ATREB231FE2-EK - 2.4GHz Transceiver Eval Kit | Microchip
MPN: ATREB231FE2-EK ✓ Active| Qty | Unit Price | Extended |
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| 1 | $0 | $0.00 |
| 10 | $0 | $0.00 |
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| 500 | $0 | $0.00 |
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ATREB231FE2-EK Overview
An RF evaluation board is a hardware development tool that mounts a target integrated circuit - in this case a 2.4 GHz ZigBee/IEEE 802.15.4 radio transceiver - together with its mandatory RF matching network, antenna structures, power decoupling, and debug connectors on a ready-to-use printed circuit board. Evaluation boards sit within the development-tools hierarchy alongside starter kits, extension boards, and reference designs, and they allow engineers to characterize RF performance before committing to a custom PCB layout.
Key features include the AT86RF231 2.4 GHz transceiver supporting IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee PHY operation, a SiGe front-end module that boosts transmit power and receive sensitivity for extended-range links, and an evaluation-board form factor intended to mate with Microchip AVR microcontroller platforms for rapid prototyping.
Technically, the AT86RF231 integrates the 2.4 GHz radio, the PHY layer modem, and an SPI-controlled interface to a host MCU, reducing the external component count of a ZigBee node to the transceiver, a crystal, an antenna, and an MCU. The added SiGe FEM stage increases output power beyond the bare transceiver level, enabling coverage of larger homes, buildings, and industrial floors where link margin is critical.
Typical applications include 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee mesh network prototyping, RF range and sensitivity testing with front-end amplification, and early firmware development for smart-home, building-automation, and industrial wireless sensor nodes.
For design evaluation, connect the board to a supported Microchip AVR host controller or debugger, use the vendor software framework for radio driver validation, and conduct range tests in both line-of-sight and obstructed environments to quantify the FEM link-budget benefit.
This page synthesizes distributor availability, related evaluation-kit alternatives, and practical development guidance not found in the manufacturer datasheet alone.
Drop-in alternatives for ATREB231FE2-EK — 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 ATREB231FE2-EK (same form factor and footprint) — differing in Product Type, Manufacturer, Mounting Type, Radio Standard, Target Device.
Quick Comparison Tool — Select alternative parts for side-by-side comparison:
ATREB231ED-EK
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
Contact for price
View Datasheet →ATREB232ED-EK
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
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View Datasheet →ATREB215-XPRO
✅ Drop-In✓ In Stock
$83.63 / Unit
View Datasheet →ATREB231FE2-EK Specifications
| Product Type | RF Evaluation Board / Kit |
| Target Device | AT86RF231 2.4 GHz Transceiver |
| Frequency Band | 2.4 GHz |
| Front End Module | SiGe FEM (extended range) |
| Radio Standard | IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee |
| Function | Radio Tx/Rx evaluation with front end module |
| Compatible MCU Platforms | Microchip AVR (per manufacturer family) |
| Datasheet Publication Date | 2012-05-18 (datasheet PDF, 858 KB) |
ATREB231FE2-EK standard Pin Configuration Guide
Pin configuration for ATREB231FE2-EK (standard package). Pin numbering, functions, and connection diagrams are defined in the manufacturer datasheet. Refer to it for the exact footprint and soldering guidelines.
No detailed pinout data available for ATREB231FE2-EK.
Refer to the datasheet for full pin configuration.
Typical Applications
ATREB231FE2-EK is suitable for 6 applications: IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee Mesh Prototyping, RF Range and Sensitivity Testing with Front-End Module, Smart Home Wireless Sensor Nodes, Building and Industrial Automation Networks, Wireless Firmware and Driver Development, Regulatory Pre-Compliance and EIRP Testing.
IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee Mesh Prototyping
The ATREB231FE2-EK provides the AT86RF231 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 transceiver with an SPI interface to a Microchip AVR host, making it a direct hardware target for ZigBee PHY and MAC-layer firmware. Engineers mount the kit, attach a supported AVR debugger, and exercise beacon-enabled and non-beacon network modes before porting the radio driver to a custom PCB. The SiGe front-end module matters in mesh planning because actual node EIRP, receiver sensitivity, and harmonics differ from a bare transceiver; validating routing tables and link-quality metrics against FEM-boosted links prevents over-optimistic mesh density assumptions. A typical workflow pairs the kit with a network analyzer or sniffer node to quantify frame error rate at range, then transfers validated settings to production nodes.
Recommended
RF Range and Sensitivity Testing with Front-End Module
Because the FE2 kit adds a SiGe front-end module, it is the correct platform for measuring extended-range link budgets in homes, warehouses, and outdoor sensor deployments. The AT86RF231 base receiver sensitivity is degraded or improved by FEM gain, noise figure, and insertion loss, so only an FEM-equipped evaluation board yields representative PER-versus-distance curves for amplified node designs. Engineers typically run stepped-attenuation bench tests with a signal generator, then outdoor line-of-sight and obstructed range tests, comparing FE2 results against the non-FEM ATREB231ED-EK to quantify the FEM contribution. These measurements feed antenna selection, TX power regulatory limits (EIRP per region), and the decision whether the final product needs an external PA/LNA stage at all.
