FlexPilot Features

Complete feature reference organized by functionality.

🔴 Radio Control & Integration

FlexRadio SmartSDR Integration

Connect seamlessly to your FlexRadio using the native FlexLib API (no CAT emulation needed):

• Automatic discovery - FlexPilot finds your radio on the network automatically
• Multi-slice control - Create, manage, and control multiple receiver slices independently
• All operating modes - USB, LSB, CW, AM, FM, DIGU, DIGL, and more
• Flexible frequency control - Direct entry, VFO knob, band buttons, or click-to-tune
• Audio gain per slice - Independent volume control for each receiver
• Slice activation - Mute, unmute, activate, or deactivate any slice

Transmit Control

Full control over your transmit operations:

• MOX control - Microphone keying with PTT
• Tune mode - Test your transmitter and antenna system
• Power management - Set RF power, tune power, and maximum power limits
• TX audio routing - DAX TX stream for SSB, AM, and FM modes
• Protection features - Automatic SWR monitoring and power limiting through Automations

Receiver Features

Advanced DSP and receiver control:

• RF gain adjustment - Per-slice RF gain control
• AGC modes - Fast, Medium, Slow, or Off with threshold adjustment
• Noise blanker - Reduce impulse noise with adjustable level
• Noise reduction - Digital noise reduction with level control
• ANF - Automatic Notch Filter for interfering carriers
• APF - Audio Peaking Filter for enhanced CW reception
• RIT/XIT - Receiver and transmitter offset control
• Filter control - Adjustable low and high cutoff frequencies

Transmit Processing

Professional audio quality:

• TX/RX equalizer - Per-band audio equalization
• Wideband noise blanker - WNB with level control
• Binaural audio - Stereo audio processing for enhanced reception

Real-Time Metering

See exactly what's happening:

• S-Meter - Signal strength in S-units and dBm
• RF Power - Forward and reflected power display
• SWR Meter - Standing Wave Ratio monitoring
• ALC Meter - Automatic Level Control indication
• Compression - Audio compression level
• Microphone Level - Mic input monitoring

🎵 Audio Processing & Routing

DAX (Digital Audio eXchange) Integration

FlexRadio's digital audio transport, fully integrated:

• DAX channel management - Create and configure DAX audio channels
• Slice-to-DAX routing - Route any slice to any DAX channel
• Windows audio devices - Integrate with Windows WASAPI audio system
• Master volume control - Overall volume management
• Active stream monitoring - See which audio streams are active

Audio Rewind - Never Miss a Callsign

One of the top community-requested features:

• 30-120 second rolling buffer - Continuous audio capture with zero disk writes
• Instant replay - Rewind 5, 10, 15, or 30 seconds with a single hotkey
• Save QSOs as WAV files - Export captured audio for later review or training
• Zero performance impact - Efficient circular buffer design
• Perfect for contesting - Catch every callsign in fast pileups
• Adjustable buffer size - Configure buffer length to your preference

Voice Keyer

Pre-recorded message playback:

• F1-F8 message slots - Eight programmable voice messages
• Record and playback - Record messages directly in FlexPilot
• Hotkey control - Trigger messages with keyboard shortcuts
• Message persistence - Saved messages survive restarts
• WAV file storage - High-quality audio format

Audio Device Control

Complete audio management:

• Device enumeration - Automatic detection of Windows audio devices
• Microphone control - Level adjustment and mute
• Speaker/headphone mute - Quick mute for listening
• Route creation - Flexible routing from slices to audio devices

📡 CW (Morse Code) Features

Modern CW Decoder (Work in progress)

Advanced multi-signal decoding:

• Multi-signal support - Decode multiple CW signals simultaneously
• Adaptive WPM detection - Automatically detects sending speed
• Pattern recognition - Accurate character detection even with QSB
• Timing analysis - Adaptive dit/dah detection handles varying speeds
• Audio preprocessing - Signal conditioning for optimal decoding

