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Installation

Download and install FBSAT59 from the official GitHub Releases page. Pre-built binaries are available for Linux, Windows, and macOS.

Download from GitHub Releases

Visit the official releases page:

👉 FBSAT59 Releases on GitHub

Find the latest version and download the appropriate file for your platform:

  • Linux: fbsat59-X.X.X-x86_64.AppImage or fbsat59_X.X.X_amd64.deb
  • Windows: fbsat59-X.X.X-setup.exe
  • macOS: fbsat59-X.X.X.dmg

Linux Installation

Using AppImage (All Distributions)

AppImage works on any Linux distribution without dependencies:

  1. Download fbsat59-X.X.X-x86_64.AppImage from Releases

  2. Make executable: 

    chmod +x fbsat59-X.X.X-x86_64.AppImage

  3. Run: 

    ./fbsat59-X.X.X-x86_64.AppImage

Troubleshooting: If AppImage won't run, install FUSE library: 

# Ubuntu/Debian
sudo apt install libfuse2

# Fedora/CentOS
sudo dnf install fuse-libs

Using .deb Package (Ubuntu/Debian)

For direct installation on Debian-based systems:

  1. Download fbsat59_X.X.X_amd64.deb from Releases

  2. Install: 

    sudo apt install ./fbsat59_X.X.X_amd64.deb

  3. Run from Applications menu or terminal: 

    fbsat59

Windows Installation

System Requirements

  • Windows 8.1 or later (Windows 10/11 recommended)
  • Visual C++ Redistributable 2019+ (download)

Installation Steps

  1. Download fbsat59-X.X.X-setup.exe from Releases

  2. Run the installer and follow on-screen prompts

  3. Choose installation directory (default: C:\Program Files\FBSAT59)

  4. FBSAT59 will be added to Start Menu

After Installation

  • Click Start Menu → FBSAT59 to launch
  • On first run, FBSAT59 initializes the database automatically (takes 10–30 seconds)

Troubleshooting Windows Installation

"Missing DLL" Error on startup: - Your Visual C++ Redistributable is outdated or missing - Download and install Visual C++ 2019+ Redistributable - Restart your computer - Run FBSAT59 again

"Windows protected your PC" warning: - This is normal for unsigned installers - Click More info → Run anyway to proceed

macOS Installation

System Requirements

  • macOS 10.14 (Mojave) or later
  • For Intel Macs: Native support
  • For Apple Silicon (M1/M2/M3): Rosetta 2 translation required (automatic)

Installation Steps

  1. Download fbsat59-X.X.X.dmg from Releases

  2. Open the .dmg file (double-click to mount)

  3. Drag FBSAT59.app to /Applications folder (shown in Finder window)

  4. Eject the .dmg file (drag to Trash or use Finder → Eject)

  5. Launch FBSAT59:

  6. Open Spotlight (Cmd+Space)
  7. Type "FBSAT59"
  8. Press Enter

macOS Security: "Cannot verify developer" Warning

Apple blocks unsigned apps from unknown developers on first launch. There are two ways to fix this:

Method 1: System Preferences (Easiest)

  1. Try to launch FBSAT59 (will be blocked)

  2. Open System Preferences → Security & Privacy

  3. Look for "FBSAT59 was blocked..." message with an "Open Anyway" button

  4. Click "Open Anyway"

  5. Confirm by clicking "Open" in the dialog

  6. FBSAT59 launches and runs normally (no warning on future launches)

Method 2: Terminal (Advanced)

If the above doesn't work, remove the quarantine attribute via terminal:

# Option A: Remove quarantine (recommended)
xattr -d com.apple.quarantine /Applications/FBSAT59.app

# Option B: Full attribute listing (for debugging)
xattr -l /Applications/FBSAT59.app

Then launch from Spotlight or Finder.

Method 3: Allow Unsigned Apps (macOS 10.15+)

If you trust the FBSAT59 project:

  1. Open System Preferences → Security & Privacy

  2. Click the Lock icon to unlock settings (enter password)

  3. In the "Allow apps downloaded from" section, select "Anywhere" if available

  4. Close System Preferences

  5. Launch FBSAT59

⚠️ Note: "Anywhere" option may not appear in newer macOS versions. Use Method 1 or 2 instead.

Troubleshooting macOS Installation

"FBSAT59 is damaged and can't be opened" - This is a false positive from macOS Gatekeeper - Use Method 2 (Terminal) above to remove the quarantine attribute - Then try launching again

"FBSAT59 is not optimized for your Mac" - This appears on Apple Silicon Macs running the Intel version - Download the Apple Silicon version instead (check Releases for arm64 variant) - If unavailable, Rosetta 2 translation will handle it automatically

Application crashes on startup - Ensure macOS is fully updated (System Preferences → Software Update) - Try removing preferences: rm -rf ~/.config/fbsat59 - Restart computer and try again

First Launch

When FBSAT59 starts for the first time, it performs automatic initialization:

  1. Database setup — Creates SQLite database for satellites/TLE
  2. TLE download — Fetches latest Two-Line Elements from CelesTrak
  3. Location detection — Attempts GPS or IP geolocation (configure later if needed)

This takes 10–30 seconds. Please wait for the main window to appear.

Updating FBSAT59

FBSAT59 checks for updates automatically on startup. To manually check:

  1. Visit Releases
  2. Download the latest version for your platform
  3. Install using the same method as initial installation
  4. Your settings and database are preserved automatically

Uninstalling FBSAT59

Linux (AppImage)

rm fbsat59-X.X.X-x86_64.AppImage
rm -rf ~/.config/fbsat59  # Optional: Remove settings

Linux (Debian Package)

sudo apt remove fbsat59

Windows

  1. Open Settings → Apps → Apps & features
  2. Find FBSAT59 in the list
  3. Click → Uninstall → Confirm

Your settings are preserved in %APPDATA%\fbsat59 if you reinstall later.

macOS

  1. Open Finder → Applications
  2. Find FBSAT59.app
  3. Drag to Trash (or right-click → Move to Trash)
  4. Optional: Remove settings: 
    rm -rf ~/.config/fbsat59

Next Steps

After successful installation:

  1. Getting Started — Launch FBSAT59 and learn basic operation
  2. Setup Guide — Configure location, radio, and SDR (most important!)
  3. Troubleshooting — If something doesn't work

Need Help?