meshview/docs/COVERAGE.md

Coverage Prediction

Meshview can display a predicted coverage boundary for a node. This is a model estimate, not a guarantee of real-world performance.

How it works

The coverage boundary is computed using the Longley-Rice / ITM area mode propagation model. Area mode estimates average path loss over generic terrain and does not use a terrain profile. This means it captures general distance effects, but does not account for terrain shadows, buildings, or foliage.

What you are seeing

The UI draws a perimeter (not a heatmap) that represents the furthest distance where predicted signal strength is above a threshold (default -120 dBm). The model is run radially from the node in multiple directions, and the last point above the threshold forms the outline.

Key parameters

• Frequency: default 907 MHz
• Transmit power: default 20 dBm
• Antenna heights: default 5 m (TX) and 1.5 m (RX)
• Reliability: default 0.5 (median)
• Terrain irregularity: default 90 m (average terrain)

Limitations

• No terrain or building data is used (area mode only).
• Results are sensitive to power, height, and threshold.
• Environmental factors can cause large real-world deviations.