Beacon Log Template
Edit on GitHubThe test log format for bench and field sessions: what to record, why, and how the log catches regressions.
Beacon Log Template
A beacon log is the project’s memory. The same test run twice, months apart, is only comparable if both runs were logged the same way. This page is the template.
The bench log entry
Date: 2026-09-05
Firmware: v5.5.0
Beacon A: unit 1, E22 module, whip antenna
Beacon B: unit 2, E22 module, whip antenna
Distance: 2 m, bench, 30 dB attenuator in line
Frequency: 433.100 MHz, power +17 dBm
Result: A -> B decode OK, RSSI -86 dBm
B -> A decode OK, RSSI -84 dBm
Notes: new antenna on unit 1The field log entry
Date: 2026-09-05, 14:30
Location: ridge above Refugio, 2400 m
Beacon: unit 1, GPS on, 10 s interval
Receiver: SDR + whip, at chest height
Distance: 1.2 km, clear ridge line
Result: bursts heard, 5/5 decoded, RSSI -92 dBm
Weather: clear, 8 C, light windThe columns that matter
| Column | Why |
|---|---|
| Firmware version | Behavior changes between versions |
| Hardware config | Antenna, power, distance |
| Result | Decode? RSSI? |
| Conditions | Weather, terrain (see Weather Planning) |
The regression rule
Run the identical bench setup after every change: firmware update, antenna swap, case reassembly. A decode that used to succeed and now fails, with the same log format, is a regression with a fingerprint. Without the log, it is a mystery.
Related pages
- Two Beacon Bench Test for the bench procedure
- Receiver Testing for the tests
- Outdoor Testing for the field version