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Short Burst Data (SBD)

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Macro photograph of a thumbnail-sized satellite transceiver module held between finger and thumb over a circuit board

Satellite Internet

Iridium Short Burst Data Transceivers and Developer Kits

The 9602, 9603, 9522B and Core 9523 modules that engineers design into trackers, buoys, sensors and alarm panels, plus the developer kits to start bench work today.

Talk to a specialistSee M2M terminals

What Iridium Short Burst Data is

An oceanographic buoy 800 miles from land needs to send a position and a handful of sensor readings every hour, for three years, on a battery. A cattle tracker on a station in Montana needs to report where the herd is, twice a day, from a collar. A remote gate needs to raise an alarm when it opens. None of these needs an IP connection; each needs a few hundred bytes to arrive reliably, anywhere on Earth, for almost no power.

Iridium Short Burst Data is the packet messaging service built for exactly that: real-time, two-way transmission of short data messages between remote equipment and a host system, over the 66-satellite Iridium constellation that covers pole to pole. Messages leave the device, cross the network and land at your server by email or direct IP; commands travel the other way. Latency is low because the satellites are in low Earth orbit and always overhead.

This page is for integrators and engineers. The products here are board-level modules and the developer kits that go with them, not finished devices. If you want a ready-made tracker, see /buy/satellite-trackers; if you want an installed terminal for a SCADA site, the Machine-to-Machine page covers the Hughes 9502 and how the modules fit alongside it.

Iridium SBD transceiver modules

Board-level parts, sold individually for production builds.

Iridium 9602 short burst data satellite transceiver for IoT and M2M — angled view
Special offer
9602 SBD Transceiver
$249.00
Iridium 9603 short burst data satellite transceiver — compact module for trackers and IoT
Special offer
9603 SBD Transceiver
$259.00
Iridium Core 9523 satellite transceiver module for OEM integration
Special offer
Core 9523 Satellite Transceiver Module
$949.00
Iridium 9522B satellite voice and data transceiver module for integrators
Special offer
9522B Satellite Transceiver
$1,499.00

Iridium SBD developer kits

Everything needed for bench work on each module.

Iridium 9602 short burst data (SBD) developer kit transceiver — top view
Special offer
9602 SBD Developer Kit
$2,199.00
Iridium 9603 SBD developer kit — compact satellite transceiver module for IoT integration
Special offer
Iridium 9603 SBD Developer Kit
$2,199.00
Iridium Core 9523 transceiver developer kit module
Special offer
Core 9523 Developer Kit
$3,199.00

How to choose an Iridium transceiver module

Four modules, four different jobs.

1

9603: smallest and lowest power, SBD only

31.5 x 29.6 x 8.1 mm and 11.4 g, on a 5 V supply, transferring an SBD message at 0.8 W average or less with 34 mA idle. It is the module to choose when the enclosure is tiny and the battery is small: personal trackers, animal collars, drifting buoys. It does SBD and nothing else.

2

9602: the original SBD module, still widely designed in

41 x 45 x 13 mm and 30 g, with 45 mA idle and about 1.0 W average during an SBD transfer. The 9602 has the same RF interface and service as the 9603 in a larger footprint with a GPS antenna feed for shared-antenna designs. Choose it to match an existing board layout or when the extra size is no penalty.

3

Core 9523: every Iridium narrowband service on one board

70.44 x 36.04 x 14.6 mm and 32 g, the Core 9523 adds voice, SMS, circuit-switched data and RUDICS to SBD, with SBD messages up to 1,960 bytes mobile-originated and 1,890 bytes mobile-terminated. It runs from 3.2 to 6 V with a 10.5 to 35 V boost rail, draws 70 mA standby and about 2.3 W on a call, and carries FCC, Industry Canada and CE approval with antennas up to 3 dBi. This is the module behind handsets, hotspots and full-service terminals.

