Enable auto-record on TX and pick a save folder

When auto-record on TX is enabled, AetherSDR starts recording audio automatically each time you transmit and stops after a configurable idle timeout. This page explains how to turn that feature on and choose where recordings are saved.

Before you start

• The radio must be connected. Radio Setup requires an active radio connection.
• Decide whether you want radio-side or client-side recording, as this affects where audio is captured.

Steps

1. Open Settings > Radio Setup....
2. Click the Audio tab.
3. Under Recording:, click either Radio Side or Client Side to select where audio is captured. The active selection is highlighted. This choice is saved to RecordingMode.
4. In the Save to: field, type the full path to your recordings folder, or click ... to browse for a folder. The path is saved to QsoRecordingDir.
5. Check the Auto-record on TX checkbox. This enables automatic recording whenever the radio transitions to transmit. The setting is saved to QsoRecordingAutoRecord.
6. Set Idle timeout: to the number of seconds of silence after which the recording stops. The value is saved to QsoRecordingIdleTimeout.
7. Close the dialog. Settings take effect immediately.

What each control does

Control	What it does	Default
Recording: Radio Side / Client Side	Selects whether audio is captured at the radio or at this PC.	Radio Side
Save to:	Folder path where recording files are written. Defaults to Documents/AetherSDR/Recordings.	—
...	Opens a folder browser to select the save location.	—
Auto-record on TX	When checked, recording starts automatically on each transmit and stops after the idle timeout elapses.	Unchecked
Idle timeout:	Seconds of silence before the recording stops after TX ends.	120 s
TX Follows Active Slice	TX follows the active slice. Mutually exclusive with Active Slice Follows TX. Disabled automatically during Split operation.	Off
Active Slice Follows TX	Switches the active slice when TX moves externally (e.g. WSJT-X or CAT). Mutually exclusive with TX Follows Active Slice.	Off
Voice / CW / Digital filter sharpness sliders	Sets filter sharpness (0=lowest latency to 3=sharpest) per mode. Slider is disabled when Auto is enabled. Commands sent as radio filter_sharpness <mode> level=<N>.	—
Auto (Voice / CW / Digital)	Enables automatic filter-level selection for that mode and disables the manual sharpness slider. Commands sent as radio filter_sharpness <mode> auto_level=1.	—
Connect / Disconnect (TGXL)	Opens/closes direct TCP connection to the TGXL on port 9010. Saves IP and port to TGXL_ManualIp and TGXL_ManualPort on connect so AetherSDR auto-reconnects on startup. Required to recover TUNE on firmware 4.2+. When connected, the TUNE button sends the native autotune command directly to the TGXL instead of the radio-side path broken in firmware 4.2. The TGXL drives radio PTT via its hardware interlock cable; no client-side keying is needed. If the IP field is empty and the radio has discovered the TGXL, the discovered IP is pre-filled.	Connect
Connect / Disconnect (PGXL)	Opens/closes direct TCP connection to the Power Genius XL (default port 9008). Saves IP and port to PGXL_ManualIp and PGXL_ManualPort.	Connect
Connect / Disconnect (Antenna Genius)	Opens/closes connection to the Antenna Genius (default port 9007). Saves IP and port to AG_ManualIp and AG_ManualPort. The row shows a Connected status only when the connected device is a non-ShackSwitch Antenna Genius.	Connect
Connect / Disconnect (ShackSwitch)	Opens/closes connection to a ShackSwitch antenna switch via the AG UDP/TCP protocol on port 9007. Saves IP to SS_ManualIp and port to SS_ControlPort. ShackSwitch is detected by the ShackSwitch field in the AG broadcast beacon. Auto-discovery via UDP also works without this row. Row hidden from Connected status if Antenna Genius (non-ShackSwitch) is the connected device.	Connect
⚙ Web UI (ShackSwitch)	Opens the ShackSwitch device's local web configuration interface in the system browser. Uses the beacon's webPort if > 1024, otherwise falls back to SS_WebPort or port 5000.	—
Select Installer...	Opens a file picker that accepts .msi (FlexRadio v4.2+ WiX installer), .exe (older self-extracting installer), or a pre-extracted .ssdr firmware file. The firmware stager auto-detects format from the first 8 bytes (OLE/MSI magic vs PE/COFF MZ) and extracts the .ssdr without external tools. Label changed from Browse .ssdr... in v0.9.3.	—
APD (tab)	External Adaptive Pre-Distortion sampler configuration — per-TX-antenna selection of the feedback sample port (INTERNAL / RX_A / RX_B / XVTA / XVTB) and an equalizer reset button. Tab is hidden unless the radio reports apd configurable=1. Only FLEX-8x00 series with SmartSDR 4.2.18+ firmware exposes this; 6000-series and pre-4.2.18 radios keep the tab invisible.	—
ANT1 / ANT2 / XVTA / XVTB sampler combos (APD)	Selects the feedback path the radio uses to sample the outgoing RF for APD training for that TX antenna. Choose an external RX/XVTR input when driving an external linear amplifier. Options are populated live from the radio's apd sampler sub-object. Falls back to INTERNAL if the radio reports an unrecognised value.	INTERNAL
Equalizer Reset (APD)	Sends apd reset to the radio, clearing all per-antenna APD training data so adaptation starts fresh.	—
Themes (tab)	UI customization tab — currently hosts the Slice Colors section.	—
Use Aether defaults / Custom colors	Switches the slice color scheme between the built-in AetherSDR palette and a fully custom per-slice set.	Use Aether defaults
Slice A–H color buttons	Click any lettered button (A–H) to open a color picker and assign a custom color for that slice. Changes are visible immediately in VFO widgets, panadapter overlays, and CAT channel badges. Buttons are disabled when Use Aether defaults is selected. Up to 8 slices.	—
Reset All to Defaults (Themes)	Resets all custom slice colors to the built-in AetherSDR palette.	—

