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TGXL Tuner Control

Applies to: All radios · the radio relay and OPERATE / STANDBY / BYPASS need a FlexRadio

AetherSDR controls the 4O3A Tuner Genius XL (TGXL) through the TUN applet, including manual adjustment of the tuner's Pi-network relays.

Setup​

AetherSDR can reach the TGXL two ways, and the applet shows which one it is using with an indicator at the end of its readout row:

IndicatorPath
● DIRECTA direct TCP connection to the tuner on port 9010
● RADIOThrough the FlexRadio, which relays the tuner's status and commands
● OFFLINENeither is available

When a TGXL is connected to your FlexRadio, the radio reports its address and AetherSDR opens the direct connection automatically. For a tuner the radio does not report (on another subnet, over a VPN, or with a non-Flex radio), add it in Peripherals (Add → Tuner Genius XL) with its address.

  • Connect directly when available (on by default, in Peripherals) controls the automatic direct connection. Turn it off to use only the radio's relay.
  • Access code: if the TGXL asks for authorization, enter its code in Peripherals. AetherSDR sends it before any other command and saves it in the system keychain once the tuner accepts it. See Peripherals for how codes are stored.
  • If direct authorization fails, AetherSDR falls back to the radio relay and the indicator shows ● RADIO.

The direct connection is what adds port detail, the antenna buttons and manual relay control. Without it the applet still works from what the radio relays.

OPERATE, STANDBY and BYPASS go through the radio. A TGXL reached by IP only, with no FlexRadio relaying it, cannot be switched between them; pressing those keys raises a notice saying the control is not available rather than doing nothing silently.

Using the tuner applet​

Docked in the applet panel, the TUN applet (title "TGXL") shows:

  • Fwd Power gauge. It scales for barefoot, Aurora or PGXL power levels, and uses the tuner's own peak reading, so voice peaks read correctly.
  • SWR gauge (1.0–3.0).
  • C1, L and C2 relay bars.
  • TUNE: starts an auto-tune. While a tune runs it reads STOP; pressing it stops the tune. The tuner stays in operate.
  • OPERATE: cycles OPERATE → BYPASS → STANDBY.
  • ANT 1 / ANT 2 / ANT 3 antenna buttons, shown with a direct connection to a TGXL that has an antenna switch.

Messages from the tuner appear across the applet for as long as the tuner shows them: after a successful tune it shows the SWR it settled on (Tuned SWR: 1.15:1), and a tune that could not run says why.

Meters update at about 60 Hz while transmitting and 4 Hz while receiving.

Popped out or on the canvas​

Popped out into its own window, or placed on the Workspace Canvas, the applet is laid out like the tuner's front panel: the two meters, a status strip for each RF port showing what is feeding it and where it is tuned, the C1/L/C2 relay positions as dials, and separate STBY, BYP and TUNE keys. A port shows its source only while it has a live reading.

Using manual relay control​

With the direct connection active, the C1, L and C2 bars (and the dials in the popped-out layout) are adjustable:

  • Scroll up over a relay to increase its position by 1.
  • Scroll down to decrease it by 1.
  • The cursor changes to ↕ over an adjustable relay.

This is useful for:

  • Tweaking an auto-tune result for lower SWR
  • Experimenting with different matching configurations
  • Matching antennas the auto-tuner struggles with

Reference​

Relays​

RelayComponentRange
C1Input capacitor0–255
LInductor0–255
C2Output capacitor0–255

Protocol​

The TGXL uses a text protocol in the same format as the SmartSDR API:

DirectionFormat
TGXL → Client (greeting)V<version> or, when authorization is required, V<version> AUTH
Client → TGXLC<seq>|<command>\n
TGXL → ClientR<seq>|<code>|<body>\n
TGXL → Client (push)S0|state key=val ...\n

Authorization: auth <code>. Manual relay command: tune relay=<0\|1\|2> move=<+1\|-1>.

Known issues​

  • TUNE can fail on a remote FLEX-8600 while the Genius peripherals are connected in AetherSDR (#6001).
  • The TUN indicator in the status bar may not change the tuner's state, and the OPERATE cycle can disagree with the tuner's real state (#4946).

Troubleshooting​

A tune stops with "LOW RF POWER"​

There was too little drive for the tuner to measure against.

  1. Raise the drive.
  2. Press TUNE again.

Relay bars don't scroll​

Relay control needs the direct connection.

  1. Check the indicator reads ● DIRECT. ● RADIO means AetherSDR is using the radio's relay.
  2. Check the TGXL's row in Settings → Radio Setup... → Peripherals. Needs attention means a rejected code or failed connection; enter the code and click Connect.
  3. Make sure AetherSDR can reach TCP port 9010 on the tuner. Over SmartLink or a remote link, add the tuner's reachable address in Peripherals.

TGXL not detected​

The radio is not reporting the tuner, or AetherSDR cannot reach it.

  1. Verify the TGXL is connected to the radio and powered on.
  2. Add it manually in Peripherals if the radio does not report it.
  3. Check the logs in Help → Support & Diagnostics....

OPERATE, STANDBY or BYPASS says the control is not available​

These go through the radio, and no FlexRadio is relaying this tuner.

  1. Connect the TGXL to your FlexRadio, and connect AetherSDR to that radio, so the radio relays the tuner.

See also​