CW Keying

Full CW transmission support:

• Software keying - Generate CW tones via audio output
• Hardware keying - Control radio CW keyer via CAT commands
• FlexLib native keying - Direct SmartSDR keying integration
• Macro support - Pre-programmed CW messages (F1-F8)
• Adjustable speed - WPM control from slow to high-speed

CW Services

Memory Service

• Store up to 8 CW messages
• Quick access via hotkeys and UI buttons
• Configuration persistence

CW Scanner Service (Work in progress)

• Frequency scanning for CW activity
• Dwell time on signals above threshold
• Band memory for specific frequencies or custom ranges

🗺️ DX Spotting & Cluster Integration

Premium DX Spot Overlay

The professional spotting solution the community requested:

• Visual spot markers - Clear vertical lines on spectrum and waterfall
• Age-based coloring - Yellow (fresh) → Orange → Red → Gray (old)
• Intelligent fading - Recent spots bright, old spots gradually fade
• Easy-to-read callsign labels - Dark background for perfect readability
• One-click QSY - Click any spot to tune instantly
• CW auto-zerobeat integration - Clicking CW spots centers them perfectly

Reverse Beacon Network (RBN)

Worldwide CW skimmer network integration:

• Real-time CW spots - Reports from hundreds of skimmers worldwide
• Telnet connection - Standard RBN protocol (telnet.reversebeacon.net:7000)
• Detailed spot parsing - Frequency, callsign, mode, WPM, SNR, distance, bearing
• Signal quality reporting - See signal strength in dB and sending speed in WPM

DX Cluster Aggregation

Connect to traditional DX clusters:

• DXSpider - Full support for standard DX cluster protocol
• AR-Cluster - Compatible with AR-Cluster spots and commands
• CC Cluster - Support for CC Cluster implementations
• Generic cluster client - Extensible framework for custom clusters
• Multi-cluster support - Connect to multiple clusters simultaneously
• Automatic backfill - Request last 50 spots on connection
• Spot filtering - Filter by band, frequency, or callsign

Bandmap Service

Organize and visualize spots:

• Current band filtering - Show only spots on your active band
• Visual frequency display - See where the action is
• Spot caching - Quick access to recent spots
• Band statistics - Count and distribution of spots per band

Log4OM Integration

Bidirectional data exchange:

• UDP spot forwarding - Send spots to Log4OM (port 12060)
• Callsign reception - Receive callsign from Log4OM lookups
• Grid square exchange - QTH locator data sharing
• Bidirectional control - FlexPilot controls radio, Log4OM sends data

SmartSDR Spot Display

Native radio integration:

• Spot markers on panadapter - See spots directly on your radio display
• Color coding - Different colors for different spot types
• Spot lifetime control - Fade spots after configurable time period
• Info display - Callsign, mode, and timing information

🌍 Propagation & Location Services

Solar Data & Band Conditions

• Real-time solar activity - Solar Flux Index (SFI), Sunspot Number (SSN)
• Ionospheric indicators - K-Index and A-Index
• Space weather alerts - Warnings for K≥5 geomagnetic storms
• HF/VHF band conditions - Instant predictions for 160m through 2m
• MUF predictions - Maximum Usable Frequency for each band
• Visual condition indicators - Color-coded band conditions (Good/Fair/Poor)

Gray-Line Calculator

• Sunrise/sunset times - For your location and target DX location
• Solar noon calculation - Peak solar radiation time
• Twilight periods - Civil, nautical, and astronomical twilight
• Great circle paths - True bearing and distance to DX targets

Maidenhead Grid Square Tools

Essential location utilities:

• Lat/Lon to Grid conversion - Calculate grid square from coordinates
• Grid to Lat/Lon conversion - Coordinates from grid square
• Great circle distance - Accurate distance calculation
• Bearing calculation - Antenna pointing direction

QRZ.com Integration

Callsign database lookup:

• Automatic lookups - Look up spotted callsigns automatically
• Operator information - Name, location, license class
• Photo display - See operator photos
• License verification - Confirm current license status

🔥 Automation & Rules Engine (Work in progress)

Think of it as "Node-RED for your radio station"—but purpose-built for amateur radio.

