FLEET MANAGEMENT

Troubleshooting Guide






Version 1.0
Issue June 2009






Page 2 of 21
Amendment Record
ISSUE DATE UPDATES AUTHOR
0.90 9
th
April 2008 Initial draft version AR / SG
0.91 6
th
June 2008
Various formatting
changes
PB
0.92 11
th
July 2008
Various formatting
changes
PL
0.93 4
th
September 2008 Paolos comments PZ
0.94 27
th
January 2009
Revisions AR. Technical
adviser PZ
AR
0.95 March 09 AR/PZ
0.96 22 May 2009 Approved version AR
0.97 1 June 2009 Layout/format KW
1.0 18 June 2009 1
st
published version KW








Pole Star Space Applications Limited, 2009
All rights reserve. No part of this document or any information appertaining to its content may be used, stored,
reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, including by photocopying, recording, taping, information
storage systems, without the prior permission of Pole Star Space Applications Limited.
FLEET MANAGEMENT TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
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1. Introduction ................................................................................................................................... 4
1.1. Which transceiver type? .................................................................................................................. 4
1.2. Colour code for vessel icon ............................................................................................................. 4
2. Troubleshooting for all transceiver types .......................................................................................... 5
2.1. Vessel not reporting: Is it in port? .................................................................................................. 5
2.2. Reports are not being received to SMS / email ............................................................................ 5
3. Troubleshooting for Inmarsat C ....................................................................................................... 6
3.1. Introduction ...................................................................................................................................... 6
3.2. Vessel icon is grey ........................................................................................................................... 6
3.3. Vessel just registered - but not reporting ...................................................................................... 7
3.4. Vessel is reporting but some data may be incorrect ..................................................................... 7
3.5. Position reports are not sent at the required frequency ............................................................... 7
3.6. Excessive position reports are being received .............................................................................. 8
3.7. Vessel is reporting but no speed or heading data appears .......................................................... 9
3.8. How do I poll a unit to request an immediate position report? .................................................... 9
3.9. I have polled the unit but I have not received a position report ................................................... 9
4. Auto recovery messages ...............................................................................................................10
4.1 Mobile logged out................................................................................................................................... 11
4.2 Mobile not in ocean region .................................................................................................................... 11
4.3 Terminal not responding ....................................................................................................................... 12
4.4 Unknown mobile .................................................................................................................................... 12
4.5 Message undeliverable.......................................................................................................................... 13
4.6 Message transfer failed ......................................................................................................................... 13
4.7 Mobile is barred ..................................................................................................................................... 13
5. Troubleshooting for FM1 & FM2 ....................................................................................................14
5.1 The unit was working well but has now stopped reporting ................................................................. 14
5.2 FM2 - Is the battery the problem?......................................................................................................... 16
5.3 The unit has just been installed but no position reports are received ............................................... 16
5.3.1 Check the power supply to the FM1 unit ..................................................................................... 17
5.3.2 Check the status of the LEDs on the FM1 / FM2 unit ................................................................ 17
5.4 The unit is not sending position reports at the required frequency.................................................... 18
5.4.1 WPRs ................................................................................................................................................... 18
5.4.2 APRs .................................................................................................................................................... 19
5.5 I have polled the unit but I have not received a position report ......................................................... 19
Appendix 1: LED flashing patterns .......................................................................................................21





Page 4 of 21
1. Introduction
Correctly installed Inmarsat C and D+ transceivers will usually transmit position reports at the frequency
you have set on your Fleet Management system. This position report data is displayed on the Fleet list,
Fleet map, Asset map and Console map. Reports can also be sent to email and SMS via the Notifications
feature.
There may be occasions when position reporting deviates from its expected pattern. This document is
designed to help you resolve any problems that occur.
You will be able to resolve most reporting issues online or by asking the vessel to follow a simple procedure.
More complex technical problems will need to be referred to your Pole Star supplier. This will be either Pole
Star Customer Support or the distributor from whom you purchased your Fleet Management system.
1.1. Which transceiver type?
While some reporting problems apply to all transceiver types, other problems are specific to certain types.
To check whether the vessel has an Inmarsat C, FM1 or FM2 transceiver, login to Purplefinder, go to Fleet >
Tools > Asset details, select the Asset name and check the Transceiver model.
1.2. Colour code for vessel icon
Vessel icons appearing throughout the system are colour coded according to their reporting status to help
you identify any problem. The table below gives a summary of the report types, their colour coding and
explanation.

