First (faltering) steps with Starnote

Troubleshooting
1

I can get this working in NTN mode via WiFi. When I get to NTN for real I cannot get any data to go. I know I have SKYLO in sight as I have another device that is working from this location (a Motorola DEFY and the bullitt app - which can see a satellite at 167.1 South). I see this (below) with trace +req …

Any ideas? I’m stuck! (sorry for miserable formatting :-O)

S05:01.10 transport: switched from wifi: to ntn:
S05:01.11 sync: connect requested by explicit sync request (DATA)
S05:01.12 connect: 4.13V 37.06C before comms power-on (2024-06-25T14:16:32Z UTC)
<< {“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:5,“time”:1719324992,“ltime”:1719238880,“lat”:51.5285,“lon”:-0.1268}

{“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:48,“time”:1719324993,“status”:“waiting for satellite network (113/120 secs){ntn-connect-failure}”}
<< {“cmd”:“ntn.connect”,“id”:6,“time”:1719324993,“ltime”:1719238880,“lat”:51.5285,“lon”:-0.1268}
S05:02.15 ntn: idle {disconnected} waiting for satellite network (113/120 secs){ntn-connect-failure}
…
{“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:82,“time”:1719325170,“status”:“initializing modem{ntn-connect-failure}”}
S07:57.94 ntn: idle {disconnected} initializing modem{ntn-connect-failure}
S07:57.95 penalty: retrying because 2 consecutive failures is still less than 5 allowed: ntn: connect failure
S07:57.95 sync: connect error: ntn: connect failure
S07:57.95 syncOnSchedule: ntn: connect failure
S07:57.97 sync: next wake-up due in 20s to retry sync error
S08:18.21 sync: connect requested by explicit sync request (DATA)
S08:18.22 connect: 4.11V 36.94C before comms power-on (2024-06-25T14:19:49Z UTC)
<< {“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:9,“time”:1719325189,“ltime”:1719238880,“lat”:51.5285,“lon”:-0.1268}
{“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:83,“time”:1719325191,“status”:“initializing modem{ntn-connect-failure}”}
<< {“cmd”:“ntn.connect”,“id”:10,“time”:1719325190,“ltime”:1719238880,“lat”:51.5285,“lon”:-0.1268}
S08:19.25 ntn: idle {disconnected} initializing modem{ntn-connect-failure}
{“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:84,“time”:1719325192,“status”:“{ntn-connecting}”}
S08:20.27 ntn: waiting for wireless service {wait-service} {connecting} {ntn-connecting}
{“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:85,“time”:1719325192,“status”:“powering up {ntn-connecting}”}
S08:20.78 ntn: waiting for wireless service {wait-service} {connecting} powering up {ntn-connecting}

2 Likes
2

In order to rule a few things out … I tried with a complete different set of hardware (starnote 1.4, notecard wifi 1.2 and the carrier board). Same issue. Also with different antennas. Again the same.

As if I am not seeing SKYLO, but the Motorola Defy is happy.

Any clue what to do next to debug? TIA!

3

Hi @patmolloy

Thanks for reaching out. As you suggested, it seems that the Starnote is not seeing the SKYLO satellite. Just to double check, have you already gone through our Starnote Quickstart guide? If not, I highly recommend going through it as it provides many useful tips for getting started. If you have followed the guide and are still encountering issues, here are a few things to check:-

  • Please ensure that you have a clear view of the sky (especially for the first connection). I experienced similar issues when my Starnote was indoors next to a window. As soon as I went to the balcony, I managed to get a connection without an issue.

  • What firmware version are you running on the WiFi/cellular Notecard? Please ensure it is version 7.2.2 or later.

  • Make sure that the Notecarrier XP is receiving adequate power (e.g., not powered through a USB hub).

  • If you haven’t done this already, set the location to be fixed with your current GPS coordinates using the following request (replacing the 0s with your actual coordinates):-

    {"req":"card.location.mode", "mode":"fixed", "lat": 00000, "lon":00000}

  • Please make sure that the initial connection to Notehub within a session is done via cellular/WiFi. The sequence should generally be similar to this:-

    {"req":"card.transport","method":"-"}
{"req":"hub.sync"}

    Wait for Notehub connection - you can check this with {"req": "hub.sync.status"}. After a successful connection to Notehub, you can then attempt to send notes via NTN:-

    {"req":"card.transport", "method":"ntn"}
{"req":"note.template","file":"sat.qo","format":"compact","port":55,"body": 
{"temp":14.1,"humidity":14.1}}
{"req":"note.add","file":"sat.qo","body":{"temp":45.88,"humidity":78.55}}
{"req":"hub.sync", "out":true}

If none of these suggestions work, can you please provide more details about your setup? For example, are you using the Notecard with an onboard antenna or a uFL connector? Is your Notecard/antenna placed indoors or outdoors?

Thanks
Youssif

4

Hi Youssif,

I’ve been using the u.FL version so far (2 different cards) but the version with the built-in antenna arrived today, and I’ll give that a try. My setup is that there is a external LTE antenna outside with a pretty decent view of the sky (and the Motorola DEFY which also uses SKYLO works fine). I am using a GNSS feed from a roof mounted system we have in the office.

I put in a higher gain antenna today to try, but no luck again … I’ve followed the startup guide … the initial (non NTN) sync works fine.