4

9522B: the legacy black-box transceiver

The second-generation Iridium transceiver with an RS232 serial interface, AT command set, SIM card reader and GPS antenna pass-through. It supports voice, SBD and data. Specify it when maintaining a design already built around the 9522 family; new designs should start with the Core 9523 or 9603.

Iridium 9602 vs 9603 vs Core 9523 vs 9522B

From the satmodo.com product pages and iridium.com. Message size limits are only published for the Core 9523 on our pages, so the others are left blank rather than guessed.

96029603Core 95239522B
ServicesSBDSBDVoice, SMS, circuit-switched data, RUDICS, SBDVoice, SBD, data via AT commands
Dimensions41 x 45 x 13 mm31.5 x 29.6 x 8.1 mm70.44 x 36.04 x 14.6 mm (8.9 mm without reservoir capacitors)Not stated
Weight30 g11.4 g32 gNot stated
SupplyNot stated on product page5.0 V plus or minus 0.5 V DC3.7 V nominal (3.2 to 6 V), 500 mA max; boost 27 V nominal (10.5 to 35 V), 1 A maxNot stated
Idle current45 mA average, 195 mA peak34 mA average, 156 mA peak70 mA standbyNot stated
Transmit peak1.5 A1.3 A300 mA peak on a callNot stated
SBD transfer power1.0 W average0.8 W average or less2.3 W typical on a callNot stated
SBD message sizeNot stated on product pageNot stated on product pageUp to 1,960 bytes out, 1,890 bytes inNot stated
Frequency1616 to 1626.5 MHz, TDD, TDMA/FDMA, 50 ohm1616 to 1626.5 MHz, TDD, TDMA/FDMA, 50 ohm1616 to 1626.5 MHz, TDD, TDMA/FDMA, 50 ohmNot stated
Operating temperature-40 to +85 C-40 to +85 C-30 to +70 CNot stated
InterfaceSingle board, XXMC L-band connector, GPS antenna feed; no SIM requiredSingle board, U.FL antenna (adapter in dev kit)Standardised connectors for PCB integration260-way 0.1 in connector, RS232, analog and digital audio
ApprovalsRoHSNot statedFCC, Industry Canada, CE (antennas to 3 dBi)Not stated

Sources: satmodo.com pages for 9602-sbd-transceiver, 9603-sbd-transceiver, core-9523-satellite-transceiver-module, 9522b-satellite-transceiver and the three developer kits; iridium.com Core 9523 and 9602 pages.

Developer kits: what is in the box and why to start there

Each developer kit pairs the module with a test interface board, an AC/DC power supply and documentation so firmware can be written and the SBD service exercised before your own PCB exists. The 9602 kit contains the 9602 transceiver, test interface board, power supply and documentation. The 9603 kit adds a cable and a U.FL to SMA adapter so a standard antenna connects to the module's tiny RF connector. The Core 9523 kit includes M1.6 mounting screws for the module and the same board and supply.

Buy one kit per design team, then order bare modules for production. We can provision SBD service on the kit's IMEI so the first test message reaches your inbox on day one, and switch delivery to direct IP when your server is ready.

Developer kit contents laid out on a bench: small module, test interface board, power adapter, cable and adapter

What you need alongside an SBD module

The module is a radio; the product is everything around it.

An Iridium SBD service plan provisioned to the module's IMEI, with delivery set to email or direct IP to your host. Billing is per message and per byte, so message design matters.
An Iridium L-band antenna matched to the module connector (U.FL on the 9603, XXMC on the 9602) with a clear sky view; a GPS antenna or the shared-antenna feed if position is required.
A host microcontroller running the AT command set over the module's serial interface, and firmware that handles retries and the mobile-terminated ring alert.
A power design able to source the transmit peak (1.3 A on the 9603, 1.5 A on the 9602) for the burst, plus reservoir capacitance where the datasheet asks for it.
For the Core 9523, the boost rail (10.5 to 35 V) and antenna gain under 3 dBi to keep the FCC, IC and CE approvals valid.
An enclosure and connector scheme rated for the site: the modules themselves are rated -40 to +85 C (9602, 9603) or -30 to +70 C (Core 9523) but have no ingress protection of their own.
Regulatory review for the finished product; module approval does not automatically cover the end device.

