MeshRF is most powerful when its tools are used in combination. This guide explains how to transition between tools to build a comprehensive network plan.
A typical planning cycle often looks like this:
- Elevation Scan: Start by scanning a wide area to find the highest potential site.
- Viewshed: Place an observer on the #1 ranked spot to verify visual coverage of your target area.
- RF Simulator: Switch to the simulator to see how signal strength behaves with realistic hardware settings from that same spot.
- RF Simulator: Switch to the simulator to see how signal strength behaves with realistic hardware settings from that same spot.
- Link Analyzer: Finally, draw a point-to-point link between your new site and an existing node to verify the backbone connection.
Use the target icon (⌖) in the bottom-right corner to instantly fly the map to your physical location. This is especially useful for setting up "on-the-ground" site surveys or checking coverage at your current position.
- Viewshed is "all or nothing"—either you have LOS or you don't.
- RF Simulator shows the "fuzzy" edge of connectivity where trees or grazing terrain might degrade signal but not block it completely.
Changing the Transmitter Height in the Global Parameters sidebar will instantly update:
- The Fresnel clearance in Link Analyzer.
- The coverage radius in RF Simulator.
- The visibility in Viewshed.
- Use the Topo Map style when using the Elevation Scan to better understand the land features being analyzed.
- Always verify high-margin links with the Realistic (Hata) propagation model before finalizing a site.