Balto Beacon Loko Hardware Setup - Revision history

Baltoadmin: /* Step 4: Connect the Ground Unit to Balto Beacon */

2026-08-21T18:26:38Z

Step 4: Connect the Ground Unit to Balto Beacon

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:26, 21 August 2026
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	# To turn the Ground unit off, press and hold the power button for several seconds. The LED will switch between magenta and red. Then release the power button.		# To turn the Ground unit off, press and hold the power button for several seconds. The LED will switch between magenta and red. Then release the power button.

	{{note\|~~The first time~~ you connect a given Ground unit, you'll need to confirm it manually. ~~After that~~, ~~Balto Beacon~~ will ~~remember it and~~ reconnect ~~automatically on future launches — no need to re-pair~~.}}		{{note\|When you connect a given Ground unit, you'll need to confirm it manually. If your phone loses Bluetooth connection, it will automatically reconnect as long as the Beacon app is still running. Bluetooth range is about 50 meters.}}

	== Step 5: Confirm the Air Unit Is Reporting ==		== Step 5: Confirm the Air Unit Is Reporting ==

Baltoadmin: /* Step 1: Initial Setup */

2026-08-21T18:23:14Z

Step 1: Initial Setup

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:23, 21 August 2026
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	Perform the firmware updates on both Ground and Air units before proceeding.		Perform the firmware updates on both Ground and Air units before proceeding.

	IMPORTANT: You MUST set the frequency to 915 MHz to operate legally in the US and 868 MHz in Europe.		{{note\|IMPORTANT: You MUST set the frequency to 915 MHz to operate legally in the US and 868 MHz in Europe.
	(For the Ground unit, that's 915000000 and 868000000)		(For the Ground unit, that's 915000000 and 868000000)}}

	The devices have ID numbers that you should specify particularly if you have multiple Ground and Air units.		The devices have ID numbers that you should specify particularly if you have multiple Ground and Air units.

Baltoadmin: /* Step 1: Initial Setup */

2026-08-21T18:22:27Z

Step 1: Initial Setup

← Older revision		Revision as of 14:22, 21 August 2026
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	[https://www.wch-ic.com/downloads/CH341SER_MAC_ZIP.html MacOS Driver]		[https://www.wch-ic.com/downloads/CH341SER_MAC_ZIP.html MacOS Driver]

			Driver installation may require enabling and permissions to your OS. (It does on a Mac)

			Here's the link to the Nolilabs Loko configuration page:
			[https://www.nolilab.com/loko-config-tool/]

			Perform the firmware updates on both Ground and Air units before proceeding.

			IMPORTANT: You MUST set the frequency to 915 MHz to operate legally in the US and 868 MHz in Europe.
			(For the Ground unit, that's 915000000 and 868000000)

			The devices have ID numbers that you should specify particularly if you have multiple Ground and Air units.
			The Air unit broadcasts its own ID number (which is ID1) and the ID of the Ground unit it wants to listen to it (which is ID2).

			The choice of these ID numbers matters for a SAR team with multiple dogs. Each dog should have a specific number for ID1. If you have several Ground stations, they could all use the same ID2 number and each person would be seeing all of the Air units. Or you could give each handler with a Ground unit a different ID2 number so they only see their own dog.

			What you need to avoid is more than one Air unit with the same ID1 number. Ground units won't be able to tell them apart and if it worked at all, there would be a lot of conflicting position data.

			The Wake-up period is how often the GPS position is reported. The smaller that time is, the more detail you get in the resulting track but the faster the battery gets used. 5 seconds gets you about 3 hours of battery time.

			Send Mult should be set to 1.

			Save Mult is the interval for how often GPS positions are stored on the Air unit's internal memory. So even if the wireless link fails, the track can be saved and downloaded in GPX format later.

			There are several GNSS modes. Normal and Fitness are the useful ones. Normal tends to capture a lot of extra movement when you're standing around due to the way GPS signals work. Fitness mode can filter out a lot of that noise but it might not capture more subtle movement of the dog.

			You'll want to leave the Daily Sleep Window off.

			Transmit Mode must be on P2P (point-to-point). LoRaWAN Mode is not supported by Balto Beacon.

			You MUST set the frequency to 915 MHz to operate legally in the US and 868 MHz in Europe.
			(For the Ground unit, that's 915000000 and 868000000)

			If you want the position information to be encrypted, you can enable P2P Encryption and enter a key. Both Air and Ground units need to use the same key.

			You can also include Velocity and Altitude in the data. CalTopo can capture the Altitude.

