Frequently asked questions

1. What does Coverage Pro RF actually do?
2. What's the Longley-Rice model?
3. Where does the terrain data come from?
4. Can it account for trees and buildings?
5. How accurate is it?
6. Does it predict indoor coverage?
7. What's the difference between talk-out, talk-in, and both-ways?
8. What antennas are included?
9. Can I model a side-mounted antenna?
10. What about directional antennas?
11. What do the signal levels on the map mean?
12. Can I run interference studies?
13. What about point-to-point links?
14. Can I import my existing site list?
15. What can I export?
16. What's batch mapping?
17. Can I compare antenna options?
18. What units does it use?
19. Is there a way to check signal at a specific location?

What does Coverage Pro RF actually do?

It predicts radio coverage over real terrain. You tell it where your tower is, what antenna you're running, your power and feedline losses, and the radio on the other end — and it draws a map showing where the system works and where it doesn't. It uses actual elevation data and the Longley-Rice propagation model, so the results are based on the ground between your site and the subscriber, not just distance and a hope.

What's the Longley-Rice model?

Longley-Rice (ITM 1.4) is the standard propagation model for VHF and UHF terrain analysis in the US. It's been around for decades and it's what the industry uses for a reason — it looks at the actual terrain profile between two points, finds the radio horizons, and calculates path loss using a blend of line-of-sight, diffraction, and troposcatter. Coverage Pro RF implements it from the NTIA reference code. It's valid from 20 MHz to 20 GHz and distances from 1 to 2,000 km.

Where does the terrain data come from?

In the US, Coverage Pro RF pulls from the USGS 3DEP program. That includes lidar-derived bare earth data down to 1-meter resolution across most of the country. Outside the US, or where lidar isn't available yet, it falls back to 30-meter worldwide terrain tiles from AWS. You can also load your own SRTM .hgt files if you have custom data for a particular area.

Can it account for trees and buildings?

Yes — optionally. You can turn on land cover data from the USGS National Land Cover Database, which adds tree canopy and building classes to the prediction. There are two modes: model them as obstructions that physically block the path, or apply extra loss when the subscriber is sitting among trees or buildings. It won't model a specific building, but it does a solid job of showing the difference between a hilltop pasture and a wooded valley.

How accurate is it?

Honest answer: it's a prediction, not a measurement. It doesn't know about the metal warehouse next to your tower, the noise floor at your receiver, intermod from the paging system two bays over, or a corroded connector in your feedline. What it does know is the terrain between point A and point B, your antenna pattern, your power levels, and the physics of radio propagation over irregular ground.

For most sites, the coverage map will line up well with what you see in the field. Where it won't is in dense urban areas with specific building effects, or situations where local interference dominates. Use it as the solid starting point it is — not a guarantee.

Does it predict indoor coverage?

No. The maps show predicted outdoor signal at the subscriber's antenna height. Building penetration loss varies so much — wood frame vs. concrete vs. metal siding, which floor, which side of the building — that putting a number on it would be misleading. If you need indoor coverage, the outdoor map tells you how much signal you're starting with, and you can factor in your own penetration loss estimate from there.

What's the difference between talk-out, talk-in, and both-ways?

Talk-out shows where subscribers can hear the repeater. That's usually the bigger footprint because the repeater is running more power with a better antenna.

Talk-in shows where the repeater can hear subscribers. This is almost always smaller — a 5-watt portable with a rubber duck can't match a 100-watt repeater with a high-gain stick on a tower.

Both-ways shows only the areas where both directions work. This is the map that matters for actual two-way communication, and it's the one you should be showing customers. If you only show talk-out, you're overselling the system.

What antennas are included?

The built-in library covers real models from Telewave, Sinclair, Decibel Products, Comet, Diamond, dbSpectra, Laird, Hustler, and others — plus generic dipoles, ground planes, collinears, yagis, panels, and corner reflectors. Each antenna carries its published gain for every band it's specified for.

Omni antennas are modeled as stacked half-wave dipoles fitted to the manufacturer's published gain and beamwidth, so you get realistic vertical patterns with actual side lobes and nulls — not just a smooth donut.

