Prove it indoors. Then plan for weather.

Use the exact Pi, storage, power supply, capture adapter and antenna indoors first. The receiver must remain stable through normal operation and produce at least one accepted compatible observation in a lawful controlled test.

• The radio, feeder, clock and signed heartbeat are healthy.
• A real compatible Remote ID Beacon has been decoded and accepted.
• A network outage has been survived without losing the bounded local queue.
• The installation has run without undervoltage, thermal throttling or USB resets.
• You can pause, inspect and recover it without deleting its device identity.

A slightly lower site with safe access and stable power is usually more useful than an ambitious mount that cannot be inspected. Keep the exact receiver position private in public descriptions and photographs.

• Prefer a position maintainable from ground level or a protected platform.
• Use a competent person for roof, chimney, mast, tower or exposed ladder work.
• Keep clear of overhead services and other antennas.
• Do not install, inspect or retrieve equipment during high winds, rain, ice or thunderstorms.
• Do not work alone where the site risk assessment requires assistance.

1. 01
   Select a suitable enclosure

   Use an outdoor-rated, UV-resistant enclosure appropriate for the site's exposure. Do not rely on indoor junction boxes or improvised food containers.

2. 02
   Manage every cable entry

   Use correctly sized outdoor cable glands, strain relief and drip loops. Openings face away from water paths.

3. 03
   Plan moisture control

   Temperature cycles pull damp air into sealed boxes. Use an enclosure ventilation and condensation strategy specified for the site, not an unreviewed hole.

4. 04
   Stay inside component limits

   Allow for solar heating, still air and winter cold. A white or shaded enclosure can reduce heat but must not obstruct the radio.

Use a recognised low-voltage outdoor power method designed for the cable length, current and environment. Power over Ethernet can simplify the run, but it still needs compatible equipment, cable, surge design and installation practice.

• Use listed power equipment within its ratings.
• Protect outdoor cable against UV, water, abrasion and strain.
• Provide a clearly identified isolation point in a safe location.
• Have earthing, bonding and surge protection designed by a competent person for the structure and locality.
• Never bring an unprotected outdoor cable into network equipment by assumption.

Detection distance depends on aircraft transport and channel, antenna pattern, cable loss, driver behaviour, buildings, terrain, interference and receiver health. Publish measured observations, not a radius inferred from antenna height.

• Keep the supported antenna and adapter arrangement unchanged from the indoor proof unless the change is separately validated.
• Keep USB and RF connections dry, strain-relieved and within their specified lengths.
• Do not add an unreviewed amplifier. It can overload the receiver or create regulatory issues.
• Record the exact hardware, software, band and configured channel for every controlled test.
• Label single-channel Wi-Fi coverage as partial.

1. 01
   Stop the services indoors

   Pause the radio and feeder before disconnecting or moving hardware.

2. 02
   Install and inspect

   Complete the mechanical, weather and electrical checks before applying power.

3. 03
   Update the private site record

   Record the antenna's actual fixed coordinates and honest accuracy. A material move requires recommissioning.

4. 04
   Repeat health and RF proof

   Check clock, capture, heartbeat, upload acknowledgement and one lawful compatible-aircraft test.

Do not edit an enrolled device's capability set to describe changed radio hardware. Revoke and re-enrol it with a fresh claim when the authorised radios or transports change.

• Monitor heartbeat, queue, clock and temperature trends remotely.
• Inspect after severe weather and at a documented routine interval.
• Check seals, glands, fixings, cable support, corrosion, insects and condensation.
• Replace degraded media, cables and seals before failure.
• Review support bundles locally before sharing them.
• Revoke the receiver before retirement, transfer or disposal.