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Radio Quick Start

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The radio knowledge needed before the first transmission: the band, the channel, and the first range test.

Radio Quick Start

You can build the beacon without radio theory, but you cannot USE it well without the basics. This page is the minimum: the band, the channel, and the first test.

The band in one paragraph

The beacon transmits on the 433 MHz ISM band: license-free within limits, shared with remotes and sensors, and receivable by any scanner or SDR (see Why 433 MHz for the full reasoning).

The first choices

DecisionDefaultSee
Channel433.100 MHz (or scanned)Scanning the Band
PowerLegal floorE22 Power Levels
AntennaQuarter-wave whipAntenna Quick Select

The first test

  1. Put a second beacon in SEARCH or RX on the channel (see Two Beacon Bench Test).
  2. Transmit one burst.
  3. The receiver shows the signal and decodes it.
  4. Walk away until the signal fades: that is your honest range (see Outdoor Testing).

The first lesson

Range is dominated by height and terrain, not power (see Antenna Height Matters). A beacon at +10 dBm on a ridge outranges a beacon at +22 dBm in a valley. Spend your effort on placement before power.