Troubleshooting

This section provides solutions to common issues you may encounter with your DX Spotter.

Quick Diagnostic Checklist

Before diving into specific issues, run through this quick checklist:

  • [ ] Is the device powered on? (Display should be lit)

  • [ ] Is the USB cable securely connected?

  • [ ] Is your WiFi network working? (Test with another device)

  • [ ] Is your callsign configured? (Not blank or "NOCALL")

  • [ ] Is the DX cluster server online and accessible?

  • [ ] Have you checked the serial monitor for error messages?

WiFi Connection Issues

Issue: Cannot Connect to WiFi Network

Symptoms:

  • Device creates "DXCluster AP" access point instead of connecting

  • Display shows "CONFIG MODE"

  • Status LED behavior indicates no connection

Possible Causes and Solutions:

1. Incorrect WiFi Password

Solution:

  • Re-enter configuration mode

  • Verify your WiFi password (check for typos, case sensitivity)

  • Make sure you're entering the correct password for the selected network

  • Save configuration and reboot

2. WiFi Network Out of Range

Solution:

  • Move the DX Spotter closer to your WiFi router/access point

  • Check WiFi signal strength from the installation location

  • Consider using a WiFi extender if needed

  • Verify the network is 2.4GHz (ESP32 does not support 5GHz WiFi)

3. WiFi Network Issues

Solution:

  • Verify your WiFi router is functioning

  • Reboot your WiFi router

  • Check if other devices can connect to the network

  • Verify the network is not hidden (or configure SSID manually if it is)

  • Check if MAC address filtering is enabled (add DX Spotter's MAC if needed)

4. Special Characters in SSID or Password

Solution:

  • Avoid special characters like ', ", or \ in your WiFi password

  • If your SSID has special characters, try entering it manually

  • Consider creating a guest network with a simpler name if issues persist

Issue: WiFi Keeps Disconnecting

Symptoms:

  • WiFi icon shows disconnected

  • Spots stop arriving

  • Serial log shows repeated reconnection attempts

Solutions:

1. Weak Signal Strength

Solution:

  • Check the WiFi signal icon on the display

  • Move the device closer to your router

  • Reduce obstacles between the device and router

  • Use a WiFi extender or access point closer to the device

2. Router Power Saving

Solution:

  • Some routers disconnect idle clients

  • Disable power-saving features for IoT devices

  • Set router to always allow the DX Spotter's MAC address

3. Network Congestion

Solution:

  • If on a busy 2.4GHz network, try changing the WiFi channel

  • Reduce the number of devices on the network

  • Use a dedicated IoT network if available

4. DHCP Lease Issues

Solution:

  • Assign a static IP address to the DX Spotter in your router

  • Increase DHCP lease time in router settings

Issue: Cannot Access Configuration Page

Symptoms:

  • Cannot navigate to http://192.168.4.1

  • Browser times out

  • "No internet connection" warnings

Solutions:

1. Not Connected to DXCluster AP

Solution:

  • Verify you're connected to the "DXCluster AP" network

  • Disconnect from your regular WiFi first

  • Some devices won't connect to networks without internet - temporarily disable "auto-switch" features

2. Captive Portal Not Appearing

Solution:

  • Manually open a browser

  • Navigate to: http://192.168.4.1

  • Try a different browser

  • Clear browser cache if page doesn't load

3. Device Already Connected to Regular WiFi

Solution:

  • The configuration AP only starts if no WiFi is configured

  • Use the device's IP address on your network instead

  • Or reset the device using serial command R to force config mode

DX Cluster Connection Issues

Issue: No Spots Appearing

Symptoms:

  • Display shows "Waiting for spots..."

  • WiFi is connected (icon shows bars)

  • Time updates correctly

  • No spots ever appear

Possible Causes and Solutions:

1. Callsign Not Configured

Solution:

  • Most Common Cause!

  • Check serial monitor for: "Cannot connect to cluster: Callsign not configured"

  • Enter configuration mode

  • Set your callsign (must not be blank or "NOCALL")

  • Save and restart

2. DX Cluster Server Down

Solution:

  • Check if the cluster server is online

  • Try accessing the cluster from a computer using telnet: telnet dxc.g3lrs.org.uk 7300

  • Try a different cluster server

  • Check cluster website for maintenance announcements

3. Incorrect Cluster Port

Solution:

  • Verify the correct port for your chosen cluster

  • Common ports: 7300, 23, 7373, 8000

  • Check cluster documentation

  • Reconfigure with correct port number

4. Cluster Requires Registration

Solution:

  • Some clusters require callsign registration

  • Register your callsign on the cluster website

  • Wait for activation email

  • Try connecting again

5. Filter Too Restrictive

Solution:

