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Use Satellite Prediction on BTECH DMR radios
What this lets you do
A useful prediction needs fresh orbital data and a correct location.
Satellite Prediction estimates when a listed satellite should rise, peak, and set for the radio’s current GPS or fixed location. Load current orbital data in matching CPS, verify the radio’s location, then review the pass before programming or tuning the downlink.
The prediction screen is planning help. It does not prove the satellite is operational, that its mode or frequencies are unchanged, that a listed uplink is authorized, or that Doppler has been handled.
Verified compatibility
The planning flow is shared across current BTECH DMR handhelds
DMR-6X2 and DMR-6X2 PRO gained Satellite Prediction in their 2025 firmware. DA-7X2 includes the feature in its current platform. Use each model’s own CPS and current satellite-data tool.
| Model | Verified procedure | Required version | Important difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMR-6X2 | Load Kepler/orbital data, obtain location, review pass | Firmware 2.20 or later | Legacy CPS/screens; exact data-source and write wording can differ. |
| DMR-6X2 PRO | Load Kepler/orbital data, obtain location, review pass | Firmware 1.20 or later | Use PRO firmware/CPS only. |
| DA-7X2 | Tool → GPS Satellite Data Update; Menu → Satellite | Current DA firmware/CPS | HTTP Download/Write Data workflow and DA detail screens. |
Load current orbital data
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Open the matching satellite-data tool
Connect the exact radio to its current CPS. Open the GPS Satellite Data Update, Kepler data, or satellite tool named by that model’s current package.
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Download or import current data
Use the current supported download function or trusted orbital-data file. Old Keplerian elements make pass times drift; do not reuse a years-old file because the satellite name is still present.
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Review the list before writing
Confirm the intended satellites are present and the data timestamp is current. Remove or ignore entries whose status/mode is no longer valid.
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Write data without interrupting the radio
Start the satellite-data write and wait for completion. Keep USB, battery, and computer power stable; then close the tool and power-cycle the radio.
Establish the location used by the prediction
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Turn on GPS outdoors
Move to a clear view of the sky and wait for a valid position. A stale or missing fix can move the predicted pass by enough to miss it.
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Use a fixed location only when it is truly fixed
If the model supports fixed APRS/GPS locations, enter verified coordinates for the station and deliberately select that location. Update it whenever the radio moves.
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Confirm time and time zone
Set date, time, and time zone correctly. A valid orbit and location can still produce confusing clock times when the radio’s time setting is wrong.
Review and work a pass responsibly
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Open the satellite list and choose the pass
Review the predicted rise time, maximum elevation, set time, and direction. A high pass is usually easier for a handheld setup than a low horizon pass.
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Program or tune receive first
Use the current published downlink and mode. Monitor before the pass, account for Doppler, and confirm that the satellite is actually heard.
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Prepare the uplink only when authorized
Verify the current uplink, tone, service rules, license privileges, and band plan. Use the lowest practical power; many satellite contacts succeed with modest power and a good pass/antenna.
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Keep calls short and listen
Satellite windows are brief and shared. Give your callsign/grid or required exchange, listen between calls, and do not monopolize the pass.
Fix the symptom you can see
| What happened | Likely reason | Next check |
|---|---|---|
| No passes appear | Orbital data missing/stale, wrong time, or no valid location | Reload current data, confirm GPS/fixed coordinates, date, time, and time zone. |
| Pass time is wrong | Stale orbital data or incorrect location/time zone | Compare the radio with a current authoritative pass predictor after refreshing all three inputs. |
| Prediction looks right but nothing is heard | Satellite inactive, wrong mode/frequency, poor horizon/antenna, or Doppler not handled | Confirm current status and listen across the Doppler-adjusted downlink during a higher pass. |
| Downlink is heard but contact fails | Uplink, tone, Doppler, polarization, antenna, timing, or operator congestion | Keep listening, confirm current parameters, use the lowest practical power, and improve pass/antenna technique before adding power. |
Official manuals, software, and next steps
Questions customers ask next
Does Satellite Prediction control the radio automatically?
No. It provides planning information. You still program or tune the current mode/frequencies, handle Doppler, listen, operate the antenna, and follow licensing and satellite rules.
Can I use the frequencies shown without checking them?
No. Satellite status and modes can change, and a displayed frequency is not transmit authorization. Verify current authoritative data before every operating session.
Why refresh orbital data?
Satellites move and orbital elements age. Stale data makes rise, peak, and set predictions drift.
Comments (8)
If you watch the TX & RCV frequencies, they are constantly changing.
Not sure how you are supposed to communicate through a device with constantly changing frequencies.
Or am I just a Newbie and this is a stupid question?
For 2m, no Doppler accommodation really required. But there is an up to +/-10kHZ deviation on the 440 side – whether TX or RX. See frequency chart at work-sat.com
I’ll be interested when the software automatically sets operating frequencies on the radio.
Fix the radio to automatically go into VFO mode bands a & b and adjust on the fly for doplar effect.
The list of satellites is good. But many lack frequencies. So I turn to Yes, and add the send and receive frequency. Upload and it works but once I update the keps again all my frequencies I entered are gone. Is there a workaround for this?
Hi Ed — updating the Keps file writes a fresh satellite dataset to the radio, so manually edited frequency fields in that dataset can be overwritten. The reliable workaround is to store each satellite’s uplink and downlink as normal memory channels (or enter them in VFO), then use Keps updates only for orbital/pass data. Our satellite guide also recommends programming the TX/RX pair into a memory channel or using VFO.
You can load TLE data, and the radio calculates everything, but it doesn’t automatically track the TR / RX frequency during a pass?
Does Baofeng realize how close this was to a quantum leap in HT tech ? Ground-breaking.
No other rig can do this internally. I would pay 2X for a radio that does this –
It’s not a big change to the code…. My only question is, “Why don’t you do it now?”
Dave, your understanding is correct. The current satellite function loads updated orbital data, predicts passes, and displays the relevant TX/RX information, but it does not continuously retune the radio to compensate for Doppler during a pass. The operator must use programmed channels or adjust the VFO manually.
We agree that automatic Doppler tracking would be a valuable next step, and we have passed the request to our development team. It involves coordinating the active receiver paths, VFO/channel state, transmit limits, and PTT behavior, so we cannot characterize it as a small code change or promise a release date. Thank you for explaining the use case so clearly.