From e07cb8545ea27257ad5cb1d67399fdd9b8d73cba Mon Sep 17 00:00:00 2001
From: Brad Rodgers <brodgers@bluecapstrategies.com>
Date: Fri, 23 Oct 2026 14:33:54 -0400
Subject: [PATCH] docs: external uptime check via UptimeRobot -> Pushover

---
 docs/launch-checklist.md | 11 +++++++----
 1 file changed, 7 insertions(+), 4 deletions(-)

diff --git a/docs/launch-checklist.md b/docs/launch-checklist.md
index 20ddac4..a10157d 100644
--- a/docs/launch-checklist.md
+++ b/docs/launch-checklist.md
@@ -24,7 +24,7 @@ Status legend: `[ ]` open · `[x]` done · `[?]` needs verification · 🛑 owne
 | Staging | https://bcs.int.7tl-homelab.com — LAN only |
 | Contact form | Formspree, verified end to end 2026-10-09 |
 | Analytics | **Umami** (self-hosted, `stats.bluecapstrategies.com`) + **GA4** `G-Z273QL1F0N`, both verified recording 2026-10-23 |
-| Monitoring | monylog blackbox probes on www + apex → Alertmanager → **Pushover** |
+| Monitoring | monylog blackbox probes on www + apex → Alertmanager → **Pushover**; UptimeRobot (external) → **Pushover** |
 | Search | Google Search Console domain property verified; sitemap submitted and fetched by Googlebot |
 | Mail | MXroute. SPF pass, DKIM pass (selector `x`), DMARC `p=none` — mail-tester 9.5/10 |
 | `npm run build` / `typecheck` / `seo:lint` | green, 21 pages |
@@ -42,11 +42,14 @@ visitor → Cloudflare DNS (DNS-only) → Pangolin VPS 23.94.111.133 (TLS #1, Cr
 
 ## 1. Open — do soon
 
-### 1.1 External uptime check 🛑
+### 1.1 External uptime check ✅ 2026-10-23
 monylog runs inside the homelab, so a homelab power or internet outage takes the site **and** its
 monitor down together, and nothing pages. Needs a vantage point outside the homelab.
-- [ ] Decide: hosted (UptimeRobot / Healthchecks.io) or Uptime Kuma on the Pangolin VPS.
-- [ ] Probe `https://www.bluecapstrategies.com/` and route alerts to Pushover.
+- [x] **UptimeRobot** (free tier, 5-min interval) probes `https://www.bluecapstrategies.com/`.
+- [x] Alerts go to Pushover via a separate *email alert contact* (the `@pomail.net` gateway
+      address), not the account email, so password resets etc. stay in the normal inbox.
+- Reading alerts: UptimeRobot **and** monylog both firing = site/VPS problem; UptimeRobot
+  alone (monylog silent) usually means the homelab itself is down.
 
 ### 1.2 Homelab intercepts port-53 DNS
 Found 2026-10-23. Queries from the homelab — including k3s nodes — to *any* DNS server, even