Report types Colour coding Explanation
Automatic Position Report (APR) Green* Standard daily report
No report received Grey* No report has been received for 48 hours*
Warning Position Report (WPR)
( FM1 & FM2 only )
Black /Yellow Reporting a power/mechanical problem
* These colours and the 48 hour interval are default settings. You can change them in your login on the
Setup>Profile>Asset Appearance page.

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2. Troubleshooting for all transceiver types
2.1. Vessel not reporting: Is it in port?
A correctly installed transceiver will work reliably at sea. However, when the vessel is alongside in port,
there is an increased probability of communication problems because there is likely to be a high
concentration of interference sources. High power VHF, UHF and microwave equipment can all cause
interference problems. Buildings, gantries and other large structures can also cause problems in port by
blocking the line of sight to the satellite. When the vessel leaves port, tracking and reporting should resume
within 24 hours. If no position report data is received, go to 3. 3. Troubleshooting for Inmarsat C or 5.
Troubleshooting for FM1 & FM2 for further assistance.
2.2. Reports are not being received to SMS / email
If the vessel is reporting and current position report data is displayed on the Fleet list, but no emails or SMS
messages have been received:
1) Login to Purplefinder and go to Fleet > Tools > Notifications.
2) Go to the Asset name box, select the vessel from the drop-down list. This will display the
Notification list for the vessel.
3) Check that all details have been entered correctly.
4) Make sure in particular that all SMS numbers have been entered correctly. Remember, in the
resource address you need to enter the prefix sms://+ followed by the number, including the
International country code, with no spaces (ie sms://+ 447930123456).
5) If email addresses are entered correctly, check that your spam filters and firewall settings
allow @purplefinder.net so that emails can pass through the system.
To test the SMS / email routing
Please note: A test to email has no charge, whereas a SMS test will be charged as normal.
1) Locate the notification that you wish to test and click on the TEST button to the right.
2) You will normally receive an email/SMS within one minute. No acknowledgement of the test
will appear on the screen.
3) If you do not receive a position report by email/SMS as a result of the test, contact your Pole
Star supplier.





