Ranger 4G Solar User Manual
How to set up your KelpieCam Ranger 4G Solar, connect it to the Ucon app, read its lights and sort out the usual hiccups. Stuck at any point? Email support@kelpiecam.com with your order number: a person replies within one business day.
Before you start
- Charge it fully. Give the battery a full charge before the first use. A low-power charger is best.
- SIM first, then power. Put the SIM card in, and the microSD card if you use one, before you switch the camera on. Each slot shows which way the card goes in.
- Check the SIM and your phone. The SIM needs an active plan with data. Your phone needs mobile data or Wi-Fi for the app.
- Try it near home first. Set the camera up where the signal is good and run it for a few days. Once everything works, take it out to its spot.
Good to know: reset the camera every time you swap the SIM card for another one. The reset button is in the card bay, see below.
The camera at a glance
The controls, the lights and the card slots sit behind the side cover.
| Part | What it is for |
|---|---|
| Antenna | Screws onto the camera. Keep it screwed on tight: a loose antenna costs you signal. |
| Power input port | Charging. |
| Charge light | Shows the camera is charging. |
| Function switch | The switch next to the power input port. |
| Working status light 1 | Tells you how the camera is getting on. See Reading the lights. |
| 4G signal light 2 | Signal strength at the camera. |
| SIM card slot | For your prepaid SIM card. |
| microSD card slot | For a microSD card (marked TF on the camera). |
| Reset button | Hold it for about 5 seconds. A sound tells you the reset worked. |
4G bands
Your Ranger 4G Solar is the European-band version. Its supported 4G bands, from the manufacturer's list: LTE-FDD B1, B3, B5, B7, B8, B20 and B28. The manufacturer confirms it works on Australian networks.
What matters most is which network reaches the spot where the camera will stand. The SIM and data guide shows how to check before you buy a SIM.
Reading the lights
Working status light 1
| Light | What it means | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Blue, steady | The camera is on the network. | Nothing: you can add it in the app. |
| Red, steady | The signal is too weak. | Tighten the antenna, move the camera, or try a SIM from another network. Reset the camera before you swap SIMs. |
| Red, flashing | A fault with the 4G module or the camera. | Reset the camera. If it still won't work, email us. |
| Red and blue together, fast | A problem with the SIM. | Take the SIM out and put it back in, or try another SIM. Reset the camera first. |
| Red and blue together, slow | The network's APN isn't set for this SIM. | Try a SIM from another network, or email us and we'll help you set the APN. |
| Red and blue in turn | The SIM's plan may be unpaid or out of credit. | Top up or renew the plan. |
4G signal light 2
- Red: weak signal
- Green: medium signal
- Blue: strong signal
Connect it to the Ucon app
- Get the app. Search for "Ucon" in the App Store (iPhone) or on Google Play (Android) and install it.
- Create your account. Register with your email address or phone number, then log in.
- Power up the camera. SIM in, antenna on, then switch the camera on. After about a minute, the working status light stays blue.
- Add the camera. In the app, tap Add a Device (or +), scan the QR code on the camera, confirm the blue light is on and tap Next.
- Name it. Wait for the progress bar, give the camera a name and a location, and tap Finish.
First time: the app asks you to charge the battery fully before the first use.
Test it before you mount it
- Turn on alerts. Tap the bell on the camera in the device list. Alerts stay off until you turn them on.
- Open live view. Tap the camera's picture.
- Open Device settings with the gear icon.
- Make it trigger fast. Set PIR trigger interval to No delay, and Activity detection to High.
- Walk past it. A clip or a photo should land on your phone.
Then set them back. High sensitivity triggers straight away and uses the most power. Once the test works, return both settings to normal.
Live view
Tap the camera in the device list to watch live. From this screen you can:
- switch between HD and SD. This only changes the live picture: recordings saved to the microSD card stay in high definition;
- see how many people are watching, and go full screen;
- turn the camera's speaker on or off;
- talk through the camera with the microphone button (two-way audio);
- save a screenshot or a video clip to your phone;
- switch between recordings on the microSD card and in cloud storage, pick a day in the calendar, and download a clip or a photo to your phone.
Device settings
Tap the gear icon on the live view screen.
| Setting | What it does |
|---|---|
| Device name | Renames the camera. |
| Work mode | Dual way gives you live view and microSD playback. One way only shows recordings saved to cloud storage. |
| Capture mode | Video or photos: the camera saves one or the other, not both at once. |
| Image flip | Flips the picture. |
| Storage management | Turns on cloud video and shows how full the microSD card is. |
| Vision modes | Switches the night vision mode. |
| PIR trigger interval | The pause between two triggers. |
| Activity detection | Motion sensitivity. Low waits longest and uses the least power; High triggers straight away and uses the most. |
| Schedule setting | The hours you get alerts. |
| Record time | The length of each triggered clip. Live view isn't affected. |
| Power frequency | Choose 50 Hz in Australia. |
| LED indicator | Turns the indicator lights on or off. |
| Sync time | Syncs the camera's clock. |
| Restart the device | Restarts the camera. |
Under Me › Common settings, you can also change the alarm ringtone and the sounds, and show the battery percentage.
Switch from One way to Dual way
- Open Basic settings with the gear on the camera in the device list.
- Choose the mode. Tap Work mode, then Dual way.
- Wait for an alert. When the camera sends a trigger alert, the switch is done.
- Restart the app. Close the Ucon app and open it again.
Share the camera
- Share it: Basic settings › Share permission › Share.
- Stop sharing: on the same screen, tap Cancel next to the person.
- See who has access: Me › My friends.
microSD card and cloud storage
- Recordings on the microSD card are in high definition. Cloud recordings are in standard definition.
- Clips you record while watching live are saved to the microSD card only, not to the cloud.
- Cloud storage is optional. It is set up in the app (Basic settings › Cloud Storage), offered as a package with a free trial at the start. It has nothing to do with your KelpieCam order.
Troubleshooting
The bell is on but no alerts arrive
Check the microSD card for triggered clips. If they're there, the camera works: check that your phone allows notifications for the Ucon app.
Photos or videos are all white or all black
Email us: the camera may need an upgrade.
The app can't connect to the camera
Check the lights first. If they look normal, check your phone's mobile data or Wi-Fi, then try another phone.
An animal walked past and nothing triggered
Detection distance changes with the time of day, the light and the temperature. Try the camera closer to the track, or raise Activity detection.
Clips are on the microSD card but not in the cloud
Clips saved while you watch live go to the microSD card only.
It records with nothing there
A big change in light can set it off. Try a different angle.
Night photos aren't great
Avoid aiming across open ground such as a grassy flat. The infrared works better with something in front of it, like trees or a fence. Try a different angle.
The signal is poor
Make sure the antenna is screwed on tight. Coverage differs between networks and areas: use a SIM from the network that is strongest at your spot.
Photos are over-exposed
Don't point the camera at the sun.
Downloaded clips look soft
Download them from the microSD card in the app. Cloud clips are standard definition; microSD clips are high definition.
Live view isn't sharp
Switch live view to HD. When the temperature swings, fog on the lens can also blur the picture.
The Ucon app changes with its updates, so its screens may look a little different from these steps. Still stuck? Email support@kelpiecam.com with your order number. If it helps, we'll get on a call with you.
HELP FROM A PERSON
Can't find it? Email us. A person replies within 1 business day.
- Reply within 1 business day
- A setup call if you're stuck
- 30-day returns, no restocking fee