Kestrel 5000 Operating instructions

Bluetooth® Troubleshooting for the Kestrel® 5000 Series Units
If you are having trouble connecting to a mobile device with your Kestrel via Bluetooth (i.e.,
LiNK), below are a checklist of things to review to hopefully assist with this issue.
1) Ensure that your device is a Bluetooth (i.e., LiNK) model.
Kestrels can be purchased as either a Bluetooth Model or a non-Bluetooth model. Please
ensure your unit supports Bluetooth connectivity. If you have the Bluetooth model, there
should be a Bluetooth setting on the Kestrel main menu. Otherwise, the outside appearance
should show LiNK on a sticker on the bottom right.
2) Check to see if Bluetooth Settings are correct.
On the Kestrel, go to the Main Menu by pressing the Settings button (top left button, looks like a
gear). Highlight Bluetooth on the menu using up and down arrows. Make sure it is ON. Press
the center button while Bluetooth is highlighted to enter the sub-menu. Make sure Conct is set
to PC/MOBILE (for non-ballistic units this should be the only option). If it is set for Device, use
the arrow buttons to change it to PC/MOBILE (pics shown below). Device is only used when
pairing with a laser range finder. Also ensure that the mobile device’s Bluetooth is set to on as
well.
Indicates
Bluetooth model

3) Are you trying to connect to a Laser Rangefinder?
On the Kestrel, go to the Main Menu by pressing the Settings button (top left button, looks like a
gear). Highlight Bluetooth on the menu using up and down arrows. Make sure it is ON. Press
the center button while Bluetooth is highlighted to enter the sub-menu. Make sure Conct is set
to DEVICE. Highlight Name and press the center button. It will show Searching for Devices,
make sure the Laser Rangefinder is turned on and it should find it.
4) Are you trying to pair the Kestrel to the mobile device directly? Have you already paired the
Kestrel to your mobile device directly?
Customers who had our Kestrel 4000 series may remember that you had to pair the Kestrel to
your mobile device (and enter a PIN) prior to being able to connect it with a mobile application.
This is also common for a variety of other Bluetooth devices, but this is not necessary with the
Kestrel 5000 series and could actually cause issues. First, you may find the Kestrel does not
show up on the mobile device’s main Bluetooth screen. This is common however and does not
indicate an issue. Second, if you find that you have paired it to your mobile device, please go in
and forget this connection. Just open up the mobile application and the Kestrel should be
available to be selected.
5) GPS / Location is not set to on.
Make sure your GPS / Location setting is set to ON. This is typically needed when first
connecting a Kestrel to your device but depending on the operating system might be necessary
each time. For iOS this can usually be found under Settings->Privacy->Location Services. For
Android this is usually found under Settings->Location or Settings->GPS.

6) Is Wifi or cellular service set to off?
While both Wifi or cellular service are not necessary to connect the Kestrel to the mobile device
(as it connectswith Bluetooth), it is possible there maybe a new firmware update available for
your Kestrel and the application is trying to download the new firmware update, making it
appear that it cannot find the Kestrel.
7) Check to see if the Privacy PIN is turned on and was it ever entered?
For ballistics models (and depending on the firmware, some 5500 models), there is a Privacy Pin
under the Bluetooth submenu. If this PIN is turned ON and you have not entered it into the LiNK
Ballistics application, this may be causing a problem with connecting (could be intermittently
connecting and disconnecting). Try toggling the PIN to OFF and see if that helps with a
connection. You can toggle it back to ON after connecting, but until the application prompts you
for the PIN, this may cause issues. You have to turn Privacy Pin OFF if you are connecting to our
basic Kestrel LiNK program as the PIN functionality only works with the Kestrel LiNK Ballistics
application.
8) Do you have both the basic Kestrel LiNK and Kestrel LiNK Ballistics on your mobile device?
This can cause an issue as the basic Kestrel LiNK application has an Autoconnect feature that can
automatically connect to the Kestrel, even in the background, which makes it not appear on the
Kestrel LiNK Ballistics menu. The majority of ballistic users will not use the basic Kestrel LiNK
program so uninstalling this program can help. However if you want to use both, it is suggested

to turn off the Autoconnect feature in the basic Kestrel LiNK app and to also make sure the
program is not running in the background when using the Ballistics program.
9) Check to make sure you have the latest firmware and application.
Many times issues can be resolved by upgrading either the Kestrel firmware or the application
version. A list of the latest Kestrel firmware can be found on our site. Also check to make sure
you have the latest version of the LiNK application in either Google Playstore or iTunes.
10) Update your device’s firmware.
Recently there have been issues with iOS version 11.1 and Bluetooth devices. Updating the
device to version 11.2 solved the issue. Other devices may have similar “fixes” with an updated
operating system version. Check under your phone’s settings to see if there is an update
available that may help with fixing your Bluetooth connection issues.
11) Ballistic users only: Can you connect to the basic Kestrel Link application if not to Ballistics
LiNK?
If you are having issues connecting to the Kestrel LiNK Ballistic program, try installing the basic
Kestrel LiNK Program. If you are able to connect to the basic Kestrel LiNK program, then the
issue is not with the Kestrel or the mobile device. If this is the case, then I would follow the next
step (Uninstall and reinstall the app). You can typically use the basic LiNK program to update
the firmware as well if having issues related to firmware.
12) Uninstall and then reinstall the application.
Many times just uninstalling and then reinstalling the Kestrel LiNK application will solve the
issue. Please be aware however that any stored gun profiles in the Kestrel Ballistics
application will be erased. If you can, load all your profiles onto your Kestrel prior to

uninstalling the application as then you can re-send them back to the application after it is
reinstalled.
13) Connect to Kestrel LiNK and are not getting prompted for FW upgrade?
First, make sure you have a strong Wifi (i.e., turned on) or Cellular connection to download the
firmware file. If you have a good connection, please try the following:
Close Kestrel LiNK application
Turn Kestrel off
Toggle Airplane mode to ON and then OFF on your mobile device
Open Kestrel LiNK application
Turn Kestrel on (make sure Bluetooth is ON as well)
Prompt should come up to upgrade firmware
Press upgrade button from the dialog box - new screen pops up and the file downloads
automatically
Press the upload firmware button on the new screen