Visual Rule Builder

No coding required:

• Drag-and-drop interface - Build complex automation visually
• Real-time validation - See if your rules will work before saving
• Rule templates - 15+ pre-built templates for common scenarios
• Test mode - Test rules without affecting your station

Trigger Types

React to station events:

• Frequency change - When you tune to a new frequency
• Band change - When you change bands
• Operating mode change - When you switch modes (SSB, CW, FT8, etc.)
• Device state change - When devices change status (rotator position, amp temperature, etc.)
• Meter thresholds - When SWR, power, or other meters cross limits
• Time-based - Scheduled events (future enhancement)

Condition Operators

Complex logic made simple:

Comparison Operators

• Equal to, not equal to
• Less than, greater than
• Less than or equal, greater than or equal
• Between (range checking)

Logical Operators

• AND - All conditions must be true
• OR - Any condition must be true
• NOT - Invert condition result
• Unlimited nesting - Build complex logic trees

String Operators

• Regex matching
• Wildcard patterns
• Exact match
• Contains, starts with, ends with

Action Types

Control everything:

Radio Control Actions

• Set frequency, mode, band
• Set transmit power
• Enable/disable transmit
• Increase/decrease power
• Activate specific slice

Device Control Actions

• Set rotator heading (automatic DX tracking!)
• Set amplifier mode (operate/standby)
• Set amplifier band
• Switch antenna selection
• Trigger relay controls

Integration Actions

• Send MQTT message (Home Assistant integration!)
• HTTP webhook (trigger external services)
• Log message (diagnostic logging)
• Send notification (alerts and warnings)
• Execute delay (timing control)

Rule Templates

Get started instantly:

• Band Tracking - Auto-configure station for each band

• Contest Mode - Instant station reconfiguration for contests

• FT8 Automation - Automatic FT8 band/mode setup

• DX Rotator Control - Point antenna at spotted DX stations

• SWR Protection - Cut transmit on high SWR

• Temperature Monitoring - Reduce power on high amplifier temperature

• Night Mode - Reduce power after sunset

• Emergency Shutdown - Multiple safety triggers

• Antenna Selection - Automatic antenna switching by band

• ...and more!

Rule Persistence

Rules survive restarts:

• SQLite storage - All rules saved in rules.db
• Rule repository - Easy save, load, update, delete operations
• Import/export - Share rules with other operators
• Versioning support - Track rule changes over time

📡 External Device Control

Control your entire station from one place.

Device Management Framework

Universal device control:

• Unified device interface - All devices use the same control model
• Central device manager - One place to manage all station equipment
• Multiple connection types - Serial (COM), TCP, UDP, HTTP/HTTPS, USB
• SQLite persistence - Device configurations saved automatically
• Event propagation - Status and property changes broadcast to entire system

Supported Amplifiers

Full telemetry and control:

**ACOM 1400S **

• Ethernet (TCP) connection
• Operating modes: Operate, Standby, Tuning, Fault
• Telemetry: Power output, SWR, temperature
• Automatic band switching
• Fault detection and reporting

SPE Expert - Help needed here regarding protocol

• Ethernet (TCP) connection
• Extended telemetry: Forward/reflected power, SWR, temperature, voltage, current
• Automatic band tracking
• Real-time status monitoring

PGXL Amplifier - Help needed here regarding protocol

• Serial connection
• Automatic band switching on frequency changes
• Simple control protocol

Supported Antenna Switches

Automatic antenna selection:

4O3A Antenna Switch - Help needed here regarding protocol

• Multi-antenna selection (6 positions)
• Serial control via USB
• Band-based automatic switching
• Manual override capability