	== Step 2: Mount the Air Unit on the Collar ==		== Step 2: Mount the Air Unit on the Collar ==

Baltoadmin: /* Step 1: Initial Setup */

2026-08-21T17:53:41Z

Step 1: Initial Setup

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:53, 21 August 2026
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	[https://www.wch-ic.com/downloads/CH341SER_ZIP.html Windows CH340/341 Driver]		[https://www.wch-ic.com/downloads/CH341SER_ZIP.html Windows CH340/341 Driver]

	MacOS Driver		[https://www.wch-ic.com/downloads/CH341SER_MAC_ZIP.html MacOS Driver]

	== Step 2: Mount the Air Unit on the Collar ==		== Step 2: Mount the Air Unit on the Collar ==

Baltoadmin: /* Step 1: Initial Setup */

2026-08-21T17:52:47Z

Step 1: Initial Setup

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:52, 21 August 2026
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	You will probably need to update the firmware in the Loko devices. This can be done on a Mac or Windows computer. You will need Google Chrome installed. Firefox and Safari do not support USB devices. You may also need to install the USB driver.		You will probably need to update the firmware in the Loko devices. This can be done on a Mac or Windows computer. You will need Google Chrome installed. Firefox and Safari do not support USB devices. You may also need to install the USB driver.

	Windows CH340/341 Driver		[https://www.wch-ic.com/downloads/CH341SER_ZIP.html Windows CH340/341 Driver]

	MacOS Driver		MacOS Driver

Baltoadmin: /* Step 1: Initial Setup */

2026-08-21T17:52:23Z

Step 1: Initial Setup

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:52, 21 August 2026
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	{{note\|Do this well before deployment — charging takes time, and you don't want to be waiting on a battery during a callout.}}		{{note\|Do this well before deployment — charging takes time, and you don't want to be waiting on a battery during a callout.}}

			You will probably need to update the firmware in the Loko devices. This can be done on a Mac or Windows computer. You will need Google Chrome installed. Firefox and Safari do not support USB devices. You may also need to install the USB driver.

			Windows CH340/341 Driver

			MacOS Driver

	== Step 2: Mount the Air Unit on the Collar ==		== Step 2: Mount the Air Unit on the Collar ==

Baltoadmin: /* What You'll Need */

2026-08-21T17:45:54Z

What You'll Need

← Older revision		Revision as of 13:45, 21 August 2026
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	== What You'll Need ==		== What You'll Need ==

	* 1× Loko Ground unit		* 1× Loko Ground unit Note: the Ground unit needs an 18650 battery which isn't included. You can get these from Amazon.
	* 1× Loko Air unit per dog		* 1× Loko Air unit per dog
	* A phone or tablet with Balto Beacon installed and Bluetooth enabled		* A phone or tablet with Balto Beacon installed and Bluetooth enabled
	* ~~Charging~~ cables for the Ground unit and each Air unit		* USB-C cables for the Ground unit and each Air unit

	== Step 1: ~~Charge Everything~~ ==		== Step 1: Initial Setup ==

	Before first use, fully charge:		Before first use, fully charge:

Baltoadmin: /* Step 2: Mount the Air Unit on the Collar */

2026-08-21T16:18:07Z

Step 2: Mount the Air Unit on the Collar

← Older revision		Revision as of 12:18, 21 August 2026
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	# Attach the Air unit securely to the dog's collar per the hardware's mounting hardware/strap.		# Attach the Air unit securely to the dog's collar per the hardware's mounting hardware/strap.
	# Make sure it's snug and won't spin, catch on brush, or come loose during work.		# Make sure it's snug and won't spin, catch on brush, or come loose during work.
	# Power on the Air unit and ~~confirm~~ it ~~powers up (check~~ for ~~its status light, if equipped)~~.		# Power on the Air unit by pressing and holding the power button. The LED will be solid red for about 4 seconds and then it will blink slowly several times. Once it's on, the LED blinks every time a position is transmitted. To power down, press and hold the power button for 5 seconds. The LED will blink rapidly and then turn off.

	== Step 3: Power On the Ground Unit ==		== Step 3: Power On the Ground Unit ==

	# Power on the Loko Ground unit.		# Power on the Loko Ground unit by pressing and holding the power button for several seconds. The LED will change from white to green and then turn off. Release the power button. It will then blink blue while it's waiting for a Bluetooth connection.
	# Keep it within Bluetooth range of the phone that will run Balto Beacon (it will typically be carried by the handler or kept at a base station).		# Keep it within Bluetooth range of the phone that will run Balto Beacon (it will typically be carried by the handler or kept at a base station).

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	# Open the device scan/connect screen in the app.		# Open the device scan/connect screen in the app.
	# Select your Ground unit from the list of nearby devices.		# Select your Ground unit from the list of nearby devices.
	# Confirm the connection.		# Confirm the connection. The LED will turn solid blue while the connection is active.
			# To turn the Ground unit off, press and hold the power button for several seconds. The LED will switch between magenta and red. Then release the power button.

	{{note\|The first time you connect a given Ground unit, you'll need to confirm it manually. After that, Balto Beacon will remember it and reconnect automatically on future launches — no need to re-pair.}}		{{note\|The first time you connect a given Ground unit, you'll need to confirm it manually. After that, Balto Beacon will remember it and reconnect automatically on future launches — no need to re-pair.}}

Baltoadmin: Created page with "= Balto Beacon: Loko Hardware Setup = This page walks through configuring your Loko hardware for use with Balto Beacon, from unboxing/charging through confirming everything is reporting correctly. For general app usage after setup, see Balto Beacon User Guide. TOC == What You'll Need == * 1× Loko Ground unit * 1× Loko Air unit per dog * A phone or tablet with Balto Beacon installed and Bluetooth enabled * Charging cables for the Ground unit and each Air uni..."

