Troubleshooting
Common issues, sync debugging, error telemetry, and data repair
This section helps diagnose and resolve common issues with Carrier Wave.
Sync Issues
QSOs Not Uploading
Symptoms: QSOs show “pending” status, never sync.
Check:
- Network connectivity - try other apps
- Service authentication - re-sign in if needed
- Sync logs for specific errors
Common causes:
- Expired credentials
- Service temporarily down
- Rate limiting (wait and retry)
QSOs Not Downloading
Symptoms: Contacts logged elsewhere don’t appear.
Check:
- Service supports downloads (POTA is upload-only)
- Time since last sync
- Manual sync trigger (pull to refresh)
Sync Conflicts
Symptoms: Duplicate QSOs, mismatched data.
Resolution:
- Let sync complete fully
- Manually delete duplicates if needed
- The most recent data usually wins
Sync Debugging Tools
Carrier Wave provides several tools for diagnosing sync issues:
Sync Debug Log
Enable detailed sync logging at Settings -> Advanced -> Sync Debugging:
- Request logs - Full HTTP request and response payloads for each service
- Response parsing - How each response was interpreted
- Error details with stack traces and error codes
- Performance timing - Duration of each sync phase
- Action Required markers (purple) highlight issues needing your attention
Sharing Sync Logs
From the sync debug screen:
- Tap Share Sync Log
- The log is compiled as a plain text file
- Share via the iOS share sheet (email, Messages, save to Files)
- Sensitive data warning - Logs may contain callsigns and service URLs; review before sharing publicly
Per-Service Sync Reports
Each service generates a visual sync report (accessible from the Dashboard service cards):
- Funnel visualization showing data flow: Fetched -> Validated -> Applied -> Uploaded
- Phase status badges (success, warning, error)
- Record counts at each stage
- Reconciliation details for POTA job matching
Sync Timeline
The sync timeline shows a chronological view of all sync events:
- Timestamps for each sync operation
- Service identifier showing which service was involved
- Outcome (success, partial, error)
- Duration of each operation
Upload Error Telemetry
Carrier Wave collects anonymized error data to help diagnose service-wide issues:
What’s Collected
- Error category (authentication, network, validation, server error)
- Service and endpoint identifier
- Timestamp and retry count
- HTTP status code (for network errors)
What’s NOT Collected
- QSO content or personal data
- Callsigns or operator information
- Credentials or authentication tokens
Viewing Telemetry
View error telemetry in Settings -> Advanced -> Upload Error Log:
- Error counts by service and category
- Recent error timeline
- Error rate trends
Disabling Telemetry
Toggle off Upload Error Telemetry in Settings -> Advanced. This stops all error data collection.
Data Repair Services
Carrier Wave includes several automated and manual repair tools for maintaining data integrity.
Automated Repairs (Run During Sync)
These repairs execute automatically as part of the sync process:
- Callsign whitespace repair - Normalizes callsign spacing and removes leading/trailing whitespace
- QRZ isSubmitted state repair - Corrects sync status flags that may have become inconsistent
- Orphan repair - Fixes dangling service presence records (e.g., a QSO marked as “present” on a service that has no record of it)
- POTA presence repair - Rebuilds park activation tracking from actual POTA job data
One-Time Manual Repairs
Available in Settings -> Advanced -> One-Time Repairs:
| Repair | Description |
|---|---|
| WPM backfill | Compute WPM for historical CW QSOs that are missing speed data |
| Conditions backfill | Fetch solar conditions for sessions that were logged without conditions data |
| Park ref extraction | Re-parse POTA park references from QSO notes and comments |
| K-index repair | Correct invalid K-index values (e.g., values outside 0-9 range) |
| PHONE/SSB merge | Consolidate legacy “PHONE” mode records to “SSB” |
| Activity log QSO flagging | Re-link QSOs to activity log items |
Each repair shows a progress indicator and result count when complete.
Force Re-Download
When sync state is severely inconsistent, use Force Re-Download per service:
- Go to Dashboard
- Tap the service card
- Tap Force Re-Download
- Confirm
This downloads the complete dataset from the service and rebuilds local state. It does not delete local QSOs that aren’t on the service.
Authentication Issues
“Invalid Credentials” Error
For username/password services (QRZ, LoTW, eQSL):
- Verify credentials on the service’s website
- Check for special characters that might need escaping
- Re-enter credentials in Carrier Wave
For OAuth services (POTA, HAMRS):
- Tap “Sign Out”
- Sign in again via the web flow
- Complete the OAuth authorization
“Session Expired”
OAuth tokens expire. When prompted:
- Tap to re-authenticate
- Complete the sign-in flow
- Sync resumes automatically
App Performance
Slow Dashboard
Cause: Large QSO database, statistics computing.
Mitigation:
- Statistics compute in background
- Wait for progress indicator to complete
- Consider archiving very old QSOs
Battery Drain
Cause: Frequent sync, GPS updates.
Check:
- Reduce sync frequency in Settings
- Disable location services when not needed
- Background App Refresh settings
Viewing Sync Logs
For detailed sync troubleshooting:
- Go to Settings > Advanced > Sync Debugging
- Enable verbose logging
- Reproduce the issue
- View logs showing:
- API requests and responses
- Error messages
- Timing information
Logs can be exported for support.
Submitting Bug Reports
When you encounter a bug:
- Go to Settings > Bug Report
- Describe the issue
- Tap Generate Report
The report includes:
- Device model and iOS version
- App version
- Recent error logs
- Database statistics (no personal QSO data)
Not included: Your actual QSO data, credentials, or personal information.
Reports can be:
- Emailed to support
- Copied to clipboard
- Saved to Files
Common Error Messages
| Error | Meaning | Resolution |
|---|---|---|
| “Network unavailable” | No internet connection | Check WiFi/cellular |
| “Authentication failed” | Bad credentials | Re-enter password |
| “Rate limited” | Too many requests | Wait, then retry |
| “Server error” | Service-side issue | Try again later |
| “Invalid ADIF” | Malformed upload data | Check QSO fields |
| “Duplicate activation” | POTA already has this activation | Check date/park reference |
| “Maintenance window” | POTA servers offline | Wait until 0400 UTC |
| “Connection timeout” | WebSDR receiver unresponsive | Try a different receiver |
Data Recovery
Accidental Deletion
Deleted QSOs are soft-deleted (hidden) and can be recovered:
- Go to Settings -> Advanced -> Hidden QSOs
- Find the deleted QSO
- Tap Restore
If permanently deleted:
- If synced to cloud services, data exists there
- iCloud backup may contain older data
- Re-download from LoFi or QRZ using Force Re-Download
Database Corruption
Rare, but if the app won’t open:
- Try force-quitting and reopening
- Restart device
- Reinstall app (synced data re-downloads)
- Restore from iCloud backup as last resort
Getting Help
If troubleshooting doesn’t resolve your issue:
- Check for app updates
- Search existing bug reports
- Submit detailed bug report with logs
- Contact support with report reference
See Also
- Settings & Services - Service configuration
- Service Sync Flow - How sync works
- iCloud Sync - Device sync issues