How about a gps footprint too Charles? See the board Rak have done as an example
Yeah, great idea, but not sure it will fit 
But this one has one
https://pcm52.com/2017/10/01/lorawan-gateway/
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Oh and now it comes even easier.
Just received 2 of these boards PRE-ASSEMBLED with PRE-INSTALLED SD card 
It took me 25min to figure it all out and 1,5 hour to wait while my config file was merged on github and I’m up and running.
You only need to run the install.sh file and create a new gateway in the ttn console, add your config file on github and wait till it’s merged.
cool 
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I received my RAK 831 ( 915 Mhz ) kit yesterday …
I was attempting to follow the Quick Start Guide, which uses the FTDI SPI USB Bridge. The guide instructs you on how to connect it to your linux box and verify the device is working over the bridge.
I was able to connect the RAK to my linux machine as documented and the program finds the unit fine. Everything worked up to the last step where you run the “test_loragw_rx” program which is supposed to test the units receive function and print out the RSSI, SNR etc.
I’m using my RN2903 which is set to 923.3 Mhz SF12 and sending some packets but the RAK never receives anything. I can see its PWR and RX lights are on, but no joy.
Has anyone used these test to verify the boards is working ? It seems like this was all set-up for 868Mhz kits…
I was hoping to verify this worked before buying the enclosure and pi board etc…
RAK831_LoRaGateway/lora_gateway/libloragw $ ./test_loragw_rx 923.3
Beginning of test for loragw_hal.c
*** Library version information ***
Version: 1.5.0; Options: ftdi sx1301 auto-check full no_brd private;
F_RX0 = 923700000, F_RX1 = 0
4 freqeuncy channels are selected
channel: 0, freq: 923300000
channel: 1, freq: 923500000
channel: 2, freq: 923700000
channel: 3, freq: 923900000
*** Concentrator started ***
Rcv pkt #1 >>freq:923500000
if_chain: 1 tstamp:0059827515 size:251
CRC error, damaged packet
Rcv pkt #1 >>freq:923300000
if_chain: 0 tstamp:0212785115 size: 53
CRC error, damaged packet
Ok, so this turned out to be a configuration issue with my RN2903, I had not set the sync word to 12, it was still at the default 34. Once I did that, the RAK831 detected and displayed all the packets from multiple RN2903’s on different frequencies.
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Received my RAK831 board today 
. 6 weeks since I ordered but almost 1 week at the start was lost due to me ordering during “Golden week” and 1 week at the end due to customs. Import fees were ~38EUR which is expected.
Will unfortunately not have time to build my gateway today, but hopefully later this week.
I would like to build my own gateway. What do you recommend, RAK831 or iC880A?
IMST reduced the price of the iC880A to 119€ and is in stock (from Germany I think).
amazon.com can handle and let you pay the VAT for export orders to Amazon directly. This saves Customs delays and will prevent you from the extra fine of €13 for ‘handling fees’.
It would be great if they could implement that at AliExpress as well.
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Feature-wise there isn’t any difference. The RAK831 is a bit more compact, but both run on the same platform (e.g. RasPi) and with the same packet forwarders.
At €105 + €9 shipping the RAK831 is still cheaper than the iC880A at €119 + €35 shipping. However because the RAK831 comes from outside the EU you do run the risk of having to pay an additional 21% + clearance costs if your package gets intercepted by customs. I wouldn’t be surprised if IMST set the price of €119 with that in mind.
The prices shown at the IMST webshop are NET prices, they will charge you the same VAT you would pay ordering something from China. Therefore the price you pay is (Eur 119 + Eur 35) + 19% VAT, provided you are not ordering as an entity having a European VAT registration.
See http://shop.imst.de/terms-and-conditions:
All prices published in the IMST Online-Shop are net prices, as our offer is generally not directed to (private persons) consumers. In addition, gross prices and the statutory VAT (currently 19%, Germany) is shown separately on the invoice
Perhaps wait a couple of days until https://webshop.ideetron.nl/ lowers prices as well and order from them, their shipping is usually cheaper…
Ha I wondered about that, because their new shop front-end said ‘Prices plus VAT’. Thanks for clearing that up. The RAK831 remains the cheapest by far then.
Sure, you are welcome.
How does the RAK831 board perform?
Is there any technical difference between this board (and iC880A) and much more expensive commercial gateways?
Performance wise no, see this discussion. All concentrator boards and gateways use the same Semtech provided chips and the same Semtech provided reference design.
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On every photo of the RAK831 board I see two strips on the side.
They look like leftovers from the PCB production process that have yet to be removed.
Is that correct or do the strips serve any special purpose I am not aware of?
no, just break it off
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Few days ago I have installed first gw with RAK831 pictures
I have good coverage and all seems quite nice. I did that minimum rssi is for now in few day test is -115dBm.
I did test other gateways and know that my other gateways are receiving messages with lower rssi, so im not sure if RA831 can perform maybe better with some fix?
Did someone notice something like that?
Are those gateways using the same antenna, same RF connector, same RF cable, same length of RF cable and the same position with respect to the nodes, and are the weather conditions the same? If not, you are comparing apples to oranges .