Preview a slot without transmitting¶
Use this page to audition a DVK slot through your local speaker before sending it on air. Preview lets you confirm the audio content and level without keying the transmitter.
Before you start¶
- AetherSDR must be connected to the radio. The DVK panel requires an active radio connection.
- The slot you want to preview must contain a recording. Slots showing "Empty" cannot be previewed.
Steps¶
- Open the Digital Voice Keyer panel in the MainWindow central area.
- Click the slot row (F1 through F8) you want to preview. The selected row highlights with a blue border.
- Click ◀ PREV.
- Listen to the audio through your local speaker. The slot's progress bar turns blue and advances during playback.
- When the slot finishes, playback stops automatically and the status returns to "Status: Idle". To stop early, click ■ STOP or press Escape.
What each control does¶
| Control | Behavior | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| F1 … F8 slot buttons | Selects the slot. If the slot is currently playing back on air, clicking again stops it. | Does not trigger preview. |
| Slot duration labels | Shows recording length or "Empty". | A slot showing "Empty" cannot be previewed. |
| Slot progress bars | Displays playback progress in blue during preview. | Hidden when idle. |
| ◀ PREV | Starts preview of the selected slot through the local speaker. Click again to stop. | Does not transmit. |
| ■ STOP | Stops any active recording, playback, or preview. | Also activated by Escape. |
| Status: Idle / Recording / Playing | Shows the current DVK state at the bottom of the panel. |
Tips¶
- If you click ◀ PREV on a slot that is already in preview, it stops the preview.
- Pressing Escape stops an active preview without using the mouse.
- The F-key buttons and F1–F8 keyboard shortcuts trigger on-air playback, not preview. Use ◀ PREV specifically when you do not want to transmit.
Troubleshooting¶
- ◀ PREV has no effect — The selected slot is empty. Check that the slot's duration label does not show "Empty". Record audio or upload a WAV file first, then retry.
- No audio heard during preview — Preview routes audio to the local speaker. Verify your system audio output is correctly configured and not muted.