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Read the SW ALC meter (post-software-ALC SSB peak) on the Phone or CW panel

The ALC gauge on the Phone or CW sub-panel shows the post-software-ALC SSB peak in dBFS. This meter helps you set your microphone gain or CW keying envelope so you transmit at an appropriate level without overdriving the audio chain.

What each control does

Control Label Behavior Valid range Default Setting key
ALC gauge (Phone panel) ALC Shows automatic level control reading from MeterModel::swAlcChanged (post-software-ALC SSB peak in dBFS). Fills right-to-left: empty at -20 dBFS, full at 0 dBFS. Red zone above -3 dBFS. Initialised to -20 dBFS on construction. Hover over the gauge for an exact dBFS readout. -20 to 0 dBFS β€” None
ALC gauge (CW panel) ALC Mirrors the Phone-panel ALC gauge; both read from MeterModel::swAlcChanged for consistent readings across voice and CW. Initialised to -20 dBFS on construction. Hover over the gauge for an exact dBFS readout. -20 to 0 dBFS β€” None

What each Phone/CW control does

Control Label Behavior Valid range Default Setting key
Level meter Level Shows microphone input peak level in dBFS (Phone panel). Suppressed to -150 when Level Meter During Receive is off and not transmitting. Hover over the gauge for an exact dB readout. -40 to +10 dBFS (red > 0) β€” None
Compression meter Compression Shows speech compression amount in dB (Phone panel). Gated on the radio's interlock TRANSMITTING state and speech processor enable: reads 0 dB during RX. Conversion: MeterModel exposes COMPPEAK as positive 0..25 dB, the gauge displays reversed -25..0 dB. Hover over the gauge for an exact positive dB readout. -25 to 0 dB (reversed fill) β€” None
Mic profile Mic profile Loads a named mic processing profile from the radio. Populated from radio micProfileList() β€” None
Mic source Mic source Selects the microphone input source. When the radio is modulated by AetherSDR (host modulation enabled), this control is disabled and locked to PC only, with a tooltip explaining that other sources are FlexRadio jacks. If the radio's transmit audio is supplied from the computer and the client cannot select the input (e.g. a radio whose own input selection is made on the radio), the combo box is narrowed to PC only with a tooltip explaining that this radio takes transmit audio from the computer. MIC, BAL, LINE, ACC, PC (plus any from micInputList()) β€” None
Mic gain Mic gain Adjusts mic input level. For 'PC' source uses local PcMicGain persistence. When the client owns the mic gain (RADE active, or a radio whose input selection is locked to PC), the value is emitted locally; otherwise it is sent to the radio. 0-100 50 PcMicGain
+ACC +ACC Enables the accessory mic input mix. β€” β€” None
PROC PROC Toggles the speech processor. β€” β€” None
NOR/DX/DX+ NOR/DX/DX+ Three-position processor level. 0 (NOR), 1 (DX), 2 (DX+) 0 None
DAX DAX Enables DAX as the TX audio source. Hidden when the radio is not capable of DAX TX audio. β€” β€” None
MON MON Enables TX sidetone monitor. β€” β€” None
Monitor volume Monitor volume Sets sideband monitor volume. 0-100 β€” None
ALC gauge (Phone panel) ALC Shows automatic level control reading from MeterModel::swAlcChanged (post-software-ALC SSB peak in dBFS). Fills right-to-left: empty at -20 dBFS, full at 0 dBFS. Red zone above -3 dBFS. Initialised to -20 dBFS on construction. Hover over the gauge for an exact dBFS readout. -20 to 0 dBFS (red > -3) β€” None
Delay (CW) Delay (CW) Sets CW break-in delay. The adjacent QLineEdit accepts typed values (0–2000). 0-2000 ms (step 10) 500 None
Speed (CW) Speed (CW) Sets CW keying speed. The adjacent QLineEdit accepts typed values (5–100). 5-100 WPM 20 None
Sidetone Sidetone Toggles CW sidetone monitor and the client-side low-latency CwSidetoneGenerator in lockstep. Routes to the user-selected audio output. β€” β€” None
Sidetone volume Sidetone volume Sets CW monitor volume. Controls both radio-side (mon_gain_cw) and client-side sidetone volumes. The adjacent QLineEdit accepts typed values (0–100). 0-100 50 None
L / R pan (CW) L / R pan (CW) Sets CW monitor stereo pan. Applies constant-power pan to the local sidetone generator. Double-click recenters to 50 (centre). 0-100 50 None
Breakin Breakin Toggles full break-in (QSK). With Breakin ON key edges trigger TX; with Breakin OFF keys are queued and the operator engages PTT manually. β€” β€” None
Iambic Iambic Toggles iambic paddle keyer. β€” β€” None
Pitch < / > Pitch < / > QLineEdit with < / > buttons. Type a value (100–6000) or click the buttons to step by 10 Hz. 100-6000 Hz (step 10) 600 None
ALC gauge (CW panel) ALC Mirrors the Phone-panel ALC gauge; both read from MeterModel::swAlcChanged for consistent readings across voice and CW. Initialised to -20 dBFS on construction. Hover over the gauge for an exact dBFS readout. -20 to 0 dBFS (red > -3) β€” None

Notes

  • Mode detection (v26.8.4): The applet now uses a single isCwMode() helper to detect CW-mode slices. A Flex reports bare "CW"; an Icom and an HL2 spell the same mode CWU, and CWL is the reverse-side one. All three drive the CW sub-panel.
  • Mic source on radios the client cannot select (v26.8.4): When the radio takes transmit audio from the computer and the client cannot choose the input (the radio's own input selection is made on the radio), the Mic source combo box is rebuilt with only PC listed, disabled, and given a tooltip: "This radio takes transmit audio from this computer. Its own input selection is made on the radio." The model is told the mic selection is PC so radiocert does not warn that transmit audio capture is not running on a radio where that is simply not how audio gets there.
  • Mic gain ownership (v26.8.4): The client owns mic gain when RADE is active, or when the radio's input selection is locked to PC. In those cases the gain value is emitted locally. Otherwise it is sent to the radio.
  • Level meter visibility (v26.8.4): The Level gauge is hidden when the radio does not report a mic level meter.
  • DAX visibility (v26.8.4): The DAX toggle is hidden when the radio is not capable of DAX TX audio, and when hidden it is forced off.
  • ALC meter source (v26.5.1, #2552): Both ALC gauges read MeterModel::swAlcChanged (post-software-ALC SSB peak in dBFS), replacing the previous HWALC (RCA voltage) path that produced meaningless readings.
  • In v26.5.3 both ALC gauges are initialised to -20 dBFS on construction, preventing a momentary full-scale reading at startup.
  • The Compression gauge in v26.5.3 uses the MeterModel COMPPEAK value (positive 0..25 dB) and inverts it for the reversed -25..0 dB gauge display.
  • The level meter suppression logic has been refactored in v26.5.3 into a dedicated applyLevelMeterReceiveGate() method, called when transmit state changes or the RADE active state changes.
  • In v26.6.1 slider styling was updated to use the theme system instead of hardcoded color values. All sliders in the Phone/CW applet now respect the current theme.
  • In v26.7.4 the Level, Compression, and ALC gauges gained mouse-over hover popups that show the exact meter reading in dB or dBFS. Hover over any gauge during transmission to read the precise value.
  • In v26.7.4 the Mic source combo box is automatically disabled and locked to PC when the radio is modulated by AetherSDR (host modulation enabled), with a tooltip explaining why.
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