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Radio Setup dialog

This page describes every control in the Radio Setup dialog (Settings > Radio Setup...). The dialog has a tab strip along the top; each section below covers one tab.

Radio tab

Displays radio identification, license information, and firmware update controls.

Indicators

Indicator Behavior
Radio SN Chassis serial number (read-only). Includes a clipboard copy button (tray icon) next to the value.
Model Radio model (read-only). Includes a clipboard copy button next to the value.
HW Version Hardware version string (read-only). Includes a clipboard copy button next to the value.
Region Regulatory region; default USA (read-only).
FlexControl Detected state of FlexControl hardware (read-only).
multiFLEX multiFLEX enabled state (read-only).
Options Shows licensed radio options (read-only). Includes a clipboard copy button next to the value.
License Info Displays subscription, expiration, Radio ID, and licensed version from the radio (read-only). Each field includes a clipboard copy button next to the value.

Editable fields

Control Kind Behavior
Nickname Text field User-friendly radio nickname.
Callsign Text field Station callsign.
Station Name Text field Identifies this AetherSDR client to other multiFLEX stations. Stored in StationName. Defaults to the OS hostname if left empty. Sent to the radio as client station <name>.

Copy buttons

Each read-only indicator on the Radio tab now has a small copy-to-clipboard button (overlapping-documents icon) to its right. Click the button to copy the indicator's value to the system clipboard. A brief popup label ("Copied!") appears near the button after a successful copy. The button is visually dimmed when the value is empty or a dash placeholder.

Indicator with copy button Value copied
Radio SN The chassis serial number, or the radio serial number if chassis serial is empty.
Model The radio model string.
HW Version The hardware version string, prefixed with "v" if not already present.
Region The regulatory region string.
FlexControl The FlexControl detection state string.
multiFLEX The multiFLEX enabled state string.
Options The licensed options string; if empty, shows "GPS" or "GPS, PGXL" based on amplifier presence.
License Info The full license details string as displayed.

Buttons

Control Behavior
Remote On Enables remote wake / remote-on.
Check for Update Queries for available firmware updates. When an update is found, the status label reads: Update available: vX.Y.Z — Download the SmartSDR installer from flexradio.com, then click 'Select Installer...' to stage it. When firmware is current, the label reads: Firmware is up to date (vX.Y.Z).
Select Installer... Opens a file picker. Accepts a SmartSDR .msi installer (FlexRadio v4.2+ WiX format), an .exe self-extracting installer (older releases), or a pre-extracted .ssdr firmware file. The firmware stager auto-detects the format from the first 8 bytes (OLE/MSI magic vs. PE/COFF MZ header) and extracts the .ssdr payload without external tools. Previously labelled Browse .ssdr... (changed in v26.5.3).
Upload Firmware Starts the firmware upload. A progress bar and status label track progress. Enabled only after a valid file has been staged by Select Installer....
Reboot Radio Prompts for confirmation: Reboot the connected radio now? The warning text differs for WAN (SmartLink) vs. LAN connections. On LAN, AetherSDR will automatically reconnect after the radio boots. On WAN, you must reconnect manually. Clicking OK sends the reboot command and closes the dialog. Disabled when the radio is not connected. Styled with a reddish background to indicate the destructive nature of the action.

Staging a firmware update

  1. Click Check for Update.
  2. If an update is available, download the SmartSDR installer from flexradio.com.
  3. Click Select Installer... and select the downloaded .msi, .exe, or .ssdr file.
  4. The status label shows Preparing firmware from \<filename>... while the stager extracts the payload.
  5. When staging completes the status label confirms readiness and Upload Firmware becomes active.
  6. Click Upload Firmware to transfer the firmware to the radio.

Network tab

Displays network addresses and lets you adjust network settings.

Indicators

Indicator Behavior
IP Address / Mask / MAC Address Read-only network addresses reported by the radio. Each includes a clipboard copy button.