DXE RF Switch - Help needed here regarding protocol

• Serial control protocol
• Multiple antenna support
• Integration with automation rules

AG6QR SteppIR Controller - Help needed here regarding protocol

• RF sensing auto-switch capability
• Manual and automatic modes
• Integration with rotator control

Supported Rotators

Point your antennas automatically:

ERC USB Rotator - Working 100%

• GS-232A compatible serial protocol
• Azimuth-only rotation (0-360°)
• Real-time position tracking
• Automatic shortest-path rotation
• Simulation fallback for models without feedback

Network Control (PSTRotator Protocol)

• TCP Server (port 12000) - Compatible with Log4OM, N1MM+
• UDP Server (port 12040) - XML extensions for enhanced integration
• Commands: Query position, move to azimuth, move to azimuth+elevation, stop, status
• Callsign extraction from Log4OM for automatic DX tracking

Framework Ready For:

• Green Heron rotators
• Yaesu (G-5500, G-800, etc.)
• MFJ rotators
• Custom implementations

Input Controllers

ShuttleXpress USB HID Controller

• Jog wheel for frequency tuning with adjustable step size
• Shuttle wheel for rate-controlled frequency adjustment
• Five programmable buttons mapped to radio functions
• Profile support for different operating modes (CW, SSB, FT8, etc.)
• USB HID connection (no drivers needed)

Band Decoders

SteppIR Device Support - Help needed here regarding protocol

• Automated antenna control based on frequency
• Real-time antenna tuning
• Integration with frequency changes

⌨️ Hotkeys & Keyboard Control

FRStack-style global hotkey system:

Global Hotkey Support

Control FlexPilot from anywhere:

• System-wide hotkeys - Work even when other apps are focused
• Win32 API integration - Reliable global hotkey capture
• Custom key combinations - Ctrl+Alt+Shift+[Key]
• Profile support - Different hotkey sets for different modes

In-App Hotkeys

Fast control within FlexPilot:

• Application-focused hotkeys - Active when FlexPilot has focus
• Simpler key combinations - Less modifier keys needed
• Context-sensitive - Different hotkeys for different tabs

Hotkey Commands

30+ built-in commands:

Radio Control

• Tune/toggle tune mode
• Set operating mode
• Jump to specific band
• Toggle MOX (transmit)
• Toggle noise reduction
• Toggle noise blanker
• Adjust AGC threshold
• Adjust CW speed
• Adjust transmit power
• Adjust tune power

Audio Controls

• Adjust volume
• Toggle audio mute
• Trigger audio rewind
• Rewind specific duration (5, 10, 15, 30 seconds)
• Save audio recording

Voice Keyer

• Play voice messages F1-F8
• Record new messages
• Stop playback

Hotkey Persistence

Never lose your configuration:

• SQLite storage (hotkeys.db)
• Repository pattern - Consistent save/load
• Customization UI - Visual hotkey editor in settings
• Import/export - Share hotkey profiles

🔌 Integration & Remote Control

REST API - Work in Progress

Full programmatic control:

Radio Control Endpoints

• GET /api/radio/status - Current radio state
• POST /api/radio/frequency - Set frequency
• POST /api/radio/mode - Set operating mode
• GET /api/radio/slices - List active slices
• POST /api/radio/power - Set transmit power

Device Control Endpoints - Work in Progress

• GET /api/devices - List all devices
• POST /api/devices - Register new device
• GET /api/devices/{id} - Device details
• POST /api/devices/{id}/command - Send command to device
• DELETE /api/devices/{id} - Remove device

Propagation Endpoints - Work in Progress

• GET /api/propagation/solar - Current solar data
• GET /api/propagation/voacap - VOACAP predictions
• GET /api/propagation/path - Path analysis between two locations

SignalR WebSocket Hubs - Work in Progress

Real-time updates:

