Analysis of Coverage Range and Data Transmission Success Rate of LoRaWAN in the Implementation of an Electrical Power Monitoring System

Abstract

This research addresses PT. Indojaya Mitra Sarana’s need to implement a LoRaWAN-based electrical power monitoring system. Since the company had not previously used LoRaWAN, its devices required field testing to assess reliability under real conditions, especially in environments with physical obstructions such as buildings and trees. To evaluate performance, field experiments compared LoRaWAN communication using two gateway antenna heights (15 m and 30 m) and a baseline Line-of-Sight (LOS) scenario. Key parameters measured were RSSI, SNR, number of packets received, and packet loss. Results show that raising the antenna from 15 m to 30 m consistently improves coverage, signal strength, and signal quality while reducing noise interference. This improvement is attributed to fewer propagation obstacles, conditions closer to LOS, and reduced multipath fading. For spreading factor (SF) selection, SF7 is recommended for short distances due to high speed and low power use, SF9 for medium distances due to balanced performance, and SF10 for long distances when using the 30 m antenna height. Overall, a 30 m gateway antenna provides optimal performance across distances, with SF adjusted based on range and efficiency needs, serving as a practical reference for deployment.