Pimoroni Clipper HAT Mini – also called “CLIPPER LTE Mini HAT” – is a Raspberry Pi 4G LTE pHAT that can use mobile data for remote projects where WiFi connectivity is unreliable or unavailable. The HAT is built around a SIMCom A7683E LTE Cat 1 modem with support for frequency bands B1/B3/B5/B7/B8/B20/B28, offering uplink speeds up to 5 Mbps and downlink speeds up to 10 Mbps.
Other key features of this HAT include a SIM card slot, an SMA antenna connector (antenna sold separately), two user buttons, indicator LEDs, and a Qwiic/STEMMA QT connector for I2C modules. The board is designed to attach to Raspberry Pi (Zero) via a pre-soldered socket header and includes introductory global data coverage via a 1NCE SIM card. These features make this device suitable for IoT projects, mobile data collection, and remote-controlled devices in varied environments.
Raspberry Pi LTE 4G HAT Specifications
- Compatibility – Supports both Raspberry Pi and Raspberry Pi Zero SBCs via 40-pin female header
- Host Interface – AT commands over UART to the LTE module (40-pin GPIO header required)
- SIMCom A7683E 4G LTE cellular module
- Frequency Bands – LTE-FDD B1/B3/B5/B7/B8/B20/B28 (Check regional compatibility)
- Data Transfer – LTE Cat 1 (Uplink: up to 5 Mbps, Downlink: up to 10 Mbps)
- Control – AT Commands (SIMCom AT-Command Manual)
- Audio – Unpopulated headers for speaker and microphone
- Onboard connectors
- SIM card slot
- SMA connector for external LTE antenna
- Qw/ST (Qwiic / STEMMA QT) connector for I2C peripherals
- Misc
- 2x user buttons (A and B)
- STATUS and NET indicator LEDs
- Built-in capacitors (440 µF) for voltage stability
- Power Consumption:
- Peak current (transmitting) – 700 mA (capacitors help smooth peaks)
- Average current (active) – 50-100 mA
- Idle – 17 mA
- Sleep modes – 0.12 mA – 1.63 mA
- Dimensions
- 65 x 30 x 17 mm (L x W x D, including connectors)
- 23 mm total depth with Raspberry Pi Zero 2 W and 10 mm standoffs
The company mentioned that the Clipper HAT Mini is compatible with Raspberry Pi OS, which natively supports PPP connections and you’ll find instructions to get started on the documentation website. Additionally, Pimoroni provides a complimentary SIM card with 100MB of data, valid for use in approximately 150 countries through 1NCE’s network, as part of a limited-time offer.
Previously we have written about various other 4G LTE HATs for the Raspberry Pi including the PCIe to MiniPCIe GbE USB3.2 HAT+, the Monarch Go Pi HAT, and many others. The Clipper HAT Mini is smaller following the Raspberry Pi Zero form factor and only provides 4G LTE connectivity drastically reducing the product cost.
At the time of writing Clipper HAT Mini Raspberry Pi 4G LTE pHAT is priced at around $31.25 and the 4G LTE antenna costs around $4.06 both of which can be purchased from the Pimoroni store.
Sayantan Nandy, an electronics engineer with over four years of hands-on experience in PCB design, circuit development and power electronics, is proficient in EAGLE CAD, Ki-Cad, and Altium. He has a proven track record of delivering efficient and effective systems. His expertise extends from R&D, and prototyping to production support, making him a valuable asset to any engineering team.
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