Configuration to enable Class-B beacon frames in Kona Gateways (Macro/Mega/Micro Outdoor)

Enabling Class-B Beacon Frames:

  1. The Mega/Macro/Micro Outdoor gateways can be configured to transmit class-B beacon frames.
  1. To do this, modify the following entries in the gateway_conf object in the /etc/default/config.json file:
1 "//beacon": "Below are beaconing parameters", 2 "//period": "To enable beacon, change the beacon_period to 128", 3 "beacon_period": 1, 4 "beacon_freq_hz": 923400000, 5 "beacon_freq_nb": 0, 6 "beacon_freq_step": 0, 7 "//datarate": "From legacy Semtech, this is actually spreading factor", 8 "beacon_datarate": 9, 9 "beacon_bw_hz": 125000, 10 "beacon_power": 16, 11 "beacon_infodesc": 0,


  1. In case of gateways running older BSP versions, these entries have to be added.  Also, check with region parameters in the LoraWAN specification to use the correct entries.
  1. For new BSP versions, only “beacon_period” entry is required to be changed to 1. 

Note that beacon frames are only sent when GPS is locked. If GPS lock is lost, no beacon frames are sent even if beacons are enabled.

Enabling UTC Timestamp:

  1. The UTC timestamp (reported as “time” in the rxpkt json string), by default, is disabled.
  1. To enable the UTC timestamp, add the following into the gateway_conf object in the /etc/default/config.json file:
1"use_utc_timestamp": 1,
  1. To disable the UTC timestamp, simply remove the entry or by changing the value to 0.

Note that the UTC timestamp is only reported when GPS is locked. When GPS is lost, the UTC timestamp won’t be reported even though the timestamp is enabled.

Disabling GPS Timestamp:

  1. By default, the GPS timestamp (reported as “tmms” in the rxpkt json string) is enabled.
  1. To disable the GPS timestamp, add the following into the gateway_conf object in the /etc/default/configj.json file:
1"use_gps_timestamp": 0,
  1. To enable the GPS timestamp, simply remove the entry or by changing the value to 1.

Note that the GPS timestamp is only reported when GPS is locked. When GPS is lost, the GPS timestamp won’t be reported even though the timestamp is enabled



Configurations Specific to Kona Mega Gateway:

Enabling Antenna Scheduling for Multicarrier Transmission:

  1. In general, the gateway assumes that packets are scheduled by the network server on which antenna to transmit is enabled. Hence, by default, antenna scheduling on the gateway is disabled.
  1. However, if one wants to enable antenna scheduling on the gateway for multi-carrier transmission purposes, following entries need to be added into the gateway_conf object in the /etc/default/config.json file:
1"//schedule": "To allow the gateway to schedule antenna for tx, change the following to 1", 2 "antenna_sched": 1,
  1. To disable antenna scheduling, simply remove the entry or by changing the value to 0.

Note that antenna scheduling is only supported on Mega North America gateways currently.