyping because it provides a complete transmit/receive link built around the ATR2820 transceiver, the same device intended for the end product. The kit's 1.152 Mbps and 576 kbps data-rate modes (jumper JP11) let engineers measure the throughput-versus-margin trade-off directly, while the PRBS generator (JP8) supports reproducible bit-error-rate testing over the air. The USB RF Interface Board connects the link to the ATR2820 PC software, so register settings, channel plans, and crystal selections (JP9/JP10) can be iterated in minutes without a custom PCB. This shortens the path from feasibility study to production schematic because the validated register map can be carried over unchanged. The two-board topology also allows one board to act as a fixed transmitter while the other sweeps receiver sensitivity in a range test, mimicking a real cordless deployment scenario.
Recommended
RF Education and Laboratory Training
The ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 is an effective RF teaching platform because every major functional block is exposed through labeled jumpers and edge connectors, making abstract radio concepts observable. Students can switch the PRBS generator on and off via JP8 and observe how structured test patterns enable statistically valid BER measurements; they can select between 1.152 Mbps and 576 kbps data rates with JP11 to see the direct relationship between data rate and link margin; and they can change reference crystals with JP9/JP10 to study frequency-plan effects at 5.8 GHz. The RF test points place the signal on the pin nearest the board edge with the adjacent pin grounded, simplifying oscilloscope and spectrum-analyzer probing in a teaching lab. Because the USB RF Interface Board streams results into the ATR2820 PC software, a single workstation can control both ends of the link, and the two-board kit naturally supports pair-based lab exercises.
Recommended
Wireless Audio Link Evaluation
For 5.8 GHz wireless-audio feasibility work, the ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 provides the high data rates and clean link characterization that audio streaming demands. The 1.152 Mbps mode (selected with jumper JP11) leaves comfortable headroom above typical compressed-audio bitrates, while the 576 kbps mode can be evaluated to recover margin in congested RF environments. Because audio links are unforgiving of packet loss, the kit's PRBS generator (JP8) and data-generator output (JP12) let engineers quantify raw BER before any audio codec is involved, isolating RF problems from codec problems. The USB RF Interface Board and ATR2820 software allow real-time monitoring of link statistics while an audio-like traffic pattern is transmitted, and reference-crystal selection via JP9/JP10 supports channel-plan experiments for interference avoidance. Validated register settings transfer directly from the evaluation boards to a custom audio-product PCB using the same ATR2820.
Recommended
Bit Error Rate (BER) Testing
The ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 is purpose-suited to BER testing because it integrates a PRBS generator with dedicated control and monitoring access. Per the Evaluation Board for ATR2820 documentation, jumper JP8 switches the PRBS generator on and off, JP12 provides the output of the data generator, and one jumper selects which data is fed to connector CON1, so both transmitted and received pattern paths are accessible. PRBS sequences are the industry-standard stimulus for BER measurement because their pseudo-random structure maximizes transition density and exposes intersymbol-interference issues that repetitive patterns hide. Engineers can run the two boards as a matched 5.8 GHz link, stepping the 1.152 Mbps and 576 kbps data rates (JP11) and reference crystals (JP9/JP10) to plot BER curves against range, attenuation, or interference. The USB RF Interface Board logs results through the ATR2820 PC software, automating data collection across test matrix points.
Recommended
Short-Range High-Rate Data Link Design
Designers of short-range, high-rate data links at 5.8 GHz can use the ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 to validate the complete RF chain before tape-out of a custom board. The kit demonstrates a proven reference design (COM-DCT) that achieves 1.152 Mbps over the air, and the jumper-selectable 576 kbps fallback mode provides a documented derating path when range or interference demands it. The RF test-point convention - signal on the edge-nearest pin, ground on its neighbor - makes it easy to probe modulation quality with standard lab instruments during design-in. Reference-crystal selection via JP9/JP10 lets engineers qualify alternate crystal vendors or frequencies against the same layout, an important step for cost-reduction studies. Because the USB RF Interface Board exposes the transceiver to the ATR2820 PC software, register optimizations discovered during evaluation can be exported directly into firmware for the production design.
Recommended
Feasibility Studies for Legacy ATR2820 Designs
The ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 serves re-engineering teams who inherit legacy products built on the ATR2820 transceiver and need to re-verify behavior against original specifications. Because the board reproduces the manufacturer reference design with the documented jumper set (JP8 through JP12), engineers can recreate original test conditions - crystal selection, data rate, PRBS stimulus - and compare them against archived requirements or service-manual figures. This is particularly valuable when the production device itself is scarce and must not be consumed in destructive testing. The USB RF Interface Board and ATR2820 software provide controlled register access for characterizing second-source or residual-stock devices. OEM cross-reference listings associate the ATR2820 family with other Atmel/Micrel ATR-series boards, but only this kit reproduces the exact 5.8 GHz COM-DCT configuration, making it the reference baseline for legacy redesign decisions.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATR2820-DEV-BOARD2 — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATR2820-DEMOBOARD | ATR7032-DEV-BOARD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Package / Form Factor | Two-board kit (RF Demo Board + USB RF Interface Board) | Single demo/reference-design board | Single ATR-series dev board |
| Brand | Microchip Technology (Micrel/Atmel heritage) | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology (Atmel) |
| Target Device | ATR2820 | ATR2820 | ATR7032 |
Key Differentiators
- Complete two-board link with USB host control (vs ATR2820-DEMOBOARD)
- Integrated PRBS generator for BER testing (vs EVAL-CN0534-EBZ)
- Exact legacy reference-design fidelity (vs ATR7032-DEV-BOARD)
Design Notes
Before starting range or sensitivity testing, confirm that the reference-crystal selection jumpers (JP9, JP10) match the channel plan in your ATR2820 software configuration. Per the Evaluation Board for ATR2820 documentation, an incorrect crystal setting shifts the RF carrier and can mask genuine link problems with apparent frequency error. Document the jumper state for every logged measurement so test results remain reproducible across lab sessions and between engineers.
When probing the board, use the documented test-point convention: the pin closest to the outer PCB edge carries the signal and its neighbor is ground. Attach the ground clip of your scope probe or spectrum analyzer to the adjacent ground pin rather than a distant ground to minimize ground-loop artifacts in 5.8 GHz measurements. For PRBS-based BER work, enable the generator with JP8 and route data to CON1 using the dedicated jumper, keeping leads short to avoid pattern degradation.
Use jumper JP11 to plan the data-rate budget early: validate the 1.152 Mbps mode for throughput first, then fall back to 576 kbps to quantify the link-margin gain. Measure BER at both rates with the PRBS generator before fixing the production data rate, since the margin difference at 5.8 GHz is often larger than expected indoors. The USB RF Interface Board streamlines automated register sweeps via the ATR2820 PC software.
Compliance Information
RoHS Compliant and Lead Free per distributor datasheet summary (DigChip). REACH, halogen-free, and conflict-minerals statuses not stated in verified data for this evaluation platform.