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Detailed Setup Guide

This guide walks you through essential first-time setup to get FBSAT59 working with your equipment.

Initial Setup Checklist

You must configure these before satellite tracking will work:

  • Location (QTH) — Your latitude/longitude for accurate pass predictions
  • Radio (optional) — If you have an amateur radio
  • SDR (optional) — If you have a software-defined radio

Everything else is optional and can be configured later.

Step 1: Set Your Location (CRITICAL)

Accurate satellite pass predictions depend on knowing your location.

  1. Open Settings (or View menu → Location)
  2. Select Latitude / Longitude (default)
  3. Enter your coordinates in decimal degrees:

Example (Tokyo, Japan): - Latitude: 35.6762 - Longitude: 139.6503 - Elevation: 35 meters

  1. Click [OK]

Option B: Maidenhead Grid Locator

If you know your QTH grid locator:

  1. Select Maidenhead Grid Locator
  2. Enter 6-character grid (e.g., PM95aq)
  3. Click [OK]

Find your grid: - https://www.gridlocator.com/ (web) - Apps: "QTH Locator" on iOS/Android

Option C: GPS (Automatic)

If your computer has GPS or gpsd daemon:

  1. Settings → Location → GPS
  2. FBSAT59 automatically detects satellites
  3. Updates your position every 10 seconds

Option D: Browser Geolocation (Phone)

  1. Open Web UI on your phone (http://192.168.x.x:8080)
  2. Grant location permission when prompted
  3. Position stored on desktop

Step 2: (Optional) Connect Your Radio

Requirements

  • Amateur radio (700+ models supported via Hamlib)
  • USB or serial cable
  • Driver installed (if needed)

Setup Process

Dashboard View

  1. Connect radio via USB

  2. Open Settings → Rig Settings

  3. Select radio model from dropdown:

  4. Yaesu FT-991A
  5. Icom IC-9700
  6. Kenwood TS-2000

  7. (or search for yours)

  8. Connection method auto-detects:

  9. Direct (USB) — /dev/ttyUSB0 (Linux), COM3 (Windows)

  10. Network (TCP) — For networked radios

  11. Click [Connect]

  12. Status bar shows ✅ RIG: 1 when connected

Testing Radio Connection

  1. Select a satellite from the left list
  2. Open Radio Control tab
  3. Frequencies should update when you select a transponder
  4. Try clicking [PTT ON] — your radio should transmit

Troubleshooting

"Serial port not found" - Windows: Install FTDI drivers → https://ftdichip.com/drivers/ - macOS: Restart FBSAT59 after connecting radio - Linux: Check lsusb output for your radio

"Connection refused" - Some radios require baud rate change - Try different baud rates in Settings - Check radio manual for CAT configuration

Step 3: (Optional) Connect Your SDR

If you have a software-defined radio (RTL-SDR, HackRF, etc.):

Supported Devices

  • RTL-SDR (Realtek USB)
  • HackRF One / HackRF Jawbreaker
  • USRP (if SoapySDR support available)
  • PlutoSDR / LimeSDR

Setup

  1. Plug in SDR via USB

  2. Settings → SDR Settings

  3. Select device from dropdown

  4. Configure:

  5. Sampling rate (1–2.4 MSPS typical)
  6. RF gain (depends on antenna)
  7. PPM correction (frequency calibration)

  8. Antenna port (if selectable)

  9. Click [Connect]

  10. Status bar shows ✅ SDR: Ready

First SDR Session

  1. Open SDR Control tab
  2. Adjust gain slider (watch waterfall)
  3. Select a satellite
  4. Waterfall should show signal at downlink frequency
  5. Listen for satellite beacon (audio output)

Step 4: Location-Specific Adjustments

Magnetic Declination (Rotator Only)

If you have a rotator pointing your antenna:

  1. Settings → Rotator
  2. Enter magnetic declination for your location

Find your declination: - https://www.magnetic-declination.com/

This corrects compass readings so rotator points correctly.

Elevation Mask

Prevent tracking satellites below a certain elevation (to avoid QRM from trees, buildings):

  1. Settings → Tracking
  2. Set minimum elevation: 10° (default) or higher
  3. Satellites below this angle won't appear in pass predictions

Local Time vs UTC

Choose display format:

  1. View menu → Time Zone
  2. UTC — For propagation prediction & logs
  3. Local — For convenient pass times

Step 5: Testing Your Setup

Test 1: View a Satellite Pass

  1. Open Passes tab
  2. Select any satellite
  3. Choose next 7 days
  4. Should see upcoming passes listed

Example pass data: - AOS (rise time), LOS (set time) - Maximum elevation - Pass duration - Quality rating (color-coded)

Test 2: Real-Time Tracking

  1. Wait for a satellite pass
  2. Open Dashboard tab
  3. Watch satellite dot move across the map
  4. Elevation/azimuth should update every second
  5. You should hear the satellite signal if tuned correctly

Test 3: Radio Doppler

  1. During a satellite pass, open Radio Control
  2. Select a transponder
  3. Watch downlink frequency change (Doppler correction)
  4. Should shift UP as satellite approaches, DOWN as it recedes

Common Setup Mistakes

❌ Wrong Location

Symptom: Pass predictions are 30+ minutes off

Fix: - Double-check your coordinates (use GPS or web tool) - Remember: negative longitude for West, negative latitude for South - Example: New York is 40.7128°N, -74.0060°W (note the minus sign)

❌ Old TLE Data

Symptom: Satellite appears in wrong part of sky

Fix: - Help → TLE Status (check data age) - Satellite menu → Fetch TLE Data - Should be updated at least daily

❌ Radio Not Responding to Frequency Changes

Symptom: Radio frequency doesn't update when selecting transponder

Fix: - Ensure radio is in USB/LSB or compatible mode (not FM) - Check radio CAT/CI-V is enabled - Verify baud rate matches radio settings - Try different port

❌ Doppler Shift Seems Wrong

Symptom: Frequency correction is too much or too little

Fix: - Your location might be slightly off (a few km is normal) - TLE data should be less than 24 hours old - Test with known satellite (ISS is best reference)

Advanced Setup (Optional)

Space-Track.org Credentials

For backup TLE sources (optional):

  1. Create account at https://space-track.org/
  2. Settings → Data Sync → Space-Track
  3. Enter username/password
  4. FBSAT59 will use Space-Track as backup source

Dual Radio Setup (Rig 1 + Rig 2)

For split-frequency operation:

  1. Settings → Rig 1 Settings (first radio)
  2. Settings → Rig 2 Settings (second radio)
  3. Both appear in Radio Control tab
  4. Uplink on Rig 1, Downlink on Rig 2 for example

Remote SDR (SoapyRemote)

Access SDR on another machine over network:

  1. Run SoapySDRServer on remote machine
  2. Settings → SDR → Remote
  3. Enter remote IP and port

You're All Set! 🎉

Next steps:

  1. Radio Control — Advanced radio features
  2. Communications — APRS, FT4, Q65
  3. Autotrack — Automatic pass tracking
  4. Wait for a satellite pass — Your first real-world test!

Getting Help

  • In-app: Help menu has built-in guides
  • FAQ: Troubleshooting Guide
  • GitHub Issues: https://github.com/jf9som/fbsat59/issues
  • Discord/Forum: (link to community)

Don't give up if something doesn't work immediately — Most issues are resolved with one small setting change!