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3. Troubleshooting for Inmarsat C
3.1. Introduction
The Inmarsat C transceiver is designed to perform several functions on board. Each function is independent
and implemented in a strict priority system, with messaging having the highest priority and tracking the
lowest.
Thus if position report data is not being received at the required frequency, it may be because the Inmarsat
C transceiver is being used for other tasks. Contact the Master and ask if the transceiver is being used for
sending emails, faxes or telex, as these will take priority over position reporting.
Always check the transceiver details by going to Fleets > Tools > Asset details in your login before you
contact the Master to ensure that you are dealing with the specific transceiver that has the problem.
If you are instructed to contact your Pole Star supplier to resolve a problem, it will speed up the recovery
process considerably if you know which Ocean Region the transceiver is currently logged in to. However, for
some transceivers, it will not be possible to get this information from the vessel.
3.2. Vessel icon is grey
Under normal reporting conditions the vessel icon will be green. If the icon is grey, this means the vessel
has not sent a position report for more than 48 hours.
(Green and grey are default settings. You can change them in your login on the Setup > Profile > Asset
Appearance page. )
1) Go to Fleet > Fleet list.
2) Check the Auto Recovery message displayed within the position report. For further
instructions, see 4. Auto recovery messages, page 10.
3) If there is no Auto Recovery message after one hour, ask the Master to reboot the transceiver.
This will force the transceiver to resynchronise with the Inmarsat network. To reboot the
transceiver: log out the transceiver, switch it off, wait one minute, switch it back on and log
back in.
4) If you do not receive a position report within one hour of the transceiver being rebooted, poll
the terminal for a position report. (See 3.8 How do I poll a vessel to request an immediate
position report?) If you receive nothing within 30 minutes of the poll, contact your Pole Star
supplier, informing them of the Ocean Region the transceiver is currently logged in to, if
possible.
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3.3. Vessel just registered - but not reporting
Before you register a vessel you should ensure that the Inmarsat C transceiver is switched on and logged
into the Inmarsat network.
When an Inmarsat C transceiver is registered in your account, it goes through a process called
commissioning. During this period the system is attempting to start tracking the transceiver. The minimum
commissioning period is 24 hours and around 98% of transceivers will send a position report within this
period, particularly if the vessel is at sea. If a vessel is in port, the commissioning process could be
hampered by external sources of interference. (See 2.1. Vessel not reporting: Is it in port?, page 5.)
1) If no position report is received 24 hours after registration and the vessel is at sea, check for
an Auto recovery message. (See 4. Auto recovery messages, page 10.)
2) If no Auto recovery message appears after 24 hours, ask the Master to reboot the transceiver.
This will force the transceiver to resynchronise with the Inmarsat network. To reboot the
transceiver: log out the transceiver, switch it off, wait one minute, switch it back on and log
back in.
3) Once the transceiver has been rebooted, the commissioning process should continue
automatically. If you do not receive a position report within 24 hours, contact your Pole Star
supplier for advice.
3.4. Vessel is reporting but some data may be incorrect
Occasionally, due to a technical fault with the transceiver, there may be an error in the date/time or
latitude/longitude appearing on the position report. In this case:
1) Ask the Master to reboot the transceiver. This will force the transceiver to resynchronise with
the Inmarsat network. (To reboot the transceiver: log out the transceiver, switch it off, wait one
minute, switch it back on and log back in.)
2) Once the transceiver has been rebooted, login and poll the vessel to request an immediate
position report. (See 3.8 How do I poll a vessel to request an immediate position report?)
3) You should receive a position report within one hour.
4) If you receive a position report that is still showing incorrect data, you should contact your Pole
Star supplier.
3.5. Position reports are not sent at the required frequency
1) Login to Purplefinder and go to the Asset map for the specific vessel.
2) Using the right click menu, go to the Communication window. (See Figure 1: Communication
window below.)
3) Go to Communication window > Command > Start regular position reporting to check the
reporting interval.




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4) The Every [xxxx] minute(s) box displays the last reporting interval set. However, it is possible
the transceiver never actioned this instruction. To re-set the reporting interval:
Enter the correct number of minutes.
Click Start.
Monitor the timing of position reports over the next 24 hours to ensure the command has
been successful. (The easiest way to monitor this is in Reports > Position report history.)


Figure 1: Communication window
3.6. Excessive position reports are being received
There may be a pre-existing schedule programmed locally into the transceiver which cannot be over ridden
remotely. This is outside Pole Stars control and requires manual intervention at the terminal. Contact the
Master to check if the transceiver has been programmed on board.
1) If the Inmarsat C terminal is equipped with Capsat software, ask the Master to follow the
instructions below to remove the pre-existing schedule:
Go to File, Options, Configuration, Position report (see Figure 2: Position report window
on Capsat below).
At the top you will see: [X] On.
Hit the space bar to switch this off.
Tab down to < OK > and hit Enter.

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Figure 2: Position report window on Capsat
2) If your terminal does not have Capsat, contact your Inmarsat C hardware supplier.
3.7. Vessel is reporting but no speed or heading data appears
Some transceivers do not send speed and heading information within the position report. You need to
contact your hardware supplier as Pole Star cannot accept any responsibility for the configuration of third
party hardware.
3.8. How do I poll a unit to request an immediate position report?

1) Go to the Asset map, use the right click menu and click on Request position. This will request
an immediate position report from the vessel. You should receive the report within 15 minutes.
If you do not receive a position report after one hour, see 3.9 below.
2) After the first position report is received, you can expect to receive the next Automatic position
report (APR) within the interval you have set in the Communication window.
3.9. I have polled the unit but I have not received a position report
After polling a vessel, you should receive a position report within 15 minutes.
1) If you do not receive a position report after one hour, go to the Fleet List and check if there is
an Auto Recovery posting message. If so, go to 4. Auto recovery messages, page 10, and
follow the relevant instructions.
2) If there is no Auto Recovery message after one hour, ask the Master to reboot the transceiver.
This will force the transceiver to resynchronise with the Inmarsat network. To reboot the
transceiver: log out the transceiver, switch it off, wait one minute, switch it back on and log
back in.
3) If you do not receive a position report within one hour of the transceiver being rebooted, poll
the terminal for a position report (see above). If you receive nothing within 30 minutes of the