You can also import measured pattern files in Planet/MSI (.msi, .pln) or .ant format, and build up your own personal antenna library over time.

Can I model a side-mounted antenna?

Yes. If you're side-mounting an exposed-dipole antenna on a tower leg, the software models the cardioid-like horizontal pattern that creates. You set the front-to-back figure — typically 6 to 10 dB depending on the tower face — and the coverage map reflects the real-world pattern distortion. Some antennas in the library default to side-mount because that's how they're always installed.

What about directional antennas?

Full support. Set the azimuth, horizontal and vertical beamwidth, front-to-back ratio, and tilt. The Aim Antenna tool calculates the true bearing to a target site and shows you the terrain profile so you can verify path clearance before anyone climbs the tower. Magnetic bearing is included using the current WMM2025 model.

What do the signal levels on the map mean?

Everything is in dBm and µV — the same units on every receiver spec sheet you've ever read. The default working threshold is −110 dBm (0.71 µV), which builds in about 6–9 dB of fade margin above a typical FM receiver's 12 dB SINAD sensitivity. That gap is intentional. A map drawn to the radio's absolute sensitivity limit looks impressive and falls apart in the field.

You can adjust the threshold to match any radio. Type a value in dBm or µV and the other updates automatically.

Can I run interference studies?

Yes. Coverage Pro RF maps co-channel and adjacent-channel interference so you can see where a proposed site overlaps with existing systems. The interference map shows your protected service area, the overlap zones, and the carrier-to-interference ratio across the coverage area. You can export the results as a CSV or copy a summary paragraph straight into an email to the frequency coordinator.

What about point-to-point links?

Pick any two sites and get a terrain profile with Fresnel zone clearance, path loss, and a full link budget in both directions. It's the quick check you run before committing to a backhaul path, a microwave shot, or a fixed link to a remote building.

Can I import my existing site list?

Yes. You can import sites from a CSV file, and the format is compatible with RepeaterBook exports. If you've already got your sites in a spreadsheet, getting them into Coverage Pro RF is straightforward.

What can I export?

• Presentation map sheets — finished PNG images with legend, scale bar, north arrow, and a three-line caption. Sized for screens, letter paper, or 11×17 prints.
• Google Earth files (.kmz) — coverage overlays and site placemarks your field crew can open on a phone.
• Batch maps — generate finished maps for dozens of repeaters at once, with a searchable gallery page.
• CSV exports — site lists and interference reports.
• Coverage overlay images — transparent PNGs you can drop into your own maps or presentations.
• KML files — site placemarks and link paths.

What's batch mapping?

If you've got 30 repeaters in a system and need a map for each one, you don't have to run them one at a time. Batch maps generates talk-out, talk-in, both-ways, and interference maps for every selected site, then builds a gallery page with thumbnails and a searchable list. It also produces a combined interference spreadsheet. It's the feature that saves you a weekend when you're putting together a system proposal or a license renewal package.

Can I compare antenna options?

Yes. Run a coverage map with one antenna, save the layer, swap in a different antenna, and run it again. You can flip between saved layers to compare the coverage side by side without re-running anything. It's the fastest way to show a customer why the upgrade from a 3 dB stick to a 6 dB stick is worth the money — or why it isn't, depending on the terrain.

What units does it use?

Signal levels are in dBm and µV. Antenna gain is in dBi (if your spec sheet shows dBd, add 2.15). Distances default to miles but you can switch to kilometers. Bearings are in degrees true, with magnetic bearing available using WMM2025. Heights are in feet or meters. S-units are available if you want them, but they're off by default because FM S-meters aren't calibrated to any standard — the dBm value is always the real number.

Is there a way to check signal at a specific location?

Yes. The Probe tool lets you click any point on the map and read the predicted signal level in dBm and µV, the margin over threshold, and the talk-out and talk-in levels separately. It's the tool you use when a customer points at a spot on the map and asks “will it work there?”

Still have a question? Email [email protected], or read the user manual.