[Xastir] No stations display on Xastir

[Curt Mills, WE7U]

On 30 Apr 2003, Rich Garcia wrote:

> Well tonight Xastir finally is showing a stream of data coming across my
> Incoming Packet Data screen. I have no idea why it did not work last
> night unless the aprsfl.net server was down. Problem is that the
> stations are not displaying on my screen, I don't have any maps
> installed yet but I should still see icons showing up.

Yes, you should.


> I have generated a validation number for my callsign but even though I
> have entered my data I am not showing up on Findu. I looked at my
> interface information and it shows connecting ?? I am connected if not I
> would not see any data! Bottom right of the display shows a Yellow
> something on top a red box on the bottom left and a green box on the
> bottom right with a red arrow pointing Left above it.

Top line has color-coded type of connection (TNC/GPS/Internet/etc).
Middle line has arrows showing which direction data is going in.
Bottom line is status of connection.  Green = good.  Red = bad.


> I am assuming that the bottom left box is telling me I am not connected
> to outgoing data but the bottom right is telling me I am connected with
> the arrow meaning incoming data ?

Sound correct.


> Any ideas on what to look for, I do have a few of the stations features
> clicked on so I should show something.


Since we've had more than one person ask recently, here are some
quick thoughts on the subject.  Any more to add?  Probably should
get this or something like it added to the FAQ (Reuven?).


Why are stations not showing on my screen?
------------------------------------------

1) You may have clicked on the "File->Configure->Defaults->Activate
Alternate net" button.  This will put you into a separate group on
APRS where only that group will show on your screen.

2) "Stations->Filter->Data" and/or "Stations->Filter->Display"
togglebuttons may be set in such a manner that nothing shows on your
screen.

3) You may not have received any stations yet (although your own
station should be showing, at 0N/0W if you've just started Xastir
for the first time).

4) If you're hooked to a TNC, your TNC might be set incorrectly,
making it impossible for Xastir to parse the data.  Each packet
should appear as one line coming in, not two.  No timestamps should
be added by the TNC itself.

5) You may be using an unsupported TNC, making it impossible for
Xastir to parse the data.

6) You may not have gotten the symbols.dat file installed in
/usr/local/xastir/symbols/ (default location on a lot of systems).

7) You may not have run the "callpass" program to generate the
proper string to use in connecting to internet servers, or you may
not have entered that string in the correct place for each internet
interface (in the Properties menu for each).

-- 
Curt Mills, WE7U                    hacker_NO_SPAM_ at tc.fluke.com
Senior Methods Engineer/SysAdmin
"Lotto:    A tax on people who are bad at math!"
"Windows:  Microsoft's tax on computer illiterates!" -- WE7U
"The world DOES revolve around me:  I picked the coordinate system!"