Method and System for Analyzing Radio Performance During Over-the-Air Operation

An apparatus for determining characteristics of a radio within a communications network includes a radio, RF signal sensor, and analyzer. The radio transmits RF signals and has transmission operating parameters with respective predetermined values defined by a regulatory agency, a manufacturer, a user and a provider, the values having respective thresholds, a unique identifier; and an over-the-air operating mode in which the signals comprise the identifier. The sensor receives the signals from the radio having characteristics correlating with the transmission operating parameters. While the signals are being received during the operating mode, the analyzer measures the signal characteristics and determines health of the radio by analyzing whether the measured characteristics transmitted are within the respective thresholds of the values, and concludes that health is acceptable if the measured characteristics are within the thresholds, and concludes that health is unacceptable if at least one measured characteristic is outside a threshold.