"Performing field tests" article has been uploaded to the RF Design Guide page
Circuit Design simulation tools provide a convenient method to visualise the feasibility of the proposed communication link. However it cannot predict reliability.
Up until now, Circuit Design has always emphasised how useful simulation tools can be. However unlike simulation, radio waves are subject to all the elements which can cause actual links to fail. Because of the potential variation in conditions and having to squeeze payload into transmission times - judging the reliability of the communication link can only really be done by using real radio modules in the field.
Collecting results is a fairly straight forward process - using the results to fine tune the link and deciding the correct reception margin can be difficult for new users. For this reason, Circuit Design introduces the new article providing guidance on field testing to complement simulation.