Controls

Control Kind Default
Enforce Private IP Connections: Toggle button Enabled
Agent Automation (MCP): Toggle button Disabled. Enables the in-app automation bridge so an AI coding assistant (via the MCP server) can introspect and drive the running app. Off by default; the operator opts in. New in v26.8.4 (#3646). Persisted via AutomationBridgeSettings. The AETHER_AUTOMATION launch environment variable force-enables the bridge regardless of this toggle and disables the control in the UI. Transmit-keying stays blocked unless AETHER_AUTOMATION_ALLOW_TX is set.
Access Token: Text field (read-only) (none). Auto-mints a 128-bit hex token when the bridge is enabled without one. Paste it into the assistant's AETHER_MCP_TOKEN environment variable. Stored in the OS secret store. Placeholder '(loading…)' until the keychain read lands. New in v26.8.4.
Copy (Access Token) Push button Copies the access token to the clipboard. New in v26.8.4.
Rotate (Access Token) Push button Generates a new token and applies it immediately, locking out any client still using the old one. New in v26.8.4.
Allow TX via MCP: Enable transmit control Checkbox False. Lets an MCP client key the transmitter (MOX/PTT/TUNE/ATU/CWX). Off by default; first enable raises an operator-responsibility confirmation. Enforced in the bridge; no client can flip it. Overridden by AETHER_AUTOMATION_ALLOW_TX (force on) and AETHER_AUTOMATION_NO_TX (pinned off). A force-unkey watchdog limits bridge-originated TX. New in v26.8.4.
Observe only: Read-only (block all driving) Checkbox False. Makes the bridge observe-only: MCP clients can read state but every mutating verb (set/invoke/connect/tune/capture) is refused. Enforced in the app, so a client cannot bypass it. AETHER_AUTOMATION_READONLY launch variable pins it on for headless/CI runs. New in v26.8.4 (#4188).
VITA-49 RX buffer: Slider (snap-to-preset) 4 MB. Sets the kernel receive buffer (SO_RCVBUF) for the VITA-49 stream socket; larger absorbs panadapter/waterfall bursts so packets aren't dropped. Presets 256 KB to 4 MB. The system caps the grant at net.core.rmem_max; a live 'granted: ' label shows what the kernel actually granted. New in v26.8.4 (#3810).
granted: (VITA-49 RX buffer) Indicator Shows the buffer size the kernel actually granted (vs the requested preset). Shows '(applies on connect)' when no connection is active. New in v26.8.4.
Network MTU: Spinbox 1450. Sets maximum outgoing VITA-49 UDP packet size in bytes (576–9000). Default 1450 is safe for most VPN/SD-WAN tunnels. Stored in NetworkMtu.
DHCP / Static Toggle button —
IP Address: / Mask: / Gateway: Text fields —
Apply Push button Pushes the network config to the radio.

Calibration tab

Provides manual frequency offset calibration for radios that cannot calibrate their own oscillator. This tab is hidden by default and only appears for backends that report a hostFrequencyCalibration capability (such as HL2).

Note: Unlike the Flex RX tab (which offers the same calibration controls for radios with GPSDO hardware), this Calibration tab is used when the radio itself cannot correct its oscillator and the correction must happen in the host client. The tab is capability-gated: it stays hidden on a FLEX-8600 even if you type "calibration" in the filter box.

Controls

Control Kind Default Behavior
Cal Frequency (MHz): Spinbox — Frequency used for manual calibration.
Freq Offset (ppb): Spinbox — Manual frequency offset in parts per billion. Applied directly without running a sweep.
Trim Push button — Commits the displayed frequency offset to the connected radio's calibration. The value is re-read from the radio each time the dialog opens or the connection changes, so a stale value from a previously connected radio cannot be committed accidentally.

Using the Calibration tab

  1. Click Settings > Radio Setup....
  2. Click the Calibration tab.
  3. Enter a known-accurate reference frequency in Cal Frequency (MHz):.
  4. Adjust Freq Offset (ppb): to correct the displayed frequency error.
  5. Click Trim to commit the offset to the radio.

The calibration values are re-read whenever the dialog is shown or a different radio connects, ensuring the displayed offset always reflects the currently connected radio.

GPS tab

Displays GPS presence and live position data when a GPS receiver is attached to the radio.

Indicator Behavior
Live GPS data Shows latitude, longitude, altitude, time, and satellite count. Updated in real time.

TX tab

Controls TX timings, power limits, tune mode, and slice-follow behavior.

Control Kind Default Behavior
Timings (in ms) Spinbox fields — TX hang and delay timings. Fields: ACC TX (ms), TX Delay (ms), RCA TX1 (ms).
Timeout (sec): Spinbox — Interlock timeout in seconds. The value is sent to the radio in milliseconds (multiplied by 1000).
Interlocks - TX REQ: RCA / Accessory Toggle button — Enables the RCA and accessory interlock inputs.
Max Power: Spinbox — Radio-level TX power cap (0–100%).
Tune Mode: Combo box — Selects how the Tune button behaves.
Show TX in Waterfall: Toggle button — Draws the TX signal in the waterfall display.
TX Follows Active Slice Push button False TX follows the active slice. Mutually exclusive with Active Slice Follows TX. Disabled automatically during Split operation. Stored in TxFollowsActiveSlice.
Active Slice Follows TX Push button False Switches the active slice when TX moves externally (e.g. WSJT-X or CAT). Mutually exclusive with TX Follows Active Slice. Stored in ActiveFollowsTxSlice.
TX Band Settings Push button — Opens the dedicated per-band power and tune dialog.

Phone/CW tab

Configures the microphone, CW keyer, and RTTY defaults.

Iambic keyer

  1. Click Settings > Radio Setup....
  2. Click the Phone/CW tab.
  3. Confirm Iambic: reads Enabled. If it reads Disabled, click it once to enable the keyer.
  4. Click A or B to select Curtis iambic mode.
Control Kind Default Behavior
Enable/Disable the Level Meter During Receive Toggle button — Shows the mic level meter during RX.
Iambic: Toggle button — Enables or disables the iambic keyer on the radio. Always reads "Enabled" when toggled on.
Iambic Mode: A / B Push button (mutually exclusive pair) A Selects Curtis iambic mode A or B for both the radio hardware keyer and the local software keyer. Mode A = Curtis A; Mode B = Curtis B
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