Using the App

Ensure Bluetooth is enabled on your device

The RockFLEET, RockAIR and YB3i devices will always have Bluetooth enabled, provided they are attached to mains power.

For the RockSTAR and YB3 see Bluetooth Menu.

Connecting to your device initially

When running the CONNECT app for the first time, you'll be asked to choose the device you'd like to connect to. Devices within range will be displayed by their serial numbers, so if you are able to see several units, make sure you are connecting to the correct one. Your device's serial number is a 4 or 6 digit number found the rear/underneath your device.

🚧

Note

The CONNECT app will remember which device you connected to last, and will always try to reconnect to that one. See Forget Device further down in the manual, if you'd like to connect to a new device.

Bluetooth Idle

Your Bluetooth connection status is located right under the model type and serial number.

If your connection is idle/disconnected, you'll need to reconnect to your device. Click Connect to Device to reinstate the Bluetooth connection.

The Interface

At the top of the CONNECT main screen, your device name, the connection status, and the battery charge of your device are displayed.

The CONNECT app's main screen also features icons that represent the activity on your device.

• GPS On - Your device is acquiring a GPS fix
• Iridium On - Your device is transmitting via Iridium

At the bottom of the screen are the navigation icons for your My Device, Inbox and Outbox screens.

Enable Messaging

When using the CONNECT app for the first time, you'll need to Enable Messaging from the main menu. The app will then ask for your username and password.

This is the same username and password used to access the YBlog or the Core admin areas (depending which one you use).

Enter these details and click Enable Messaging.

If your phone/tablet is connected to the Internet whilst you are activating your device, the screen should come back immediately to let you know if activation was successful.

If you are activating your messaging account without access to the internet, the device will send the request over satellite, and so may take up to 10 minutes to respond.

Once you have enabled messaging, extra options and menus will appear in the CONNECT app's main menu.

Send Message

🚧

Note

This option available only when messaging has been enabled.

Clicking Send Message will bring up a your initial message screen where you can also link your social media accounts to send free messages.

Select the appropriate message categories, or add your endpoint details (telephone or email), then enter your message. As you're doing so, you'll be informed about how many characters you have used, and how many credits your message will cost.

You can select from the following options when sending your message:

• Email or Mobile Phone - Enter an email/phone number or select one from your own contacts.
• Twitter - Available only for YB Connect users with a valid YBlog.
• Facebook - Available only for YB Connect users with a valid YBlog.
• My Group - Your First Responders as defined in the Core or your YBlog.
• YBlog - Available only for users of YB3 and YB3i trackers with a valid YBlog.

Social Media Messages

👍

Good News!

Posting to Facebook and Twitter is now absolutely free. Remember though, that if you want to update your social media account, you must first link it up in your YB Connect app and YBlog's admin area.

Once you have typed your message, press ‘Send’. This will send your message from the app to your tracker which, in turn, will send it to the satellites and onward to the endpoint. Ensure your unit has a good view of the sky to make this as seamless as possible.

YBlog and My Group Messages

When posting on your YBlog, sending messages to individual contacts or to My Group, every 50 characters of message (or part thereof) costs 1 credit. The length of email addresses is also calculated in the total number of characters in your message.

If you are sending an SMS message, there is an additional 1 credit charge per SMS.

My Account

🚧

Note

This option available only when messaging has been enabled.

My Account displays the number of credits available in your account following the last transmission made by the CONNECT app.

If any further activity has taken place whilst you were disconnected, your actual credit balance may be slightly lower than shown, but this number will automatically update each time you receive a message via the app.

Alternatively, if you want to check your current credit balance, you can press Request Balance.

🚧

Note

Checking your credit balance manually does require data to be sent over a satellite, and therefore this action will cost 1 credit.

Configure Device

If you own your device, and you know your PIN number, this option will allow you to configure all of the options - such as tracking frequency, alert settings, and more. Changes you make in this screen will take effect straight away.

🚧

Default PIN

The Default PIN number for all devices is "1234".

Visit our Power Options and GPS Settings, Tracking Basics and Alert Basics chapters for more information on the items on this menu.

🚧

The Configure Device menu options depend on your device type.

The menu shown above is the full menu - your device's available menu options will be limited to the functionality it offers.

Advanced

The advanced menu allows users to do a number of useful things with their trackers.

Beep

In case you have misplaced your RockSTAR or YB3, this option will allow you to locate it via an audible signal.

Mailbox Check

Normally, new messages are downloaded each time your unit transmits a regular position report. Selecting Mailbox Check will force the device to check for and download any new messages between regular reports. Mailbox Check may take some time to complete and will cost you 1 credit if there are no messages waiting.

A confirmation screen will appear before a Mailbox Check is run.

Send Position

Rather than waiting to send your next scheduled position report, you can select Send Position to send a one-off position report straight away.

Send Position may take some time to complete and will cost you 1 credit.

Send Alert

This will send an alert from your device, and your first responders will be notified according to your settings specified in the YBlog or Core.

Change PIN

If you would like to change the PIN number of your device, you can do so in this menu. If you're having trouble unlocking your device or you've forgotten your PIN:

Rock Seven users please contact [email protected].
YB Tracking users please contact [email protected].

Firmware Update

Sometimes there is new software available for your device. This function checks if an update is available, and allows you to install it. Note, both your tracker and your phone/tablet must have over 40% battery to start this process, and you must stay nearby your device until it has completed - the process can take up to 20 minutes.

Automatic Disconnection

The CONNECT app will automatically disconnect from your device after a period of inactivity. This is to allow others to use your device. Multiple people can have their own app accounts while sharing a single device. Only one person can have their app connected to the device at any one time.

If you wish, you can manually disconnect by pressing Disconnect from Device from the My Device menu. If you don't want your your Tracker/App to automatically disconnect, change the app's behaviour to Keep Connected

Cancel Alerts

Select Cancel Alerts to cancel any alerts sent out either manually or automatically by a device. First responders will be notified with an Alert Cancel.

Forget Device

If you wish to connect to a different device, select Forget Device to return to the initial device connection screen.

Reset App

If you are having any trouble, you can return your app to its factory settings by selecting Reset App. Generally you would only ever use this option if advised by a support engineer.

About

The About menu shows key information about your device, including the software version, firmware version etc.

Having trouble with your App? Send us a Config Report.

Inbox / Outbox

The Inbox and Outbox screens will show all of the messages you have sent or received. New messages sent to you will come into your Inbox. Messages you send will be in the Outbox.

Next to each message in the Outbox is a status, which tells you whether a message was successfully sent, or whether it is still ‘pending’ transmission.

For Best Results

All satellite devices need to be able to ‘see’ the sky to work properly. The better view of the sky they have, the quicker they will be able to transmit and receive messages, and the better your experience will be. Sometimes units will work with partial views of the sky, such as on windowsills - however, this is not guaranteed, and every situation is different.

The battery will also last the longest when you have a clear line-of-sight with the sky.