The Adafruit RFM69HCW Transceiver Radio Breakout @ 868/915 MHz is a breadboard-friendly packet radio module for adding long-range wireless communication to Arduino and other microcontroller projects. Based on the SX1231 transceiver, it provides FSK packet radio with AES-128 encryption, auto-retransmit, and multipoint networking at 868 or 915 MHz (software configurable).

The breakout includes a 3.3 V regulator and level shifter, so it works with both 3 V and 5 V logic. With +13 to +20 dBm transmit power (up to 100 mW), it can reach approximately 500 m line of sight with a simple wire antenna — up to 5 km with directional antennas and optimised settings.

Key Features

• SX1231 FSK Packet Radio – RFM69HCW at 868/915 MHz (software configurable) with SPI interface
• +13 to +20 dBm Transmit Power – Up to 100 mW, selectable in software
• ~500 m Range – Line of sight with wire antenna; up to 5 km with directional antennas
• AES-128 Encryption – Built-in hardware encryption engine
• Auto-Retransmit – Automatic packet retransmission for reliability
• Multipoint Networking – Individual node addresses for creating networks
• 3.3 V Regulator & Level Shifter – Works with 3 V or 5 V logic and power
• Arduino Libraries – Ready-to-go with tested support
• uFL Antenna Connector – Or solder a simple wire antenna
• 50–150 mA TX Current – ~30 mA during active listening

Also Consider

• RFM69HCW Breakout @ 433 MHz – Same radio at 433 MHz

Ideal For

• Wireless sensor networks with Arduino
• Remote control and telemetry
• Campus or farm-wide data links
• Encrypted point-to-point or multipoint communication

Resources

• RFM69HCW Radio Breakout Learning Guide