Troubleshooting

This section helps you diagnose and fix common problems.

Quick Checks

Before anything else:

  1. Power — use a 5 V USB-C supply of at least 1 A and a data-capable cable.

  2. WiFi — the WiFi symbol at the top-right should be shown (not AP or a cross).

  3. Time — the top bar must not show TIME NOT SYNCED.

  4. Location — the grid square in the top bar should be yours.

  5. Restart — unplug for ten seconds and plug back in.

Time and Predictions

"TIME NOT SYNCED" Stays On

Cause: the device hasn't been able to reach an internet time server.

Fix:

  • Check the WiFi symbol is shown and that other devices on the network have internet access.

  • Make sure your router or firewall allows outbound NTP (UDP port 123) to pool.ntp.org and time.google.com.

  • Restart the device.

No passes are predicted until the time is set — tracking a satellite without accurate time would put it in the wrong place.

The Timeline Is Empty / "PREDICTING..." Doesn't Clear

  • Prediction starts as soon as the time is set and takes about ten seconds. Wait a little longer after the time warning clears.

  • Check that you are tracking some satellites (Settings → SATELLITES shows the count).

  • If you have just changed location, satellites or the horizon mask, the timeline refreshes within a few seconds.

"NEXT no good pass in 24h"

None of your tracked satellites reaches your good-pass elevation in the next day. Track more satellites, or lower GOOD PASS: MAX ELEVATION AT LEAST in Settings → PASS ALERTS. Most satellites have a few passes a day over any one location, and only some of them are high.

Pass Times Look Wrong

  • Check the home location. Every prediction depends on it. Confirm the grid square in the top bar, or open Settings → LOCATION.

  • Check the timezone. Pass times are shown in local time; the small time beside the clock is UTC. If the big clock is right but in the wrong zone, set the timezone.

  • Check the orbital data age in Settings → ORBITAL DATA. If it is more than a few days old, tap the row to download fresh data, and see the connectivity checks below.

  • A pass an orbit away is normal. A satellite you saw far south of you may come back over the pole about 95 minutes later. Select it and follow the dashed future track to the green next-pass segment.

  • Compare with another tracker using the same location and orbital data; small differences of a few seconds are normal between programs.

I Didn't Hear the Satellite During a Predicted Pass

The prediction tells you where the satellite is; whether you hear it depends on the satellite and your station:

  • Check the satellite is operating — see AMSAT status. Some satellites only operate in sunlight or on a schedule.

  • Low passes are often blocked by buildings and trees; set a HORIZON MASK that matches your surroundings.

  • Make sure you are tuning the Doppler-corrected frequency shown in the panel.

  • On FM satellites, check your CTCSS tone (shown in the panel).

Alerts

I Didn't Get an Alert

  • Alerts are only raised for satellites with the bell turned ON (detail panel, or ALERT in the satellite picker).

  • The pass must reach your good-pass elevation.

  • The alert appears at ALERT BEFORE AOS minutes before the pass; if the device was restarted after that moment, the alert for that pass is skipped.

  • Use Settings → PASS ALERTS → TEST ALERT to check the banner appears.

The Screen Is Off

Night mode is active. Touch the screen to wake it for five minutes, or change the schedule in Settings → NIGHT MODE. Alerts wake the screen automatically.

WiFi Problems

The Device Won't Connect

  • SatTracker supports 2.4 GHz only. Make sure your router's 2.4 GHz band is enabled; dual-band routers that combine both bands under one name usually work.

  • WPA3-only networks are not supported — use WPA2 or WPA2/WPA3 mixed mode.

  • Enterprise (802.1X) networks and networks that need a web login after joining are not supported.

  • Check the password: open Settings → WIFI, delete the network and add it again.

  • Move the device closer to the router.

The "SatTracker Setup" Hotspot Appears

The device couldn't join any saved network, so it started its setup hotspot. Use the on-screen setup or join SatTracker Setup from a phone (see Getting Started).

Orbital Data Doesn't Update

Settings → ORBITAL DATA keeps showing the same age, or BUILT-IN.

  • Check the device has internet access (the time is synced).

  • Allow outbound HTTPS (TCP 443) to celestrak.org.

  • Tap the row to retry. A failed download is retried automatically every 15 minutes.

The device keeps working with the data it already has; predictions slowly become less accurate over the following days.

Display Problems

The Screen Is Upside Down

Tap Settings → SCREEN to switch between NORMAL and ROTATED 180.

The Screen Is Too Bright or Too Dim

Use the BRIGHTNESS slider at the bottom of the settings page. On hardware without a dimmable backlight the slider is not shown.

Touches Land in the Wrong Place

Restart the device. If the problem persists, contact support.

The Theme Didn't Change

Changing the theme restarts the device; the new theme appears when it has restarted (about five seconds).

Device Registration

"Device Not Registered"

The TopBytes service reports that this unit is not registered. Contact support@topbytes.net quoting the Device ID shown on the screen and a copy of your sales receipt. The message clears by itself once the unit is registered.

If the service simply can't be reached, the device carries on working normally.

Getting Help

If none of the above helps, contact support@topbytes.net with:

  • the Device ID and firmware version from Settings → ABOUT / UPDATE

  • a description of the problem and what you have tried

  • if possible, a photo of the screen

Advanced users can also capture the serial log (see Advanced Features), which is very helpful for diagnosing network and prediction problems.