{“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:92,“time”:1720774979,“status”:“waiting for satellite network (112/120 secs) {ntn-connecting}{ntn-power}{ntn-gps}”}
S19:30.91 ntn: waiting for wireless service {wait-service} {connecting} waiting for satellite network (112/120 secs) {ntn-connecting}{ntn-power}{ntn-gps}
{“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:93,“time”:1720774984,“status”:“waiting for satellite network (117/120 secs) {ntn-connecting}{ntn-power}{ntn-gps}”}
S19:35.99 ntn: waiting for wireless service {wait-service} {connecting} waiting for satellite network (117/120 secs) {ntn-connecting}{ntn-power}{ntn-gps}
{“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:94,“time”:1720774991,“status”:“waiting for satellite network (117/120 secs){ntn-connect-failure}”}
S19:43.11 ntn: idle {disconnected} waiting for satellite network (117/120 secs){ntn-connect-failure}
S19:43.11 penalty: retrying because 1 consecutive failures is still less than 5 allowed: ntn: connect failure
S19:43.11 sync: connect error: ntn: connect failure
S19:43.12 syncOnSchedule: ntn: connect failure
S19:43.12 sync: project: ntn: connect failure
S19:43.20 sync: next wake-up due in 20s to retry sync error
S20:03.52 sync: connect requested by explicit sync request (DATA)
S20:03.54 connect: 4.03V 21.75C before comms power-on (2024-07-12T09:03:31Z UTC)
<< {“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:9,“time”:1720775011,“ltime”:1719397280,“lat”:51.528387,“lon”:-0.127746}
S20:18.90 penalty: retrying because 2 consecutive failures is still less than 5 allowed: ntn: satellite module not responding
S20:18.90 sync: connect error: ntn: satellite module not responding
S20:18.90 syncOnSchedule: ntn: satellite module not responding
S20:18.91 sync: project: ntn: satellite module not responding
S20:18.92 sync: next wake-up due in 20s to retry sync error
S20:39.25 sync: connect requested by explicit sync request (DATA)
S20:39.26 connect: 4.03V 21.75C before comms power-on (2024-07-12T09:04:07Z UTC)
<< {“cmd”:“ntn.status”,“id”:10,“time”:1720775047,“ltime”:1719397280,“lat”:51.528387,“lon”:-0.127746}

5

Wait … I replaced the extension lead and the u.FL connector and it works. A bad cable or connection somewhere to the external antenna, I think?

S53:00.62 sync: sync triggered by explicit sync request; NTN

S53:00.63 sync: work: begin (anything pending) {sync-begin}

S53:00.69 sync: work to be done:

S53:00.69       upload sat.qo

S53:00.71 ntn: enqueueing note len:11 (port 55)

S53:00.71 sync: work: upload sat.qo (1 changes) {sync-get-local-changes}

S53:00.71 purge sat.qo:

S53:00.72     1 notes (0 stable, 0 queued, 1 tombstones)

S53:00.72  -> 0 notes (0 stable, 0 queued, 0 tombstones)

S53:00.75 sync: work to be done:

S53:00.75       upload sat.qo

S53:00.77 deleting /data/sat-qo.000

S53:00.77 sync: work: completed {sync-end}

S53:00.77 sync: advancing last sync time from 09:20:59Z to 09:36:28Z

S53:00.89 ntn: dequeueing 11-byte note (port 55) into packet (13/254)

S53:00.90 packet: sending 11 bytes (encoded as 13 bytes on-air)

<< {"cmd":"ntn.uplink","id":24,"time":1720776988,"ltime":1719397280,"lat":51.528387,"lon":-0.127746,"payload":"ADcACwAfhTdCmhmdQg=="}

S53:01.09 ntn: sent 11-byte packet containing 1 notes
1 Like
6

I perhaps spoke a bit too soon. It worked twice, but is back to the previous behaviour (can’t see the satellite I think).

Should I just be able to do successive note.adds and hub.reqs? Or do I need to do something in between?

7

Tried power cycling … but no joy. Inoperative again :frowning:

S08:26.46 ntn: idle {disconnected} waiting for satellite network (118/120 secs){ntn-connect-failure}

S08:26.47 penalty: retrying because 1 consecutive failures is still less than 5 allowed: ntn: connect failure

S08:26.47 sync: connect error: ntn: connect failure

S08:26.48 syncOnSchedule: ntn: connect failure

S08:26.48 sync: project: ntn: connect failure

S08:26.49 sync: next wake-up due in 20s to retry sync error

S08:46.81 sync: connect requested by explicit sync request (DATA)

S08:46.82 connect: 4.03V 23.88C before comms power-on (2024-07-12T14:43:25Z UTC)

<< {"cmd":"ntn.status","id":12,"time":1720795405,"ltime":1719397280,"lat":51.528387,"lon":-0.127746}
8

Hi @patmolloy - thank you for the detailed description of the problem, and I’m sorry to hear that it’s still not working fully. It’s odd that it worked twice and then stopped working, but again this indicates to me that it might be a sky visibility or setup issue. To help us get closer to a solution and eliminate other possibilities, can you please try the following when you get a chance:-

  1. If possible, move the antenna/starnote to a different location (even if it has the same sky visibility). An area with a wide, unobstructed view is ideal.
  2. Can you please manually input the GPS location using the request {"req":"card.location.mode", "mode":"fixed", "lat": 00000, "lon":00000} (replacing the 0s with your coordinates). This will get us to an indentical setup allowing us to pinpoint the issue by comparing our configurations.

You also mentioned that you received a starnote with the in-built antenna. Can you please test with that as well? This will help us determine if the issue lies with the cable or external antenna.

To answer your other question, yes, you should be able to send successive note.adds and hub.reqs in NTN mode.

Thanks
Youssif