Designing a product around Iridium?

We supply modules and kits, provision SBD service, and can put you in touch with Iridium's developer resources. Volume pricing on request.

Call (800) 279-2366

Keep reading

Frequently asked questions

What is Iridium Short Burst Data?
Iridium SBD is a packet-based satellite messaging service for frequent, short, two-way data transmissions between remote equipment and a central host system, anywhere on Earth. It runs over the 66-satellite Iridium constellation with real-time delivery and is the service behind most satellite trackers, buoys and remote sensors.
Is SBD the same as satellite internet?
No. SBD moves short messages, not an IP connection; you cannot browse, email in the normal sense or stream over it. It costs far less in power and airtime than a BGAN or Certus terminal for equipment that only needs to send readings or positions. For an IP link to a remote site, see the M2M page; for people, the Land Mobility page.
Which is better, the 9602 or the 9603?
They use the same service and RF interface. The 9603 is smaller (31.5 x 29.6 x 8.1 mm, 11.4 g) and transfers a message at 0.8 W or less; the 9602 is larger (41 x 45 x 13 mm, 30 g) at about 1.0 W and has a GPS antenna feed for shared-antenna designs. New size-constrained designs choose the 9603; existing 9602 layouts stay with the 9602.
When do I need the Core 9523 instead of a 9603?
When the product needs voice, SMS, circuit-switched data or RUDICS as well as SBD, or larger SBD messages, up to 1,960 bytes out and 1,890 bytes in. The Core 9523 is the module inside full-service terminals and handsets. For pure SBD telemetry it is more than you need.
How does my server receive SBD messages?
Iridium delivers mobile-originated messages to a destination you set when the module's IMEI is provisioned: an email address, or a direct IP connection to your host. Mobile-terminated commands are queued the same way and delivered when the module checks in or responds to a ring alert. We handle the provisioning for you.
Do SBD modules need a SIM card?
The 9602 and 9603 do not; they are identified and provisioned by IMEI. The 9522B has a SIM card reader because it supports voice and data services that require one. Check the module you choose before designing the SIM holder in or out.
Does Iridium SBD work at the poles and at sea?
Yes. The Iridium constellation covers the entire globe including both poles and every ocean, and the modules use an omnidirectional antenna that never needs pointing. That is why SBD dominates in polar science, ocean buoys and long-range asset tracking.
Can I buy a finished SBD tracker instead of a module?
Yes. Ready-made Iridium trackers and messengers such as the Iridium Edge and the Garmin inReach family are at /buy/satellite-trackers. This page is for teams building their own hardware.
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9602 SBD Transceiver
Special offer
9602 SBD Transceiver
$249.00
9603 SBD Transceiver
Special offer
9603 SBD Transceiver
$259.00
Core 9523 Satellite Transceiver Module
Special offer
Core 9523 Satellite Transceiver Module
$949.00
9522B Satellite Transceiver
Special offer
9522B Satellite Transceiver
$1,499.00
9602 SBD Developer Kit
Special offer
9602 SBD Developer Kit
$2,199.00
Iridium 9603 SBD Developer Kit
Special offer
Iridium 9603 SBD Developer Kit
$2,199.00
Core 9523 Developer Kit
Special offer
Core 9523 Developer Kit
$3,199.00

SBD satellite services offer a cost-effective way to maintain "eyes-on" status for your global inventory. Because these devices are designed for low power consumption and small form factors, they can be integrated into almost any piece of equipment. Partner with Satmodo to implement a short burst data solution that enhances your logistical efficiency and secures your bottom line.

FAQs:

  • What kind of data can be sent via SBD? SBD is designed for small packets like GPS coordinates, sensor readings (temperature/pressure), and short status alerts.
  • Does SBD work in polar regions? Yes, because it utilizes the Iridium network, SBD provides truly global coverage, including the North and South Poles.

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