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poll, contact your Pole Star supplier, informing them of the Ocean Region the transceiver is
currently logged in to, if possible.
4. Auto recovery messages
Occasionally on the Fleet List page you may see a message appear within the body of the position report,
eg Auto recovery: Terminal not responding or WARNING ***UNKNOWN MOBILE ***, depending on the
circumstances).
The following Auto Recovery messages may appear:
o Mobile logged out
o Mobile not in ocean region
o Terminal not responding
o Unknown mobile
o Message undeliverable
o Message transfer failed
o Mobile is barred
An explanation of each message follows and what action you should take to restart tracking in each case.

Figure 3: Example of Auto recovery message
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4.1 Mobile logged out
This means that the transceiver is logged out of the Inmarsat network and so it cannot communicate with
the outside world.
If the vessel has already reported:
1) Poll the transceiver via your login. (See

3.8 How do I poll a vessel to request an immediate
position report?) There are two possible outcomes:
a. The Mobile logged out message will reappear. Confirm with the Master which Ocean
Region the transceiver is logged into and then contact your Pole Star supplier for further
assistance.
b. If the Mobile logged out message does not reappear, this means that the transceiver is
now logged into the Inmarsat network. If a position report is not received within one hour,
contact your Pole Star supplier, first confirming with the Master which Ocean Region the
transceiver is logged into, if possible.
If the vessel has never sent a position report
1) Check the transceiver details Fleets > Tools > Asset details in your login.
:
2) Confirm with the Master that the specific transceiver is switched on and check which Ocean
Region it is logged into. Once you have confirmation, wait 24 hours for the system to recover
the unit and begin tracking.
3) If a position report is not received within 24 hours, contact your Pole Star supplier.

4.2 Mobile not in ocean region
This means that the transceiver is not in the expected ocean region. This message will trigger a cycle of
Auto Recovery. The Pole Star Auto Recovery system will go through each ocean region until it locates the
transceiver.
The system will then poll the transceiver. If the transceiver accepts the command, a position report should
be received and the Auto Recovery posting will clear.
If a position report is not received within 48 hours
1) Poll the transceiver via your login. (See
:
3.8 How do I poll a vessel to request an immediate
position report?)
2) You should receive a position report at the time at which you have set the regular
reporting interval. If you do not receive a position report, contact your Pole Star supplier.




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If a current position report is received, but the old Auto Recovery message remains on the Fleet List page
after 24 hours:
1) Delete the posting manually (occasional the system fails to remove the Auto Recovery
message).
2) To do this go to Fleet > Tools > Postings, select the appropriate vessel. The message will
be displayed on the page. Click the DELETE button next to the message you wish to
remove.
4.3 Terminal not responding
This means that the transceiver onboard the vessel is not responding to commands.
If the
1) Ask the Master to reboot the transceiver. This will force the transceiver to resynchronise
with the Inmarsat network.
vessel is at sea:
2) To reboot the transceiver: log out the transceiver, switch it off, wait one minute, switch it
back on and log back in.
3) Once the transceiver has been rebooted, you should poll the vessel to request an
immediate position report. (See 3.8 How do I poll a vessel to request an immediate
position report?) Once the terminal is logged in, you should receive a position report within
one hour.
4) If you do not receive a position report, contact your Pole Star supplier, first confirming with
the Master which Ocean Region the transceiver is logged into, if possible.
If the vessel is in port
1) When the vessel is alongside in port there is an increased probability of communication
problems. In a port there is likely to be a high concentration of interference sources. High
power VHF, UHF and microwave equipment can all cause interference problems.
Buildings, gantries and other large structures can also cause problems in port by blocking
the line of sight to the satellite.
:
2) Once the vessel is at sea you should expect to receive a position report within 24 hours.