  • Your band filter might be excluding all spots

  • Temporarily remove band filter (set to blank)

  • Try with "all bands" mode

  • If spots appear, adjust your filter

  • Check filter syntax with cluster documentation

6. Band Inactive

Solution:

  • The filtered band may have no activity

  • This is normal during poor propagation

  • Try a different band filter

  • Wait for better band conditions

  • Check with "all bands" mode to verify cluster connection

7. Invalid Filter Command

Symptoms:

  • Display shows "Filter Error" message

  • Error message from cluster shown on screen

  • Spots not appearing

Solution:

  • New in v1.0.4: Filter errors are now automatically detected and displayed

  • Read the error message shown on the OLED display

  • Common errors include:

    • Invalid syntax (typos in filter command)

    • Unsupported filter features on your cluster

    • Special characters not recognized

  • Access configuration page to correct the filter

  • Try testing the filter via telnet first (see Advanced section)

  • Leave filter blank to use all bands while troubleshooting

  • Check cluster documentation for correct filter syntax

8. Duplicate Login / Reconnect Loop

Symptoms:

  • Display shows "Duplicate Login" error

  • Message: "Another device using this callsign!"

  • Device does NOT reconnect automatically

  • Serial monitor shows "DUPLICATE LOGIN DETECTED"

Cause:

  • Most Common: Multiple DX Spotters configured with the same callsign

  • Another device on your network using your callsign

  • You're logged into the cluster from another computer/app

Solution:

  • New in v1.0.4: Duplicate logins are automatically detected and prevent reconnect loops

  • DX clusters only allow one connection per callsign at a time

  • When a second device connects, it kicks off the first device

  • Options:

    Option 1: Use Different Callsigns

    • Configure each device with a unique identifier

    • Examples: K3ABC, K3ABC/2, K3ABC/3

    • Add portable indicators: K3ABC/P, K3ABC/M

    • This is the recommended solution

    Option 2: Disconnect Other Device

    • Find and disconnect the other device using your callsign

    • Power off or reconfigure the other DX Spotter

    • Close any telnet sessions to the cluster

    Option 3: Save Configuration to Retry

    • After fixing the callsign conflict, simply save the configuration

    • The device will automatically reset error flags and attempt to reconnect

    • Recommended: This is the easiest recovery method

    • Or power cycle the device if you prefer

Tip

Quick Recovery: After changing the callsign to fix the conflict, just click "Save & Reboot" or "Save" and the device will automatically retry the connection with the new callsign.

Warning

When duplicate login is detected, the device will NOT automatically reconnect to prevent a reconnect battle. You must resolve the conflict and save the new configuration (or power cycle) to retry.

Issue: Spots Appear Then Stop

Symptoms:

  • Spots appeared initially

  • Now stuck on one spot or shows "Waiting for spots..."

  • WiFi still connected

Solutions:

1. Cluster Disconnected

Solution:

  • Check serial monitor for disconnection messages

  • Wait 30 seconds for automatic reconnection attempt

  • Power cycle the device

  • Try a different cluster server

2. Network Timeout

Solution:

  • Telnet connection may have timed out

  • Device will automatically reconnect

  • If issue persists, reboot device

  • Check for network stability issues

Display Issues

Issue: Display is Blank/Dark

Symptoms:

  • Display is completely black

  • No startup logo or text appears

  • Device appears to be powered on

Solutions:

1. Power Supply Issue

Solution:

  • Verify USB cable is fully connected

  • Try a different USB power adapter

  • Ensure power adapter provides at least 500mA

  • Try a different USB cable

Issue: Display Shows Garbled Text

Symptoms:

  • Text is unreadable

  • Strange characters or symbols

  • Partial display corruption

Solutions:

1. Reset the Device

Solution:

  • Power cycle the device

  • Clear configuration and reconfigure

  • Update firmware if available

Configuration Issues

Issue: Forgot WiFi Password

Symptoms:

  • Changed WiFi password on router

  • DX Spotter still has old password

  • Can't connect to device to update password

Solutions:

1. Temporarily Restore Old WiFi Password

Solution:

  • Temporarily change your router back to old password

  • DX Spotter will connect

  • Access configuration page via device IP

  • Update to new password

  • Change router back to new password

  • Reboot DX Spotter

Issue: Can't Remember Device IP Address

Symptoms:

  • Device is connected to WiFi

  • Need to access configuration page

  • Don't know the IP address

Solutions:

1. Check Router's DHCP Client List

Solution:

  • Log in to your WiFi router admin page

  • Look for connected devices or DHCP clients

  • Find device named "dxspotter"

  • Note the IP address

2. Use Serial Monitor

Solution:

