Configuration

Configuration

Overview

Pi-Sat uses one main configuration file:

• pi-sat-controller.conf

This file controls:

• server behavior
• station location
• TLE sources
• tracked satellites
• RX/TX device settings
• rotator settings
• safety and update timing behavior

Section Breakdown

[server]

Controls how the web app is served.

Important settings:

• host
• port
• gui_resources_caching

gui_resources_caching exists for browser asset caching behavior and is intentionally hidden from the settings page.

[station]

Defines the ground station location used for pass prediction and live geometry.

Important settings:

• name
• latitude_deg
• longitude_deg
• elevation_m

These values directly affect pass timing, azimuth, elevation, and Doppler calculations.

[tle]

Controls TLE download behavior.

Important settings:

• source_url
• cache_dir
• stale_after_hours

source_url can contain multiple TLE URLs. In runtime usage, Pi-Sat treats them as a list even though they are stored in one config-safe encoded field.

[profiles]

Controls where satellite/transponder profile data is stored.

Important settings:

• satellites_file

[my_satellites]

Stores the operator’s tracked satellite list and pass threshold behavior.

Important settings:

• min_pass_elevation_deg
• autotrack_next_pass
• satellite_<norad_id> = name

[rx] and [tx]

Define radio control paths for downlink and uplink control.

Important settings:

• enabled
• connectivity
• host
• port
• serial_port
• baud
• model_id
• target_vfo
• write_enabled
• timeout_s

connectivity determines whether Pi-Sat uses:

• an existing network Hamlib daemon
• or a locally managed serial Hamlib daemon

[rotator]

Defines rotator control behavior.

Important settings:

• enabled
• connectivity
• host
• port
• serial_port
• baud
• model_id
• write_enabled
• timeout_s
• min_elevation_deg
• return_home_after_pass

Pi-Sat treats home position as an internal control target. In the current project configuration as it stands now, that home target is effectively 0 / 0.

[safety]

Controls TX and update behavior.

Important settings:

• tx_inhibit_below_horizon
• tx_inhibit_on_cat_loss
• tx_inhibit_without_valid_pass
• frequency_deadband_hz
• cat_rate_limit_hz
• tracking_update_interval_ms

Settings Page vs Config File

Not every config key is exposed in the web settings page. Some values are intentionally local-only or hidden because they are operational internals rather than normal operator-facing settings.

Examples include:

• GUI asset caching behavior
• cache paths
• some local-only file references

Recommended Practice

• Keep one config file per Pi
• Back up the config before major changes even though the updater should not remove or modify the local config. Better safe than sorry.
• Prefer stable serial paths such as /dev/serial/by-id/... where possible
• Treat station coordinates as critical configuration, not cosmetic metadata