4.4 Unknown mobile
This typically occurs if the vessel is being re-flagged or has had a change of ownership or management.
Alternatively, the wrong mobile number may have been entered during registration.

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If the vessel has already reported
1) Go to Fleet > Tools > Asset details and check the Inmarsat C mobile number registered.
:
2) Contact the Master to check the Inmarsat C mobile number of the transceiver installed on
board the vessel. If that is not possible, an alternative option is to contact the airtime
service provider who will be able to confirm the number.
3) If the wrong number is registered you must deactivate the vessel in your login via Setup >
My account > Deactivate asset.
4) Now you need to register the correct number. If you have a Fleet Account, provided you
have enough credits, you will be able to register the replacement vessel online. Go to
Setup > My account > Register vessel.
5) If you do not have enough credits in your account to register the vessel, contact your Pole
Star supplier to order more. If you operate a Vessel Account, you will need to contact your
Pole Star supplier to register the correct number.
If the vessel has been registered and never reported
1) This Unknown mobile message may appear if the transceiver was recently registered with
Pole Star on the same day the mobile number was activated with the airtime provider.
When a transceiver is activated by Inmarsat it can take up to 24 hours for the various
Land Earth Station operators to be updated with the new details.
:
2) Advise your Pole Star supplier, who will restart commissioning. This process can take up to
48 hours.
4.5 Message undeliverable
This occurs if the Land Earth Station (LES) cannot communicate with the transceiver. This may also be
because the Inmarsat C mobile number is in the process of being changed.
In both cases contact your Inmarsat C service provider.
4.6 Message transfer failed
This occurs because there is a problem with the satellite communication to the transceiver. This is usually a
temporary problem. However, if it continues to appear, you should contact your Pole Star supplier, first
confirming with the Master which Ocean Region the transceiver is logged into, if possible.
4.7 Mobile is barred
This is an issue between the owner of the transceiver and their airtime provider. If this is not resolved,
tracking may cease.
This is beyond Pole Stars control. The bar must be lifted before Pole Star can track the transceiver.




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1) You will need to arrange for the owner of the transceiver to resolve the issue by contacting
their Inmarsat service provider to get the bar lifted.
2) Once the bar has been lifted, contact the Master and find out which Ocean Region the
transceiver is currently logged into, if possible.
3) Then advise your Pole Star supplier, who will arrange to restart commissioning. This
process can take up to 48 hours.

5. Troubleshooting for FM1 & FM2
The vessel may need to refer to the FM1 Installation Guide or the FM2 Installation Guide in order to resolve
certain problems requiring the identification of LED flashing patterns. A copy of the relevant guide was sent
with the transceiver to the vessel. See Appendix 1: LED flashing patterns for the same information.
5.1 The unit was working well but has now stopped reporting
In this case, the unit has been sending position report data at the correct intervals until now when the unit
has stopped reporting.
1) Login to Purplefinder and go to Fleet > Fleet list. Locate the vessel.
2) To help you to identify the cause of the problem, the vessel icon on the Fleet list thumbnail
map is colour coded, according to which type of position report was last transmitted.
The table below gives a summary of the report types and their colour coding:
Report types Colour Explanation
Automatic Position Report (APR) Green* Standard daily report
Warning Position Report (WPR) Black/Yellow Reporting a voltage problem
No report received Grey* No report has been sent for 48 hours*
* These colours and the 48 hour interval are default settings. You can change them in your login on the
Setup > Profile > Asset Appearance page.


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If the vessel icon is green:
o Check the date and time of the position report. If it shows the expected time, this means that the
unit is reporting correctly. However, there may be a problem with the routing of emails and SMS
(see 2.2. Reports are not being received to SMS / email, page 5).

