====== Meshtastic Range Testing ======

===== Prerequisites =====

  * 2 Meshtastic devices
    * 1 fixed sender
    * 1 mobile receiver + Android client, with GPS on Meshtastic device or Android client
  * PC with [[https://www.google.com/earth/about/versions/#download-pro|Google Earth Pro]]

===== Steps - Starting a Range Test Walk =====

  - **Disable MQTT module** on both Meshtastic devices: ''[[https://meshtastic.org/docs/configuration/module/mqtt/#enabled|mqtt.enabled]] = false''
    * Range test messages are sent on the Primary channel, including on MQTT, so it WILL spam MQTT-connected nodes if MQTT is not disabled
  - **Configure the position module** on both Meshtastic devices, if not already configured
     - **Sender**
       * ''[[https://meshtastic.org/docs/configuration/radio/position/#fixed-position|position.fixed_position]] = true''
       * Turn on fixed location from the phone client, otherwise from CLI: ''%%meshtastic --setlat [YOUR_SENDER_LAT] --setlon [YOUR_SENDER_LON]%%''
     - **Receiver**
       - ''[[https://meshtastic.org/docs/configuration/radio/position/#gps-enabled|position.gps_enabled]] = true''
       - If your Meshtastic device has no GPS hardware, on the Android app's //Settings// tab, check //Provide phone location to mesh//
  - **Enable Range Test module** on both Meshtastic devices
    - ''[[https://meshtastic.org/docs/configuration/module/range-test/#enabled|range_test.enabled]] = true''
    - **Sender**: ''[[https://meshtastic.org/docs/configuration/module/range-test/#sender-interval|range_test.sender]] = 30'' (Sender Interval, LongFast)
    - **Receiver**: ''range_test.sender = 0'' (this is the default value)
  - **Receiver: Ensure you begin to receive messages** ''Seq [ascending number]'' every configured interval on your primary channel
  - **Take a range test walk** for up to 8 hours :-)
    * Watch for ''Seq'' messages
    * Monitor RSSI/SNR values of your sender device on the node list; for an instantaneous update, tap your sender device icon and request position

===== Steps - Finishing the Range Test Walk =====

  - **Disable Range Test module** on both Meshtastic devices
    - ''range_test.enabled = false''
    - ''range_test.sender = 0''
  - **Re-enable MQTT module** on both Meshtastic devices (if previously enabled): ''mqtt.enabled = true''
  - **Re-configure the position module** on both Meshtastic devices to prior configuration
  - **Receiver**: On the Android app:
    - Tap the 3 dots in the top right corner
    - Tap //Export rangetest.csv// and note where you have saved the file
    - Send the file to the PC with Google Earth Pro

===== Viewing Range Test Data with Google Earth Pro =====

  - Open Google Earth Pro
  - Open the ''rangetest.csv'' file
    - //__F__ile// -> //__O__pen...// (or ''Ctrl+o'')
    - //Files of type:// select //Generic Text (*.txt *.csv)//
    - //__O__pen//
  - Data Import Wizard
    - Specify Delimiter
      - No changes required, click **//__N__ext >//**
    - Select Latitude/Longitude Fields
      - //Latitude field//: **//rx lat//**
      - //Longitude field//: **//rx long//**
    - Specify Field Types (optional)
      - No changes required, click **//__F__inish//**
  - Do you want to apply a style template to the features you ingested?
    - Click **//__Y__es//**
  - Style Template
    - Select **//Create __n__ew template//** (or use your existing template if you have done this before)
    - Click **//OK//**
    - Name
      - //Set name field//: **//sender_name//** (or //rx_snr// if you prefer to see SNR as a text label rather than by colored pin)
    - Color
      - **//Set color from __f__ield//**
      - //Select color field//: **//rx_snr//**
      - //Palette start color//: set to **red (R = 255, G, B = 0)**
      - //end color//: set to **green (G = 255, R, B = 0)**
      - //Number of buckets//: **//16//**
    - Icon
      - **//Use __s__ame icon for all features//**: Choose an icon that is white (colored icons won't work with //Set color from __f__ield//)
        * I prefer the downward pointing solid arrow as it's easier to see
    - Click **//OK//**
    - Optional: Save this style template as ''rangetest.kst'' and you can skip going through the //Style Template// steps in future
  - //Left Sidebar// -> //Places// -> //Temporary Places// -> **Check //rangetest.csv//** to see your range test results!
  - Optional: //Left Sidebar// -> //Layers// --> **Uncheck all except //Terrain// and //3D Buildings//** to reduce visual clutter