Balto Beacon Loko Hardware Setup

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.

What You'll Need

• 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
• A phone or tablet with Balto Beacon installed and Bluetooth enabled
• USB-C cables for the Ground unit and each Air unit

Step 1: Initial Setup

Before first use, fully charge:

1. The Loko Ground unit
2. 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.

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

1. Attach the Air unit securely to the dog's collar per the hardware's mounting hardware/strap.
2. Make sure it's snug and won't spin, catch on brush, or come loose during work.
3. 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

1. 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.
2. 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

1. Open Balto Beacon on your phone.
2. Make sure Bluetooth is turned on.
3. Open the device scan/connect screen in the app.
4. Select your Ground unit from the list of nearby devices.
5. Confirm the connection. The LED will turn solid blue while the connection is active.
6. 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.

Step 5: Confirm the Air Unit Is Reporting

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

Step 6: Name the Tracker

1. Tap the new tracker's entry in the app.
2. Rename it to something clear — typically the dog's call name — so it's easy to identify on the map and in CalTopo.
3. 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

1. 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).
2. With the tracker connected and moving, check that its position is updating on the shared CalTopo map.
3. 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

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