TCI radio control

TCI (Transceiver Control Interface) is a protocol originally made for software-defined radios. On RHR it controls every radio on the network: a single connection carries rig control and audio in both directions, so there are no virtual serial ports or virtual sound cards to set up.

TCI is the officially supported way to control the radio from software on your computer. Other methods are no longer supported.

What you need

• LocalMate, running and connected in Tools → Integrations.
• A program that speaks TCI, for example JTDX or a build of WSJT-X with TCI support. Expert Electronics keeps a list of apps with TCI support.
• A station connection. Software can only reach the radio while you are connected in the console.

Turn it on

1. Open Tools → Integrations and choose the TCI tab.
2. Make sure LocalMate shows Connected.
3. Check Accept TCI clients. It is on by default.

The TCI Port field shows the port your software should use. It is always the same as the LocalMate Port, normally 40001, and cannot be changed here.

Set up your software

In the program's TCI or rig settings, enter the address of your own computer and the LocalMate port:

ws://127.0.0.1:40001

Some programs ask for the host and port separately: host 127.0.0.1 (or localhost), port 40001. Use plain ws://, not wss://.

Connect to a station in the console, then connect the program. The console's Integrations page shows 1 TCI client connected once it is through.

What TCI controls

The console translates TCI for the radio you are on. Your software can:

• read and set the frequency and mode;
• key the transmitter, with TX audio streamed from the program and RX audio streamed back to it;
• send CW text and real-time keying;
• see the modes the radio supports.

Modes the radio does not have are left out, and reverse-sideband CW and RTTY are treated as the normal mode.

Audio levels

Two sliders on the TCI tab set the audio exchanged with your software, from Mute (−60 dB) to +20 dB. 0 dB is unchanged.

• TCI RX Audio Gain is the receive audio sent to the program. Raise it if its waterfall is faint; lower it if the program reports clipping.
• TCI TX Audio Gain is the program's audio sent to the transmitter. Watch the radio's ALC meter in the console and keep it out of the red.

Rig control for your own WSJT-X

If you run WSJT-X on your computer, TCI gives it rig control and audio. To also set its grid square automatically and import its contacts into your RHR logbook, turn on the WSJT-X Server integration as well; see WSJT-X with LocalMate.