Editing SimTX Guide/Troubleshooting

{{SimTX Guide navigation}}
Problems in the SimTX desktop app, with the messages the app shows and what to do.

== Signing in ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Message !! What to do
|-
| ''Device authorization expired; try again.'' || Press '''Sign in''' again and approve the device in the browser within the time shown.
|-
| ''Couldn't check sign-in'' || Check your internet connection and try again.
|-
| ''Sign in again to create and edit stations.'' || Press '''Sign in''' and approve the device again.
|-
| ''Sign in to transmit from a station'' || Transmitting needs a SimTX account. Press '''Sign in'''.
|}

== Connecting ==
[[File:SimTX Guide Troubleshooting connection details.png|thumb|center|342px|alt=Connection details for SimTX Demo marked Good: latency 38 ms, jitter 4 ms, download and upload rates, server replies steady, TX buffer at server 1340 ms, no reconnects, and Disconnect and Change server buttons.|Connection details for a good link to the server.]]
{| class="wikitable"
! Message !! What to do
|-
| ''No servers online'' || No server is running at the moment. Press '''Retry''' later.
|-
| ''Couldn't load the server list'' || Check your internet connection and press '''Retry'''.
|-
| ''Couldn't connect to'' a server || Choose another server, or try again later.
|-
| ''Not connected to a server'' || Press '''Connect''' in the top right of the window.
|}

The connection strip in the top right shows the link quality: '''Good''', '''Fair''', '''Unstable''', '''Poor''', '''Not responding''' or '''Offline'''. Select it to see why:
{| class="wikitable"
! Item !! Trouble when
|-
| '''Server replies''' || The server has been silent for a while.
|-
| '''TX buffer at server''' || Below about 300 ms; listeners may hear gaps.
|-
| '''RX dropouts (1 min)''' || Your receive bridges lost data.
|-
| '''Reconnects (1 min)''' || The connection dropped and came back.
|-
| '''Jitter''' || Above about 80 ms.
|-
| '''Latency''' || Above a second.
|}

'''Settings''', '''Connection''', '''Reconnect automatically''' reconnects after a drop.

== Before Start TX ==
Messages beside '''Start TX''' block the start until fixed. Most have a button that fixes them.
{| class="wikitable"
! Message !! Fix
|-
| ''Create a station to transmit from'' || '''Create''' opens the station editor. See [[SimTX Guide/Stations|Stations]].
|-
| ''Choose a station to transmit from'' || Choose one under '''Transmit from'''.
|-
| ''No frequency'' || Enter a '''Frequency'''.
|-
| ''Power must be above 0 W'' || Enter a '''Power (W)'''.
|-
| ''Power is above'' the radio's ''cap'' || '''Use cap''' sets the power to the radio's power cap.
|-
| ''No audio file chosen'' || Press '''Choose…''' under '''Source'''.
|-
| ''No input device selected'' || Choose an '''Input device'''.
|-
| ''GNU Radio IQ port is invalid'' || Enter a port from 1 to 65535.
|-
| ''High SWR'' || Warning: only part of the power reaches the antenna. '''Change antenna''', or adjust its length in the station editor.
|-
| ''No input devices detected'' || Warning: connect a microphone or audio interface. On macOS, allow SimTX under System Settings, Privacy and Security, Microphone.
|-
| ''The tracked satellite no longer exists'' || Warning: choose another target under '''Track a satellite'''.
|}

== Before Start RX ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Message !! Fix
|-
| ''No callsign'' || Enter a '''Callsign''' for ad-hoc listening.
|-
| ''Receive location is invalid'' || '''Pick on map''', or enter the latitude and longitude.
|-
| ''Choose one of your stations'' or ''Choose a public station'' || Choose the station under '''Where you listen'''.
|-
| ''No center frequency'', ''Sample rate must be above 0'' || Fill in '''Tuning'''.
|-
| ''rtl_tcp port must be 1 to 65535'' || Enter a valid '''rtl_tcp port'''.
|-
| ''Listen address must be an IP like 127.0.0.1 or 0.0.0.0'' || Correct the '''Listen address'''.
|-
| ''Bridge is reachable from your network, so anyone there can retune it'' || Warning: '''Local only''' sets the address to 127.0.0.1.
|}

== Session messages ==
The '''Sessions''' list shows each transmission's state and message. [[SimTX Guide/Transmitting#Sessions|Transmitting]] lists the states.
{| class="wikitable"
! Message !! Meaning
|-
| '''Queued''' || All transmitter slots are taken. Leave it; it starts when a slot is free.
|-
| ''Rejected:'' and a reason || The server refused the start. The reason says why, for example ''Only the station's owner can transmit through it''.
|-
| ''Failed: TX idle timeout'' || The audio source sent nothing for 15 seconds. Check the file or input device.
|-
| ''Failed: connection error'' || The connection to the server broke. Start the transmission again.
|-
| ''Reconnecting TX…'' || The app is restoring the session after a drop.
|-
| ''Reconnect failed:'' and a reason || The session couldn't be restored. Start it again.
|-
| ''Kicked:'' and a reason || The server ended the session, for example a moderator, a deleted station or a satellite reentry.
|}

A banner across the top of the window shows notices from the server. A banner starting with ''Banned:'' means your address is banned; the text gives the reason.

== Nothing heard ==
On the receiving side:
# Check that the bridge is '''Running''' in the '''Bridges''' list.
# Check that your SDR program is connected to the address and port shown under '''Bridge'''.
# Check that the signal is inside the band: the '''Center frequency''' plus or minus half the '''Sample rate'''.
# Set the SDR program's mode and bandwidth to match the transmission.
# Consider propagation: distance, band and time of day decide whether a signal gets through. See [[Propagation Basics]].
# For a directional antenna, check where it points. See [[SimTX Guide/Rotators and tracking|Rotators and tracking]].
# For a satellite, check that a pass is in progress and that '''Correct Doppler''' is ticked. A satellite low on the horizon can be hidden by hills.

On the transmitting side:
# Check that the session is '''Running''', not '''Queued''' or '''Paused'''.
# Press '''Listen to own TX''' to check the audio.
# Check the radio deck: '''BUF/s''' above zero, '''SWR/:1''' low and '''FWD/W''' near the power you set.
# Check that the listener is on the same server.

== Catalog ==
{| class="wikitable"
! Message !! What to do
|-
| ''Connect to a server to browse the catalog.'' || Connect, then open the '''Catalog''' tab again.
|-
| ''No answer from the server.'' || Press '''Retry'''.
|-
| ''The server didn't send the files in 10 s.'' || Press '''Retry'''.
|-
| ''No answer from the server in 20 s; check the catalog before trying again.'' || Refresh the catalog to see whether the upload arrived before publishing again.
|-
| ''Publishing requires catalog.publish'' || Your account doesn't have permission to publish.
|}

== See also ==
* [[How to receive]]
* [[SWR and Transmitter Protection]]
* [[Power Amplifier Behaviour]]

[[Category:SimTX Guide]]