Iridium 9602N Transceiver
The Iridium 9602 is a compact Short Burst Data transceiver designed for integration into complete wireless solutions. Its small size, low power consumption, and pole-to-pole Iridium coverage provide reliable two way data communications for IoT and M2M applications anywhere on Earth.
Key Capabilities
Compact, low power Iridium Short Burst Data connectivity for embedded IoT and M2M solutions.
Two way Iridium Short Burst Data connectivity with global coverage
GPS antenna feed for shared-antenna tracking applications
Single board module for straightforward OEM integration
Low power operation for remote and battery-powered applications
No SIM card required for simplified device integration
Machine-to-Machine Connectivity
The compact Iridium 9602 is designed for integration into two way Short Burst Data solutions, including automatic vehicle location, asset monitoring, marine telemetry and personal tracking. It provides pole-to-pole satellite coverage for applications that exchange small amounts of data beyond terrestrial networks.
For a simpler route to integration, RockBLOCK 9602 combines the modem with its required power circuitry and antenna connection, exposing the serial interface through a breakout connector or optional USB-to-serial adapter. The standalone 9602 remains available for existing designs and specialist OEM integrations.
Product Specifications
Connectivity and Integration
- Satellite Network
- Iridium Low Earth Orbit satellite network
- Coverage
- Global, including oceans and polar regions, with a clear view of the sky
- Satellite Service
- Two way Iridium Short Burst Data
- Form Factor
- Single-board OEM transceiver module
- RF Impedance
- 50 Ω
- Integration
- Designed for incorporation into complete OEM wireless solutions
- Host Connectivity
- Supports integration with external GNSS, processing and application I/O
Power and Physical
- Dimensions
- 41 × 45 × 13 mm / 1.61 × 1.77 × 0.51 in
- Weight
- 30 g / 1.06 oz
- Idle Current
- 45 mA average; 170 mA peak
- Transmit Current
- 140 mA average; 1.3 A peak
- Receive Current
- 40 mA average; 170 mA peak
- Message Transfer Power
- Up to 0.8 W average
Environmental and Compliance
- Operating Temperature
- -40°C to +85°C / -40°F to +185°F
- Operating Humidity
- Up to 75% relative humidity
- Vibration and Shock
- EN 60068 and SAE J1455
- Regulatory Approvals
- ANATEL, EU, FCC, Japan Type Approval and NRRA Korea
- Materials Compliance
- REACH and RoHS
Cloudloop Services
Cloudloop Subscription Manager can be used to activate the Iridium 9602, manage airtime plans and monitor usage, while Cloudloop Data receives its Short Burst Data messages and routes them into your application through APIs, webhooks, MQTT or supported cloud integrations.
FAQs
We created the RockBLOCK 9602 to make it easy for developers and systems integrators to incorporate Iridium Short Burst Data satellite communications into their solutions.
As many developers have found, buying and integrating a 9602N transceiver directly is not trivial. We make it easier for you by dealing with the mechanical support, the strict power requirements, by adding a perfectly matched and tuned antenna (or you can connect an external one), and exposing the serial interface on a convenient header connector.
So you can buy just the module / transceiver (9602N) and do the work yourself, or you can buy a RockBLOCK for an additional £102/$128 and just connect it up and start using it. It’s entirely up to you.
The 9602N transceiver uses Iridium Short Burst Data to communicate, which is a message-based protocol. Effectively, the device wakes up, acquires a signal, transmits, and then falls asleep until its next cycle. This process usually takes 20-30 seconds if there is a perfect view of the sky, and a satellite is passing immediately overhead.
Discuss Your OEM Integration
Tell us what you are building and how you plan to use Iridium Short Burst Data. Our team can help you assess module integration, power, antenna, airtime and Cloudloop requirements.
Complete the form or email hello@groundcontrol.com to discuss the Iridium 9602 and the most suitable approach for your application.