MeshRF allows you to configure specific hardware parameters to accurately simulate real-world radio performance. These settings are located in the Sidebar under "Hardware Defaults" (global) or "Node Hardware" (node-specific).
Selecting a device preset automatically configures the Max TX Power and Internal Cable Loss.
| Device | Max TX Power | Default Loss |
|---|---|---|
| Heltec V3 | 22 dBm | 1.5 dB |
| Heltec V4 (High Power) | 28 dBm | 1.5 dB |
| Seeed Studio Xiao | 22 dBm | 2.0 dB |
| RAK WisBlock 4631 | 22 dBm | 0.5 dB |
| Station G2 (High Power) | 37 dBm (5W) | 0.5 dB |
The antenna type determines the gain (dBi) added to your signal.
- Stubby (2.15 dBi): Standard small antenna included with most modules.
- Standard Dipole (3.0 dBi): Common half-wave dipole.
- Fiberglass Omni (5.8 - 8.0 dBi): High-gain base station antennas for broad coverage.
- Yagi (11.0 dBi): Directional antenna for long-range point-to-point links.
- Custom: Manually enter any gain value.
For the RF Simulator and Link Analyzer, these parameters define the signal's robustnes:
- Frequency (MHz): Higher frequencies (e.g., 915MHz) suffer more path loss than lower ones (e.g., 433MHz).
- Bandwidth (BW): Narrower bandwidths increase sensitivity but decrease data rate.
- Spreading Factor (SF): Higher SF (e.g., SF12) provides much longer range at the cost of airtime and speed.
- Coding Rate (CR): Adjusts the error correction overhead.
RSSI = TX_Power + TX_Gain - Path_Loss - TX_Loss + RX_Gain - RX_Loss
Higher antenna gain or lower cable loss directly improves your Link Margin, allowing the Link Analyzer to show a "Green" status over longer distances.
Increasing TX Power or Antenna Height in the hardware settings will expand the coverage heatmap in the RF Simulator and visibility in the Viewshed.