Firmware update (Radio tab)

The Radio tab includes firmware update controls. In v0.9.3 the workflow for staging a firmware file changed.

Checking for updates

1. Click the Radio tab in Radio Setup.
2. Click Check for Update. AetherSDR queries the FlexRadio update server.
3. If an update is available, the status label shows the available version and instructs you to download the SmartSDR installer from flexradio.com, then use Select Installer... to stage it.
4. If firmware is current, the status label confirms the installed version.

Note: In v0.9.3 the one-click download button was removed. You must download the SmartSDR installer from flexradio.com yourself, then stage it using Select Installer....

Staging and uploading firmware

1. Download the SmartSDR installer from flexradio.com. Supported file types are .msi (FlexRadio v4.2+ WiX installer), .exe (older self-extracting installer), or a pre-extracted .ssdr firmware file.
2. Click Select Installer.... A file picker opens filtered to those file types.
3. Select the downloaded file. AetherSDR automatically detects the format and extracts the .ssdr without external tools. A progress bar and status label show extraction progress.
4. When staging completes successfully, click Upload Firmware to transfer the firmware to the radio.

Firmware update controls

Control	What it does
Check for Update	Queries the FlexRadio update server and reports whether a newer firmware version is available.
Select Installer...	Opens a file picker accepting .msi, .exe, or .ssdr files. The stager auto-detects format and extracts the .ssdr. Changed from Browse .ssdr... in v0.9.3.
Upload Firmware	Transfers the staged firmware to the radio. A progress bar and status label track the upload.

Frequency calibration (RX tab)

The RX tab provides manual frequency offset calibration and 10 MHz reference source selection.

In v0.9.2.1 the calibration controls are available regardless of whether a GPSDO is installed. When a GPSDO is present the status label reads "GPSDO installed. Manual frequency offset calibration available." (green). Without a GPSDO the label reads "Manual frequency offset calibration available." (amber).

Calibration controls

Control	What it does
Cal Frequency (MHz):	Enter the known reference frequency in MHz. The value is sent to the radio as radio set cal_freq=<value> when you finish editing the field.
Start	Resets the frequency error to 0 ppb (radio set freq_error_ppb=0), then starts the calibration sweep. The button label changes to Busy and is disabled while calibration is running. A status label beside the button reports progress.
Freq Offset (ppb):	Manual frequency offset in parts per billion.
10 MHz Reference Source:	Selects the oscillator reference: Auto, TCXO, GPSDO, or External 10 MHz. Options shown depend on installed hardware and the radio's reported oscillator state. A live lock status indicator appears beside the selector showing the active source and lock state (see below).

10 MHz reference source indicator

In v0.9.7 the lock status label beside 10 MHz Reference Source: was updated to show richer information. The label text and color update live as the radio reports oscillator state changes.

Label text format:

Condition	Example text
Auto mode resolving to a source	Auto -> GPSDO Locked
Setting overridden by radio	TCXO -> GPSDO Locked
Source matches setting	GPSDO Locked
External selected but not detected	External 10 MHz Unlocked (not detected)
Waiting for first status report	Waiting for oscillator status

Label color:

State	Color
Locked	Green
Unlocked	Red
No status received yet	Grey/blue

The 10 MHz Reference Source: combo box also populates more dynamically in v0.9.7. Options are added based on the hardware the radio reports as present, the current setting, and the active oscillator state. The External entry is labeled External 10 MHz (previously External). If the radio sends the value ext it is treated as equivalent to external.

Starting a calibration

1. Click the RX tab in Radio Setup.
2. Enter the known reference frequency in Cal Frequency (MHz):.
3. Click Start. The button shows Busy while the sweep runs. Watch the status label for progress and result.
4. When calibration completes, the button re-enables