My S200 isn't showing up or has stopped reporting. What should I check?

Start with the desk checks below. Several causes can only be checked from our side, so if the desk checks don't explain it, contact us before anyone goes out to the aircraft.

What you'll usually see

• The aircraft is missing from your fleet list, or it's frozen at its last position.
• A third party, such as a forestry agency or your own customer, can't see the aircraft, but you can.
• The satellite phone works normally, but the aircraft doesn't track. Working calls don't rule out a tracking problem.

Checks you can do from your desk

1. Is the aircraft filtered out of your view?

• Check any filters, groups or saved map views you're using.

2. Was the aircraft parked?

• Your S200 pauses reporting when the aircraft has been stationary for a while, and it sends a final message saying it's pausing. If the last message you received says that, the unit is working correctly. It will start reporting again when the aircraft moves.
• If reporting stopped without that final message, carry on with the checks.

3. Is it only a third party that can't see it?

• We set up sharing with other organizations and forwarding to agencies such as Alberta Forestry, SOPFEU or the USFS. If you can see the aircraft but they can't, contact us with the name of the third party.
• Forwarding is set up for each unit, so it has to be updated after a unit is swapped.

4. Has anything changed recently? Most cases start with a change. Tell us about any of these:

• The S200 was swapped, replaced or moved to another aircraft. We have to update the aircraft record to the new serial number and move any third-party forwarding across. Until then, the new unit won't appear against the aircraft.
• Satellite voice was cancelled, or the service was suspended or changed. Your S200 has to stay registered on the satellite network to send positions. That registration comes from the voice side of the account, even if you don't use satellite voice. If a service change removed it, position reporting stops while the equipment carries on working normally. Contact us and we'll restore it.
• The SIM card was changed. See check 9.
• Maintenance was done near the unit, its wiring or its antennas. See checks 5 and 8.

Contact us early

Several of the most common causes can only be checked from our side. If you send us the aircraft registration and the S200 serial number, we can confirm:

• that both parts of the account are active: the data service and the registration on the voice side
• that the unit is assigned to the right aircraft and shared with the right accounts
• when the unit last reported, and whether its messages are reaching the satellite network and our servers
• the quality of its GPS and satellite signal in recent reports

Many cases are fixed this way without anyone going to the aircraft.

If we can see messages arriving from the unit but none of them carry a usable position, the cause is almost always at the aircraft, usually a connector or coax fault on the antenna side. We'll tell you if that's what we see.

Checks at the aircraft

5. Is the S200 getting power?

• Check that the S200 circuit breaker is in and the aircraft is powered. If the breaker had tripped, reset it and tell us.
• The S200 has no internal backup battery. Any break in its power shuts it down, and it restarts when power comes back. A loose power connection or a worn breaker can cause gaps in flight.

6. Power it up outside and give it time.

• Move the aircraft outside, at least 10 m from hangars and other buildings, with a clear view of the sky.
• Leave the S200 powered for at least 5 minutes before reading the status light (check 7). The GPS may work indoors, but the satellite connection needs a clear view of the sky.
• When the unit reconnects, it may first send positions it stored earlier, so older positions can appear before current ones.

7. Read the status light. Wait at least 5 minutes after power-up before reading it, because the unit is still acquiring signal.

What to do next:

• Solid, but the aircraft still isn't showing: the unit is connected, so the cause is almost certainly on the account or platform side. Contact us.
• No GPS fix: check the GPS antenna cable and connections (check 8).
• No network connection: check the satellite antenna cable and connections (check 8), and contact us so we can confirm the account.
• Off: check power (check 5).

8. Check the antenna cables.

• The satellite and GPS connectors on the unit are the same style, so they're easy to cross over during installation or maintenance. This causes no damage, but the system won't work. Check that each cable is on its correct port.
• Reseat both connectors, and clean the contacts if they're dirty or contaminated. Connections that look fine can still cause problems.
• Inspect the coax and connectors along the whole run for damage, kinks, crushing or moisture. Check the antennas are secure and sealed.
• If you have the equipment, check each cable's centre conductor for continuity from end to end, and check the centre conductor isn't shorted to the shield.
• If a cable has been replaced or re-routed, total loss on the satellite cable, including connectors, must not exceed 2.5 dB at 1.625 GHz. Where an active GPS antenna is fitted, the GPS cable needs at least 3 dB attenuation. We can provide the approved cable and length table.

9. Was the SIM card changed?

• If the status light keeps blinking after a SIM change, the card usually isn't seated properly. Power off and remove the access door. Check the card is fully home and the retaining clip has clicked into place. Refit the door and tighten the screws by hand only. Confirm the light goes solid before returning the unit to service.
• If a remote SIM module is fitted, check the card in the module instead, because the unit uses that one first.
• Only S200s with a SIM access door have a SIM you can reach in the field: the S200-012, and the S200-021 at MOD F and later. On other units, don't open the unit. Contact us.

10. Are positions showing the wrong date, or is the aircraft shown on the ground while it's flying?

• Positions dated years in the past (such as 1970 or 2006), or an aircraft shown as not flying when it is, usually mean the unit is affected by GPS rollover. A firmware update fixes it.
• Send us the serial number and the loaded firmware version, and we'll confirm which version your unit needs. The right version depends on your unit, so don't just install the newest file you can find.
• Firmware is loaded with the Latitude Maintenance Toolkit and a USB-to-serial cable with a genuine FTDI chip. Don't use a Prolific-based cable, because it can leave the unit unusable.

If an IONode is fitted

If the S200 isn't reporting, IONode events can't reach the ground either, so start with the S200. The IONode keeps recording to its own storage in the meantime, so the data can usually be recovered.

Before swapping or returning the unit

• Swapping in a known-good S200 is a useful test, but tell us first. The aircraft record has to point to the unit that's fitted, or the test unit won't show either.
• If we agree a return is needed, have the part number, serial number, modification status and loaded firmware version ready. Tell us what the fault did and anything you did while investigating. Several S200 problems are fixed by a firmware update rather than a repair, so the firmware version matters.

Contact us

Email support@skytrac.ca or call +1 250 765 2393. Please include:

• the aircraft registration, and the S200 part number and serial number
• the platform and login you're viewing, and the name of any third party that can't see the aircraft
• when the aircraft last showed correctly (UTC)
• any recent changes: a unit swap, a SIM change, a change to voice service, or maintenance
• whether the aircraft was outside, how long it was powered, and what the status light showed (a short video is ideal)
• the loaded firmware version, if you know it
• the results of any cable checks