This one took me a second to even orient to.
Start by characterizing the failure precisely—when, how, and under what conditions the signal disappears—then systematically eliminate variables by instrumenting the test setup, firmware, and measurement tooling. Form hypotheses around thermal, power, software, and RF issues, and design controlled experiments to confirm or refute each, prioritizing the most likely and easiest to test.
Pro tip: Demonstrate a bias for action by proposing a quick reproduction with logging enabled, and emphasize the importance of capturing the state right before failure—this often reveals the root cause faster than post-mortem analysis.
Run the test multiple times to confirm the 30-minute failure is consistent, and note exact timing, environmental conditions (temperature, humidity), and any variations. Collect baseline logs and measurements to establish a clear before-and-after picture.
Add detailed logging in firmware (e.g., power states, temperature sensors, error counters) and use external tools (spectrum analyzer, power monitor, thermal camera) to capture real-time data. Ensure timestamps are synchronized across all sources.
Brainstorm potential causes: thermal shutdown, power supply droop, firmware memory leak, driver bug, interference, or hardware degradation. Rank them by likelihood and ease of testing, considering the 30-minute timeframe.
Isolate variables: test with cooling to rule out thermal, swap power supplies, run with simplified firmware, or disable power-saving features. Use A/B testing and monitor the same metrics to see which change affects the failure.
Compare data across experiments to identify the root cause. If inconclusive, refine hypotheses and run further tests. Once identified, propose a fix and verify it resolves the issue without side effects.
AI-generated suggestions, not part of the candidate's original notes. May be inaccurate — verify before relying on them.