Applies to: This is the original DeLorme inReach Explorer, not Explorer+, SE+, Mini or a newer Garmin touchscreen model. The Garmin-hosted historical online manual has no printed revision/date identified. Match its controls and screens to your device. Its DeLorme activation links, app requirements and plan examples are historical, not confirmation of current activation eligibility, prices or phone compatibility.
Work through these checks
Read the notice behind the light
Open the existing notice or message and record its exact wording. Green flashing means a new message is waiting; red flashing can announce a sending delay or another important condition. The manual explicitly excludes using this lamp as a satellite-link indicator. Compare the actual message state, not a light colour borrowed from Explorer+ instructions.
Separate sending from listening
Inspect the existing conversation for the Sending animation or Sent icon. The manual describes a prompt after 15 minutes without delivery; record any prompt instead of repeatedly resending. On Check, note Last Check, Next Listen and the countdown. This edition normally listens every 20 minutes and also checks when sending a message or track point. That schedule can explain a waiting incoming reply, but it does not prove recipient receipt or justify sending more traffic.
Compare the handheld with the phone
If the handheld shows the existing message but Earthmate does not, inspect the local Bluetooth connection separately. The icon is present when Bluetooth is enabled and highlighted when the phone is connected in the original quick-start documentation; the online manual also distinguishes gray and bold states. Read the installed connection screen before changing anything. The original device pairs with one phone at a time. Preserve the working pairing and confirm current app support before attempting a phone migration.
When to stop and get help
Do not use SOS as a diagnostic test, delete pending messages to clear a warning, or reset the device to make the lamp stop. If the device is physically damaged or its behaviour does not match this original manual, stop and obtain model-specific support.
What to tell support
Keep the exact model, installed firmware if already available, notice text, message time/status, listening times, phone/app version and whether the same message appears on the handheld. Share account identifiers privately with support; do not publish contact messages or location history.
Original troubleshooting guidance based on the official sources below. Menu names can change. This is an independent guide, not a manufacturer service bulletin or a bench-tested repair.