Chapter 24
Troubleshooting
Most problems can be diagnosed with Menu → Debug: the Comms tab shows exactly what is sent and received, and the App Log shows errors.
| Symptom | What to check |
|---|---|
| No stations on the map after connecting | Check the callsign is set (not MYCALL) and the QTH is not 0, 0 — the range filter is centred there. Increase the range. Look in Debug → Comms for the server's # logresp line. |
| Status stays Connecting… or shows an error | Check internet access and the server name and port (14580). Try another preset such as rotate. Some Wi-Fi networks block port 14580 — try mobile data. |
| My beacons do not appear on aprs.fi | Check the passcode (leave blank for automatic) — if the server reports the login as unverified the app shows a warning and the server drops everything you send. Check that the interval is not 0. Search aprs.fi for your exact callsign-SSID. Look for >> lines in Debug → Comms. |
| Position is wrong or at 0, 0 | With position source GPS, wait for a fix (map toolbar shows ±N m). With QTH, check the FILTER latitude and longitude — west and south are negative. |
| Messages stay on the hourglass and then fail | The other station may be off-air, or replies may not reach you. Check the callsign-SSID is exact. Try Force APRS-IS (long-press Send). On RF, check your path and that a digipeater or iGate hears you. |
| Bluetooth TNC will not connect | Pair it in Android Settings first. Make sure no other app is connected to it. Choose KISS or Text to match the TNC. Turn the TNC off and on. |
| BLE TNC not listed | Grant Nearby devices permission, enable Location services (required for BLE scans on some versions), and make sure the TNC is in BLE mode and not connected to another phone. |
| USB TNC not found | Use a proper OTG adapter, allow the USB permission prompt, and choose the right baud rate (KV4P: 9600 unless your firmware says otherwise). |
| Audio TNC decodes nothing | Check microphone permission and that the waterfall shows the two tones. Adjust the radio volume — too loud is as bad as too quiet. Try Loopback to prove the modem. |
| Audio TNC transmits but nobody hears | Enable VOX on the radio, set the phone's media volume to a level that keys the radio cleanly, and check deviation on another receiver. |
| The node keeps repeating a frame; the terminal says TNC took N s to accept | The TNC is not transmitting our acknowledgements promptly — usually it believes the channel is busy. Make sure the radio's squelch is closed on a quiet channel, and check the TNC's KISS persistence, slot time and TX delay settings. |
| Packet terminal says Link failure | The node did not answer. Check the callsign-SSID, that the node is reachable direct, and increase T1 and reduce the window in Settings → AX.25 PACKET for weak or busy links. |
| Notifications do not appear | Allow notifications for the app (Android 13+), and check the channel settings in Android Settings → Apps → Notifications. |
| The app stops in the background | Follow the battery optimisation steps in the previous chapter. |
| Map is blank or grey | Tiles need internet unless downloaded with Offline Tiles. Try another layer. Clear the tile cache in Settings → MAP TILE CACHE. |
| E-mail gateway fails | Use an App Password for Gmail/Yahoo/Outlook. Port 587 without SSL (STARTTLS) or 465 with Use SSL. The error message says whether authentication, connection or TLS failed. |
| Android Auto does not show the app | Check it was installed from the Play Store. A copy installed any other way is shown only if Unknown sources is turned on in Android Auto's developer settings (tap the version number in Android Auto settings repeatedly, then ⋮ → Developer settings). |
#Known limitations
- Station profiles do not include the e-mail gateway settings (by design, as they hold a password).
- Repeater listings open in the browser, because RepeaterBook no longer lets apps download its data.
- The messages-only filter's range part (
t/m/CALL/km) is centred on your last position known to the APRS-IS server, so it needs you to have beaconed at least once.