Module project

[geot51]

Hello forum.
I design a module pcb based on TI's CC1310 but I can't decide yet its antenna output.

My first thought was to make it simple and smaller. That means, the antenna region will have only the balun and a trace will be driven directly to a pin. Another thought was to put only UFL connector or UFL besides the antenna's track.
And my last thought was to add two antenna types, UFL connector and a chip antenna.

I've seen that many relative products incorporate only a UFL connector.

What is your opinion?

[sanwal209]

You can use simple RF switch IC to switch between chip antenna or UFL connector. Try reading antenna diversity that will help you in this problem.

[geot51]

Thank you very much for your replies.

You can use simple RF switch IC to switch between chip antenna or UFL connector. Try reading antenna diversity that will help you in this problem.

RF switches or antenna diversity topology, apart from the potential increase of pcb size they may increase my final BOM cost.
I'd like something cheap and tiny.

I've already built a CC1310 module that incorporates only a UFL connector and worked fine.
The main issue of course was that I cannot use it without the properly antenna gear (proper 50Ohm cord and an antenna).

Now I need something standalone but without losing the "permormance" option that the external antenna gives me.
Chip antennae does offer me something more integrated, a completed PCB, in a very tiny size. No need for wires, connectors or the necesity of proper antenna installation.

However, I was thinking that if I don't want to loose the performance option of the external antenna I have to add an "antenna option" in the same pcb.
And I built a tiny pcb with both options. I kept the UFL connector and just added a chip antenna with a pi filter. I also added a pad to "cut" the traces with zero ohm resistor that takes the role of "antenna selector".

During a serching on the internet for other relative or comptetitors of this chip I came accross many modules with CC1310.
All of them include only a UFL connector and an option to bring the antenna output to a pad.
That fact made me wonder if my design wasn't very conventional and eventualy I ended up to be thinking a more generic version that would have nothing but only a balun which its output would be brought
directly to a pad.

The main disadvantage of the generic module is that it needs to be soldered to another pcb in which I choose the antenna accordingly to application.
My available budget in this subject may should be rised to carry off this approach.

The routing of chip antenna has already reviewed by johanson technology.
This is the datasheet of the antenna: https://www.johansontechnology.com/datasheets/antennas/0900AT43A0070.pdf
I uploaded a photo with my last design.