2026-08-21T16:11:26Z

Created page with "= Balto Beacon: Loko Hardware Setup = This page walks through configuring your Loko hardware for use with Balto Beacon, from unboxing/charging through confirming everything is reporting correctly. For general app usage after setup, see Balto Beacon User Guide. __TOC__ == What You'll Need == * 1× Loko Ground unit * 1× Loko Air unit per dog * A phone or tablet with Balto Beacon installed and Bluetooth enabled * Charging cables for the Ground unit and each Air uni..."

New page

= Balto Beacon: Loko Hardware Setup =

This page walks through configuring your Loko hardware for use with Balto Beacon, from unboxing/charging through confirming everything is reporting correctly. For general app usage after setup, see [[Balto Beacon User Guide]].

__TOC__

== What You'll Need ==

* 1× Loko Ground unit
* 1× Loko Air unit per dog
* A phone or tablet with Balto Beacon installed and Bluetooth enabled
* Charging cables for the Ground unit and each Air unit

== Step 1: Charge Everything ==

Before first use, fully charge:
# The Loko Ground unit
# Every Loko Air unit you plan to use

{{note|Do this well before deployment — charging takes time, and you don't want to be waiting on a battery during a callout.}}

== Step 2: Mount the Air Unit on the Collar ==

# Attach the Air unit securely to the dog's collar per the hardware's mounting hardware/strap.
# Make sure it's snug and won't spin, catch on brush, or come loose during work.
# Power on the Air unit and confirm it powers up (check for its status light, if equipped).

== Step 3: Power On the Ground Unit ==

# Power on the Loko Ground unit.
# Keep it within Bluetooth range of the phone that will run Balto Beacon (it will typically be carried by the handler or kept at a base station).

== Step 4: Connect the Ground Unit to Balto Beacon ==

# Open Balto Beacon on your phone.
# Make sure Bluetooth is turned on.
# Open the device scan/connect screen in the app.
# Select your Ground unit from the list of nearby devices.
# Confirm the connection.

{{note|The first time you connect a given Ground unit, you'll need to confirm it manually. After that, Balto Beacon will remember it and reconnect automatically on future launches — no need to re-pair.}}

== Step 5: Confirm the Air Unit Is Reporting ==

# Once the Ground unit is connected, check the map screen in Balto Beacon.
# Within a short time, you should see a new tracker appear, corresponding to the Air unit on the dog's collar.
# If it doesn't appear, see [[#Troubleshooting|Troubleshooting]] below.

== Step 6: Name the Tracker ==

# Tap the new tracker's entry in the app.
# Rename it to something clear — typically the dog's call name — so it's easy to identify on the map and in CalTopo.
# Repeat for each additional dog/Air unit.

== Step 7: Enable GNSS Fitness Mode ==

Loko hardware supports a GPS "fitness mode" that reduces position jitter for a moving target, which is the normal case for a working dog. Leave this enabled for field use unless a team lead directs otherwise.

== Step 8: Confirm CalTopo Is Receiving Positions ==

# Ask your team lead which CalTopo map your kit is configured to report to (this is typically set up once per team/kit and shouldn't need to change day to day).
# With the tracker connected and moving, check that its position is updating on the shared CalTopo map.
# If it isn't updating, confirm you have cellular connectivity — Beacon will buffer and backfill automatically once connectivity returns, so a brief gap isn't a problem, but a fully offline phone won't upload until it reconnects.

== Adding a New Dog/Air Unit Later ==

You don't need to redo the whole setup for the whole team — just repeat Steps 1, 2, 5, and 6 for the new dog/Air unit. The Ground unit and phone connection (Steps 3–4) stay the same.

== Troubleshooting ==

{| class="wikitable"
! Symptom !! Likely cause !! What to do
|-
| Ground unit doesn't show up when scanning || Bluetooth off, unit not powered on, or out of range || Enable Bluetooth on your phone; confirm the Ground unit is powered on and nearby
|-
| Ground unit connects but no tracker appears || Air unit not powered on, out of range, or not yet linked to this Ground unit || Confirm the Air unit is powered on; move it closer to the Ground unit; power-cycle the Air unit
|-
| Tracker appears but position seems stale || Weak radio link between Air unit and Ground unit (e.g., terrain, distance) || Move the Ground unit/handler closer to the dog if possible; this should recover on its own as range improves
|-
| CalTopo map isn't updating || No cellular connectivity on the phone, or wrong CalTopo map configured || Check cellular signal; confirm with your team lead which map the kit should be reporting to
|-
| Air unit died mid-assignment || Battery exhausted (current hardware runs roughly 3–4 hours depending on settings) || Swap in a charged spare if available; note the time for the debrief
|}

[[Category:Balto Beacon]]