If the vessel icon is green, but the date/time is not up-to-date:
o Poll the unit to request a position report, by going to the Asset map and using the right click menu
to request a position report from the unit. You should receive a position report within 15 minutes.
o When you receive the position report, you can expect to receive the next APR at the interval which
you have set.
o However, if, after that interval, the APR does not arrive, you need to send a Start command to the
unit.
o Go to the Asset map and use the right click menu > Communication window to send a command to
Start regular position reporting.
o If you do not receive a position report after polling the unit, ask the vessel to check the status of
the LEDs on the unit, referring to the FM1 or FM2 Installation Guide. (See Appendix 1: LED flashing
patterns for details.)
If the vessel icon is grey:
o The unit has not reported for more than 48 hours. Request a position report by polling the vessel.
(Go to the Asset map and using the right click menu, request a position report from the unit.)
o If you do not receive a position report after the poll, ask the vessel to check the status of the LEDs
on the unit, referring to the FM1 or FM2 Installation Guide. (See Appendix 1: LED flashing patterns
for details.)
If the vessel icon is black/yellow:
For FM1:
o If the icon is black/yellow, there is a problem with the power supply to the unit. It has fallen below
9V. The voltage line in the position report will give you a reading of the actual voltage. In this case,
you need to contact the vessel and ask them to check the power supply.
o Once the power supply is restored to 12V, the next position report sent will be at the programmed
interval and it should be a standard report (ie colour coded green). If you cannot wait for the next
APR and wish to confirm right now that the unit is operating correctly, you should poll the unit. (See
3.8 How do I poll a vessel to request an immediate position report?)

For FM2:

o If the icon is black/yellow, it is likely there is a problem with the battery. With FM2, interruptions to
normal reporting frequency can be caused by lack of power due to a flat battery. The battery pack




Page 16 of 21
will power the FM2 unit independently for up to 7 days and if you have installed a solar panel that
will extend the life of the battery significantly if the unit is operating between the latitudes 45
degrees North and 45 degrees South. (See 5.2. FM2 - Is the battery the problem? below.)
5.2 FM2 - Is the battery the problem?
The emailed FM2 daily battery report gives you a daily update of the condition of the battery. To receive this
report you need to set up a Notification via Fleet > Tools > Notifications.
To find out whether the battery is the problem:
1) Login to Purplefinder and go to Fleet > Fleet list to see the latest position report for the
vessel. If the vessel icon is black/yellow, the position report is a WPR (Warning Position
Report).
2) If it contains the message Battery voltage < 11V, you know immediately there is a battery
problem.
3) Go to Reports > Received Messages: FM2 battery report, to review the latest battery
report.
4) If the battery is flat, you need to ask the vessel to charge it and then reconnect it.
5) The unit is programmed to send an APR as soon as it is powered up.
6) If a solar panel is installed, then it may be faulty or not adequate for the operating
conditions. Check that the surface of the solar panel is not damaged or dirty and check
the power rating is adequate for requirements.
5.3 The unit has just been installed but no position reports are received
Both FM1 and FM2 units are programmed to automatically send a position report when installation is
complete, when the unit is connected to power and is in line of sight of a satellite.
If no position report data is displayed on the maps or Fleet list and the thumbnail map on the Fleet list has
No Position Report written across it:
1) Contact the Master and check if the vessel is in port or at sea.
2) If in port, it could be experiencing problems with interference or obstruction. (See Vessel
not reporting: Is it in port?, page 5.)

If obstruction is not the problem:
o For FM1, go to 5.3.1 Check the power supply to the FM1 unit.
o For FM2, go to 5.3.2 Check the status of the LEDs on the FM1 / FM2 unit.
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5.3.1 Check the power supply to the FM1 unit
1) Ask the Master to check the power supply to the unit, making sure it is connected and
stable.
2) Check the installation was carried out according to the FM1 Installation Guide
instructions.
3) Was the unit moved recently? If so, refer to the Installation Guide to
ensure the new location is suitable. Check that no other hardware or superstructure is
blocking its line of sight to a satellite.

If all of the above are OK:
5.3.2 Check the status of the LEDs on the FM1 / FM2 unit
Ask the Master to check the status of the LEDs on the unit - as shown in Figure 4: FM1 LEDs below.



Figure 4: FM1 LEDs

For FM1 units:
Are the LEDs flashing?
1) In normal operation the STAT LED will be flashing.
2) In order to diagnose the problem, the vessel needs to note the observed LED flashing
pattern. For precise details in order to do this accurately, they will need to refer to the FM1
Installation Guide. (See Appendix 1: LED flashing patterns for details.)
3) Once you have this information, contact your Pole Star supplier and advise the precise
details of the LED flashing pattern.