  • Connect device via USB

  • Open serial terminal

  • Power on device

  • Watch for "IP Address: x.x.x.x" message during startup

3. Use Network Scanner

Solution:

  • Use a network scanning app (e.g., Fing, Advanced IP Scanner)

  • Scan your network for ESP32 devices

  • Identify by MAC address or device name

4. Force Config Mode

Solution:

  • Reset device using serial R command

  • Device will create "DXCluster AP" access point

  • Connect to http://192.168.4.1

  • Reconfigure (existing password can be left blank to keep it)

5. Factory Reset (v1.0.4+)

Solution:

  • Access the configuration web page

  • Scroll to bottom and click red "Factory Reset" button

  • Confirm the reset when prompted

  • All settings will be erased and device will reboot

  • Device creates "DXCluster AP" for fresh configuration

Note

Factory reset is useful when you want to completely start over or if you're experiencing persistent configuration issues that other troubleshooting hasn't resolved.

Serial Monitor Issues

Issue: No Serial Output

Symptoms:

  • Serial monitor connected

  • No messages appearing

Solutions:

1. Wrong Baud Rate

Solution:

  • Set baud rate to exactly 115200

  • Check serial port settings

2. Wrong Serial Port

Solution:

  • Verify correct COM port selected (Windows)

  • Check /dev/tty* devices (Mac/Linux)

  • Disconnect/reconnect USB to identify port

4. USB Cable

Solution:

  • Some USB cables are power-only (no data lines)

  • Try a different USB cable

  • Use a cable known to work for data

Getting Help

Self-Help Resources

Before contacting support:

  1. Check Serial Monitor

    The serial output often contains valuable diagnostic information.

  2. Review Documentation

    Re-read relevant sections of this manual.

  3. Try Factory Reset

    Many issues can be resolved with a configuration reset.

  4. Test with Different Settings

    Try different cluster servers, remove filters, etc.

Gathering Information for Support

If you need to contact support, please gather:

  • Device Information

    • Firmware version (from device or documentation)

    • MAC address (from serial monitor)

    • Hardware revision (if known)

  • Configuration Details

    • WiFi network type (2.4GHz, security type)

    • DX cluster server and port you're trying to use

    • Band filter configuration

    • Your callsign (if comfortable sharing)

  • Problem Description

    • What were you doing when the issue occurred?

    • What did you expect to happen?

    • What actually happened?

    • Is it consistent or intermittent?

  • Serial Monitor Log

    • Copy/paste relevant serial output

    • Include startup messages

    • Include any error messages

  • Troubleshooting Already Attempted

    • List what you've already tried

    • Note if anything temporarily worked

Contact Support

For additional assistance:

When contacting support, include all information gathered above and any serial monitor logs that may be relevant.

Advanced Diagnostics

Telnet Cluster Test

To verify the cluster connection independently:

  1. From Windows:

    telnet dxc.g3lrs.org.uk 7300

  2. From Mac/Linux:

    telnet dxc.g3lrs.org.uk 7300

  3. Expected Result:

    You should see a welcome message from the cluster.

  4. Login:

    Type your callsign and press Enter.

  5. Test Filter:

    Type your filter command (e.g., set/dx filter on 20)

  6. Watch Spots:

    If spots appear, the cluster is working and the issue is with your DX Spotter configuration.

Network Connectivity Test

To verify your DX Spotter can reach the cluster:

  1. Find your DX Spotter's IP address

  2. From a computer on the same network:

    ping [DX_SPOTTER_IP]

  3. If ping succeeds, network is working

  4. Try pinging the cluster server:

    ping dxc.g3lrs.org.uk

  5. If cluster ping fails, your network may be blocking outbound telnet connections

Common Error Messages

Understanding Serial Error Messages

Here's a quick reference for common serial monitor messages:

Message

Meaning

Cannot start Telnet: WiFi not connected

WiFi connection lost or not established

Cannot connect to cluster: Callsign not configured (blank or NOCALL)

You must set a valid callsign in configuration

Telnet connection failed. Retrying in 30 seconds

Cannot reach DX cluster server

WiFi disconnected. Attempting to reconnect...

WiFi connection dropped, auto-recovery in progress

Invalid SSID length

WiFi SSID must be 1-32 characters

Password must be at least 8 characters

WPA/WPA2 passwords must be 8+ characters

Connection failed after 30 seconds

Could not connect to WiFi (wrong password or out of range)

Emergency Recovery

Should the Over The Air (OTA) firmware update fail and the system stops to function, it's possible to recover the system directly.

You will need a micro USB to USB cable (make sure it's one which provides data not just power). Plug the DX Spotter into your computer.

Note

You need to use the Chrome web browser to perform the upgrade

Click on the "Connect" button above and select the USB port associated with your Morse Trainer