• RadioHub - Real-time radio state and meter updates
• DeviceHub - Device status and property changes
• MeterHub - Continuous meter value streaming
• SpotHub - Real-time DX spot updates as they arrive

MQTT Integration

Home automation made easy:

• MQTT broker connection - Connect to any MQTT broker (Mosquitto, HiveMQ, etc.)
• Publish station data - Meter values, frequency, mode, device status
• Configurable topics - Custom topic structure for your setup
• Subscribe for commands - Remote control via MQTT messages
• Home Assistant integration - Perfect for smart home monitoring
• Node-RED integration - Build custom automation flows
• Quality of Service - Configurable QoS levels

Network Servers

FlexPilot provides these network servers:

External Connections

FlexPilot connects to:

📊 Spectrum & Visualization

Spectrum Display

Real-time frequency visualization:

Work in Progress

• Waveform data from panadapter - Direct from FlexRadio
• Waterfall display - Continuous time-frequency display
• FlexLib adapter - Native radio spectrum integration
• High-performance rendering - Smooth, GPU-accelerated display

Work in Progress

Waterfall Rendering

Beautiful, efficient display:

• Color palettes - SmartSDR-compatible color schemes (default, alternate)
• Real-time refresh - Continuous updates with minimal CPU usage
• Tile assembly - Efficient rendering for smooth scrolling
• Customizable gradients - Adjust colors to your preference

Panadapter Display

Interactive spectrum control:

• Frequency axis with markers - Clear frequency labeling
• Signal level visualization - Real-time signal strength
• Overlay controls - Frequency and zoom information
• Pan operations - Click-and-drag to change center frequency
• Click-to-tune - Click anywhere to tune (with CW auto-zerobeat!)

💾 Configuration & Settings

Application Settings

Comprehensive configuration system:

General Settings

• Log level (Debug, Info, Warning, Error)
• Startup options (minimized, tray)
• Theme and color scheme
• Auto-connect to radio
• Last radio serial number

UDP Services

• Radio Info broadcast (enabled/disabled, port, address)
• Log4OM integration (radio info, callsign/contact receiver)
• WSJT-X sync (enabled/disabled, port)
• Cluster aggregator (enabled/disabled, port)

Station Information

• Callsign, operator name
• QTH (location)
• Maidenhead grid square
• Latitude/longitude
• ITU and CQ zones
• Antenna information
• Default power level

QRZ Settings

• Username and password
• Auto propagation lookup
• Show operator photos

Propagation Settings

• Google Maps API key
• Use Google Maps for visualization

DX Cluster Settings

• Forward spots to radio display

Transmit Settings

• Maximum power level limits

CAT Server Settings

• Auto-start on launch
• Port number (default 4532)

MQTT Settings

• Broker host and port
• Base topic structure
• Username and password
• Publish options (meters, frequency, mode, devices)

Memory Settings

• MRU tracking enabled/disabled

• Dwell time before recording frequency

• Maximum MRU entries

• Frequency tolerance for duplicates

• COM port MOX control

• Meter mute thresholds

Device Configuration

Device registry:

• SQLite database (devices.db)
• Device properties - ID, name, model, connection type, connection string
• Persistence - Load on startup, save on modification
• Validation - Connection test before saving
• Bulk operations - Import/export device configurations

Profile Management

Save complete station configurations:

• Radio profiles - Custom radio settings
• Profile switching - Instant configuration changes
• SQLite storage (profiles.db)
• Per-profile settings - Memories, rules, hotkeys specific to each profile

Voice Keyer Storage

Message management:

• Message files - Stored in VoiceKeyer/ directory
• WAV format - High-quality audio
• Metadata - Associated with F1-F8 slots
• Easy organization - Browse and manage recordings

Temperature Monitoring

Amplifier protection:

• Real-time monitoring - Continuous temperature tracking
• Configurable thresholds - Set warning and critical temperatures
• Automatic power reduction - Reduce power on overheating
• Visual and audible alerts - Immediate warning on high temps

