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Installation

FBSAT59 ships as a single pre-built download per platform on the GitHub Releases page. No Python install or dependencies are required.

FBSAT59 Releases →

Platform File Notes
Linux FBSAT59-x86_64.AppImage x86-64, any modern distribution
Windows FBSAT59-Setup.exe Windows 8.1 or later (10/11 recommended)
macOS FBSAT59.dmg Apple Silicon (M-series); built on macOS 14

The filenames do not contain a version number — the same names are reused for every release, which is what the in-app updater relies on.

Linux

  1. Download FBSAT59-x86_64.AppImage.
  2. Make it executable and run it:
chmod +x FBSAT59-x86_64.AppImage
./FBSAT59-x86_64.AppImage

If the AppImage refuses to start with a FUSE error, install FUSE 2:

sudo apt install libfuse2        # Debian / Ubuntu
sudo dnf install fuse-libs       # Fedora

There is no .deb or other package — the AppImage is the only Linux download. (Running from source is possible; see the project README.)

Windows

  1. Download FBSAT59-Setup.exe and run it.
  2. SmartScreen may show "Windows protected your PC" because the installer is not code-signed — click More info → Run anyway.
  3. The installer adds a Start Menu entry, a desktop shortcut, and an Add/Remove Programs entry. FBSAT59-Setup.exe /S performs a silent install.
  4. Launch from Start Menu → FBSAT59.

Plain Windows 8 (not 8.1) is unsupported and fails to launch with a missing DLL error.

macOS

  1. Download FBSAT59.dmg, open it, and drag FBSAT59 to Applications.
  2. First launch is blocked by Gatekeeper because the app is not notarised. Either:
  3. Right-click the app → Open, then confirm Open in the dialog, or
  4. System Settings → Privacy & Security, scroll to the "FBSAT59 was blocked" line, click Open Anyway.
  5. If macOS reports the app is "damaged and can't be opened", clear the quarantine flag and reopen:
xattr -dr com.apple.quarantine /Applications/FBSAT59.app

The released build is Apple Silicon only; there is no Intel (x86-64) macOS download.

First launch

On the first run FBSAT59:

  1. Creates its SQLite database
  2. Downloads TLE (orbital element) sets from CelesTrak
  3. Syncs the transmitter frequency database from SatNOGS
  4. Makes a rough location estimate from your IP address (until you set a QTH)

This takes roughly 10–30 seconds. Then set your real location — see Getting Started and Setup — Step 1.

Data locations:

OS Path
Linux ~/.local/share/fbsat59/
macOS ~/Library/Application Support/fbsat59/
Windows %APPDATA%\fbsat59\

Updating

FBSAT59 checks for a newer release on startup (this can be turned off in File → General Settings → Notifications). To update:

  • Help → Check for Updates… downloads and installs the latest release in place — it replaces the AppImage on Linux, runs the installer on Windows, and swaps the .app on macOS.
  • Or download the new file from Releases and install it the same way as before. Your database and settings are kept.

Help → Hamlib Update… upgrades the bundled Hamlib without reinstalling the app.

Uninstalling

  • Linux — delete FBSAT59-x86_64.AppImage.
  • Windows — Settings → Apps → Installed apps → FBSAT59 → Uninstall.
  • macOS — drag FBSAT59.app from Applications to the Trash.

To also remove your data, delete the platform data directory listed above.

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