When to commission a survey
- Pre-installation baseline. Before designing a BDA system, we need to know what signal you have today — the donor signal at the roof, the attenuation through the structure, and where coverage gaps actually live.
- Design-phase survey. Required for iBwave-modeled systems. Without measured RF data, you're designing to assumptions — which the AHJ won't accept.
- Acceptance test (post-install). The final test before AHJ sign-off. 20-grid survey, DAQ measurements, donor-antenna verification.
- Annual recertification. Same test, scheduled annually under our Annual Inspection Program. AHJs require it. Owners who skip it lose their inspection tag.
- Post-renovation re-test. Any time you change interior partitions, add levels, replace exterior glazing, or repurpose the building, RF behavior shifts. Re-test.
Equipment & methodology
- PCTEL automated grid-testing platform — calibrated, documented, repeatable.
- Spectrum analyzers tuned to AHJ-authorized frequencies (P-25 700/800 MHz typical for DFW).
- 20-grid floor-by-floor sweep, plus critical areas (stairwells, fire-control room, elevator shafts, basements).
- DAQ measurements per NFPA 1225 §18.5 — minimum DAQ 3.0 (general areas) and 3.4 (critical areas) where required.
- Signal-strength minimum: −95 dBm general / −95 dBm critical (or AHJ-specific threshold).
- Coverage %: 90% general / 99% critical (typical; AHJ may amend).
Deliverables
- AHJ-ready PDF report with floor-plan overlays, signal heatmaps, and DAQ measurements per grid
- Donor-antenna RSSI verification
- Pass/fail call per AHJ threshold
- If failed: deficiency report with photos and recommended corrective design
- Electronic submittal to your Fire Marshal portal (DallasNow, Dallas; eTRAKiT, Plano; etc.)