Commissioning Checklist for a New Infrastructure Node

An acceptance checklist to complete before a public Meshtastic node is declared operational.

Purpose and acceptance

Commissioning is the handover from an installation project to an operated service. The checklist should be completed at the site, signed or attributed to a responsible person and stored with photographs and configuration records. A failed item should produce an action and retest date, not a vague promise.

Site and safety

☐ Host permission and access conditions confirmed
☐ Mount, pole and fasteners inspected and tightened
☐ Cable routing, strain relief and drip loops complete
☐ Grounding and surge protection integrated with site design
☐ No unsafe obstruction, sharp edge or trip hazard created
☐ Site label and emergency contact procedure present

Enclosure, antenna and RF path

☐ Correct-band antenna installed before power-up
☐ Antenna vertical or aligned as designed
☐ Required clearances from metal and other antennas maintained
☐ Coax type, length, connectors and adapters recorded
☐ Outdoor interfaces weatherproofed
☐ Enclosure glands, vent, seals and drainage inspected
☐ No visible condensation or cable tension

Power and recovery

☐ Supply voltage and charging verified under load
☐ Battery type, capacity and protection recorded
☐ Solar input checked in representative light
☐ Low-voltage and temperature behavior reviewed
☐ Node survives a controlled power interruption
☐ Automatic restart returns the node to service
☐ Telemetry values are plausible

Firmware and configuration

☐ Hardware target and firmware version recorded
☐ Correct legal region selected
☐ Preset and frequency slot match community profile
☐ Node identity, role and hop limit verified
☐ Channels and public position precision checked
☐ Position, telemetry and NodeInfo intervals reviewed
☐ Administration and private keys stored securely
☐ Configuration backup exported

Radio acceptance tests

☐ Short-range transmit and receive test passed
☐ Direct packets tested in both directions
☐ Planned coverage sectors sampled
☐ Sequence counts, RSSI, SNR and packet loss recorded
☐ Relayed and direct results distinguished
☐ Busy-period or extended observation completed where required
☐ No unexpected congestion or duty-cycle warnings observed

Documentation and handover

☐ Overview and detail photographs saved
☐ Approximate public location and private exact record separated
☐ Antenna height and site elevation recorded
☐ Hardware serials and spare parts listed
☐ Host, maintainer and escalation contacts assigned
☐ Inspection and battery-review dates scheduled
☐ MeshAtlas listing created or updated only after acceptance

What “pass” should mean

A node passes when it satisfies the site’s written acceptance criteria, not merely when another node sees its name. Communities may define different thresholds, but they should specify the endpoints, number of packets, direction, direct-versus-relayed condition and observation period. Keep the completed checklist as the baseline for future fault comparison.

Define exceptions

Not every site can satisfy the same physical design. An approved exception should state the unmet requirement, reason, risk, compensating measure, owner and review date. For example, a site without remote telemetry may require more frequent visits. An exception is not an empty checkbox; it makes the remaining risk visible.

Retain a baseline

Save the final configuration and measurements immediately after acceptance. Later comparisons need a known healthy reference: typical battery voltage, temperature range, channel utilization, direct neighbors and delivery ratios on selected paths. If a firmware update changes the meaning or availability of a metric, note that rather than comparing unlike values.

Commission again after material antenna, feed-line, power, radio, preset or mounting changes. Routine inspection alone is sufficient only when the system and its expected performance remain unchanged.

Related guides

Official sources

Firmware, applications and documentation change over time. Confirm current setting names and applicable regional rules before commissioning or changing live infrastructure.