🎨 User Interface

Modern Cross-Platform UI

Avalonia Framework:

• Cross-platform XAML - Runs on Windows, Linux (soon), macOS (soon)
• GPU-accelerated rendering - Smooth, responsive interface
• Modern controls - Fluent-style UI components
• Responsive design - Adapts to different screen sizes

Three Built-In Themes

Choose your style:

• FlexMidnight (default) - Dark theme optimized for night operation
• DXOperator - Alternative dark theme for DX hunting
• StealthCarbon - Sleek dark theme with carbon accents
• Light/Dark variants - Additional theme variations

Tab-Based Interface

Organized feature access:

• Dashboard - Station information and quick status
• Radio Control - Frequency, mode, power, meters
• Spectrum/Waterfall - Real-time frequency visualization
• CW Decoder - Morse code decoding and spectrum
• Bandmap/Spots - DX spots and cluster integration
• Rules/Automation - Automation rule editor
• Devices - Device management and control
• Audio - Audio routing and equalizer
• Audio Rewind - Rewind and save recordings
• Voice Keyer - Voice message management
• Propagation - Solar data and predictions
• Settings - Application configuration
• Log Viewer - Real-time application logs

Custom Controls

Purpose-built UI elements:

• Analog Meters - S-Meter, RF Power, SWR, Compression, ALC, Mic Level with animated needles
• Digital Meters - Modern numeric displays for all meter types
• CW Display - Multi-signal CW visualization with spectrum overlay
• Pan Overlay - Frequency and zoom information on spectrum
• Spot Markers - Visual DX spots on waterfall/panadapter

Customization

Make it yours:

• Color scheme support - Light and dark variants
• CSS styling - Flexible customization options
• Custom converters - Data binding helpers for complex displays
• Profile-based layouts - Save UI configurations per profile (future)

🔧 System Integration

Database Storage

All configuration persisted:

• SQLite databases - Reliable, zero-configuration storage
• Separate databases - devices.db, profiles.db, memories.db, hotkeys.db, rules.db
• JSON files - settings.json, cw_memories.json, audio_routing.json
• Automatic backup - Configuration backup on changes (future)

Logging System

Comprehensive diagnostics:

• Serilog framework - Structured logging
• Log levels - Debug, Information, Warning, Error, Fatal
• File logging - Logs persisted to disk
• Real-time log viewer - Live display in application UI
• Diagnostic output - SQL queries, device communication, radio events
• Search and filter - Find specific log entries quickly

Service Architecture

Modular design:

• Dependency injection - Microsoft.Extensions.DependencyInjection
• Service interfaces - Clean contracts for all services
• Async/await throughout - No blocking UI calls
• Event-driven - Services communicate via events
• Lifecycle management - Proper initialization and cleanup

🚀 Performance & Optimization

Optimizations Implemented

Fast and efficient:

• Async/await throughout - All I/O operations are non-blocking
• Efficient spectrum rendering - Tile-based waterfall assembly
• Adaptive audio processing - FFT optimization for EQ
• Memory management - Audio buffer recycling
• Event throttling - Prevent event spam from fast-changing metrics
• Lazy loading - Load modules only when needed
• GPU acceleration - Hardware-accelerated UI rendering

📈 What's Next?

Planned Features

Coming soon:

• Web Dashboard - React/Vue.js web interface for remote control
• CWX Window - Dedicated CW decoder and keyer window
• Mobile Apps - iOS and Android native applications
• Node-RED Package - node-red-contrib-flexpilot for custom flows
• Stream Deck Plugin - Elgato Stream Deck integration
• Plugin Marketplace - Community-contributed plugins
• Profile Marketplace - Share and download station configurations
• Advanced Analytics - Operating statistics and trends
• Contest Integration - Deeper N1MM+ and Log4OM contest support
• Multi-Radio Support - Control multiple FlexRadios simultaneously