If no LEDs light up within 10 seconds:
1) Ask the vessel to check the power supply and fuse.
2) If the power supply and/or fuse are not the problem, further investigation is required.
Contact your Pole Star supplier.







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For FM2 units:
1) Ask the vessel to remove all power connectors from the FM2 unit; this can be done in any
order. (Note: there may be either one or two connectors depending on the installation, see
Figure 5: FM2 LED and power connector below.) Wait at least 10 seconds and then
reconnect the connectors in any order.
2) After reconnecting, they must check that the external green power LED flashes when the
unit is powered on. The LED goes off after two minutes to save battery power.
3) Following this procedure, you should receive a standard position report within 15 minutes.
4) If the above steps do not solve the problem, further investigation is required. Contact your
Pole Star supplier.

Power LED
Power Connector

Figure 5: FM2 LED and power connector
5.4 The unit is not sending position reports at the required frequency
If the unit is reporting erratically or sending more position reports than required, you should first check
whether the reports sent are APRs or WPRs.
To check types of position report:
1) Login to Purplefinder and go to Reports > Position report history.
2) Select Asset name and view reports.
5.4.1 WPRs
If the position reports are WPRs, check the message:
1) If it refers to the internal cover, you might like to advise the vessel that it seems as if
someone is removing and replacing the lid of the unit for no reason. (Each WPR costs 1
credit).
2) If it refers to the battery voltage, check the FM1 power supply (see 5.3.1 Check the power
supply to the FM1 unit above) or the FM2 battery (see 5.2 FM2 - Is the battery the
problem? above).
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5.4.2 APRs
If the position reports are APRs, you need to check the actual reporting frequency in the Communication
window:
1) Login to Purplefinder and go to the Asset map for the specific vessel.
2) Using the right click menu, go to the Communication window to check the reporting
interval. The Every [xxxx] minute(s) box will show the interval at which the unit should be
currently reporting (see Figure 1: Communication window).
3) If the minute(s) box does
o Click Start and wait to receive the next APR.
show the reporting interval that you require, but the unit is
currently not reporting at this interval, it is possible the last start command sent to the unit
failed. To re-start the reporting interval:
o Monitor the timing of position reports over the next 24 hours to ensure the command
has been successful this time. The easiest way to monitor this is in Reports > Position
report history.
o If you still do not receive position reports, as required, ask the vessel to check power
supply.
If the minute(s) box does not
o Enter the correct number of minutes accordingly.
show the reporting interval you require, you need to enter the correct reporting
interval:
o Click Start and wait to receive the next APR.
o Monitor the timing of position reports over the next 24 hours to ensure the command
has been successful. (The easiest way to monitor this is in Reports > Position report
history.)
o If position reports are still not sent as required, contact the vessel and ask them to
check that the power supply to the unit is stable and not, for some reason, being
switched off and on. FM1 units are programmed to send a position report every time
they are powered up, so if the power supply is intermittent, multiple reports may be
sent.
If you are sure that the power supply is not the problem, further investigation is required. Please contact
your Pole Star supplier.
5.5 I have polled the unit but I have not received a position report
After polling a unit, you should receive a position report within 15 minutes.
o If you do not receive a position report after one hour, go to the Fleet List and check
the date and time of the last position report. If the last position report was received
less than 24 hours ago, there may be a temporary communication problem with the
transceiver which could be due to interference or loss of line of sight to the satellite.




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o If the last position report was more than 24 hours ago, it is possible that the
transceiver has been powered down or the battery has gone flat. Ask the vessel crew
to check the LEDs as described in 5.3.2 Check the status of the LEDs on the FM1 /
FM2 unit above.

FLEET MANAGEMENT TROUBLESHOOTING GUIDE
Page 21 of 21
Appendix 1: LED flashing patterns
LED Pattern Tick
STAT Does not come on
On continuously
Fast flash
1 flash, pause
2 flashes, pause
3 flashes, pause
4 flashes, pause
5 flashes, pause
TX Does not come on
On continuously
ERR Does not come on
On continuously
Fast flash
1 flash, pause
2 flashes, pause
3 flashes, pause
4 flashes, pause