The device probably has logic to work with an intermittent signal. Which means it probably has buffer logic, and also since you're dealing with a satellite system, compression. So, instead of you sending out:

HELP
OK
HELP
OK
HELP
HELP
HELP
OK

Your message goes out as

OK - 3
HELP - 5

Not very useful.

That button on the front is for human interface into the logic on the chip. That chip is a "black box" to you. You have no idea what it does.