Recommended
Smart Home Wireless Sensor Nodes
Smart-home products - door/window sensors, occupancy detectors, smart plugs, and thermostat links - commonly use 2.4 GHz IEEE 802.15.4 radios, and the ATREB231FE2-EK lets firmware teams validate node behavior on real RF hardware before tape-out of a custom sensor board. The AT86RF231's integrated PHY with AES hardware acceleration supports ZigBee and 6LoWPAN stacks, and its low-power sleep modes suit battery-powered endpoints. Developing on the kit exposes real-world issues early: crystal tolerance effects on channel spacing, FEM current draw impacting battery life models, and coexistence behavior with Wi-Fi in congested 2.4 GHz spectrum. Teams can iterate driver and MAC firmware on the kit, then reuse the code base unchanged on the production transceiver footprint.
Recommended
Building and Industrial Automation Networks
Industrial and building-automation deployments demand reliable links across floors, metal racking, and concrete walls, where the extra link budget from the kit's SiGe front-end module is decisive. The ATREB231FE2-EK allows integrators to characterize how FEM-boosted transmit power and improved receive sensitivity translate into fewer repeaters and simpler mesh topologies. Using the AT86RF231's IEEE 802.15.4 PHY, engineers test mesh self-healing, CSMA/CA behavior under channel congestion, and end-device sleep current on hardware that matches the intended amplified production design. Range trials with the kit inform antenna placement studies and verify regulatory EIRP compliance per market. The validated AT86RF231 driver then ports directly to volume-production automation nodes.
Recommended
Wireless Firmware and Driver Development
The kit serves as the reference hardware target for AT86RF231 driver development: SPI register-level bring-up, transceiver state-machine sequencing (TRX_OFF, PLL_ON, RX_AACK, TX_AACK), AES security setup, and interrupt-driven frame handling. Because the board is manufacturer-designed, RF matching and layout are guaranteed correct, so any anomaly during bring-up points to firmware rather than hardware - a critical property when debugging radio state machines. The FE2 variant additionally exercises front-end control logic (TX/RX switching, PA/LNA bias) that production amplified designs must replicate. Engineers develop against Microchip's software framework, validate with over-the-air tests, and then maintain the driver as the shared code base for all AT86RF231-based products in the portfolio.
Recommended
Regulatory Pre-Compliance and EIRP Testing
Before submitting a 2.4 GHz amplified node for regulatory testing (FCC, ETSI, and regional equivalents), teams use the ATREB231FE2-EK to perform pre-compliance measurements of conducted output power, occupied bandwidth, spurious emissions, and EIRP. The SiGe front-end module raises emissions above the bare AT86RF231 level, so harmonics and out-of-band spurs must be characterized with the FEM active - exactly what this kit provides. Engineers measure with a spectrum analyzer across channels 11 through 26, adjust FEM bias or back-off firmware settings, and document margin ahead of the accredited lab visit. Catching a marginal spur on the evaluation kit costs a firmware change; finding it in the chamber with custom PCBs costs a respin.
Recommended
Recommended Products Summary
Engineering reference data for ATREB231FE2-EK — comparison, design guidance, and compliance information.
Selection Guide
Comparison with Alternatives
| Parameter | This Product | ATREB231ED-EK | ATREB232ED-EK | ATREB215-XPRO |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Package / Form Factor | Evaluation Kit (RF eval board with FEM) | Evaluation Kit (RF eval board, no FEM) | Evaluation Kit (RF eval board) | Xplained PRO Extension Board |
| Brand | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology | Microchip Technology |
| Target Transceiver | AT86RF231 | AT86RF231 | AT86RF232 | ATREB215 (multi-band radio) |
| Frequency Band | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz | 2.4 GHz | Sub-GHz + 2.4 GHz (multi-band) |
| Radio Standard | IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee | IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee | IEEE 802.15.4 / ZigBee | IEEE 802.15.4 multi-band |
| Typical Use Case | Extended-range 2.4 GHz ZigBee evaluation with FEM | Standard-range AT86RF231 evaluation | AT86RF232 evaluation | Multi-band radio evaluation on Xplained PRO |
Key Differentiators
- Integrated SiGe front-end module for extended link budget (vs ATREB231ED-EK)
- Same transceiver die as volume production (AT86RF231) (vs ATREB232ED-EK)
- 2.4 GHz-only focus with mature ZigBee ecosystem (vs ATREB215-XPRO)
Design Notes
Because the FE2 kit adds a SiGe front-end module, RF behavior on this board differs from a bare-AT86RF231 layout. Use this kit for range and EIRP testing only if your production design also includes a FEM; otherwise the non-FEM ATREB231ED-EK better represents your final RF performance. Never assume range figures measured on the FE2 kit apply to unamplified node designs - FEM gain can add several dB of link budget that a production board without a FEM will not achieve.
Match the kit to a supported Microchip AVR host and debugger before starting development; the AT86RF231 is SPI-controlled and requires the correct transceiver driver and register abstraction layer from Microchip's software framework. Verify regional EIRP limits before enabling FEM-boosted transmit power in range tests - the amplified output may exceed regulatory limits in some markets. Finally, confirm kit contents on the vendor page before ordering, as 'evaluation kit' scope can differ from a bare extension board.
Estimated: a FEM-boosted node draws meaningfully more peak current in TX than a bare AT86RF231 design because both transceiver PA and FEM PA stages conduct. When extrapolating battery-life models from kit measurements, measure total board TX current with an ammeter at maximum FEM gain and include FEM switching overhead in duty-cycle calculations. Power the kit from a supply with adequate current headroom; brown-outs during TX bursts can masquerade as RF firmware faults.
Compliance Information
No compliance data found in verified web sources for this evaluation kit; development tools are generally exempt from some production-component requirements, but status must be confirmed with Microchip.
