19. Amplifiers and tuners

The desktop and iPhone/iPad can show and control supported station accessories through the Core. The Core owns the device connections and telemetry. A remote desktop or phone sends a supported command to the Core, then follows the Core's reported state; a click by itself is not confirmation. Read the device state and any refusal beside the control before transmitting.

Desktop setup pages live at File > Settings > CAT & Network. 4O3A devices are under 4O3A. RF2K-S is under RF-Kit. The desktop's right-side applets show live operation: Amp, Tuner, and RF-Kit. The phone uses Radio > Power Genius XL, Tuner Genius, or RF2K-S. The phone pages show the Core's device records and use the same shared controls where its Core connection and capability catalogue support them.

These are station controls. Coordinate with other operators before changing operating state, antenna, network address, pairing, limits or shared tune settings. The source-verified procedures have not been exercised on live hardware; verify physical cabling, RF path, power limits and amplifier/tuner manuals before operating.

Connect the PGXL or TGXL to the Core

First connect the desktop to the radio whose peripherals you intend to configure. Open File > Settings > CAT & Network > 4O3A > General. The yellow or green banner identifies the radio/MAC whose peripheral records are being edited. On a remote desktop, the page acts on the Core's accessory connection through the station link. The phone's accessory pages are already scoped to the connected Core.

1. Check Enable 4O3A integration. This is a per-radio master gate. It starts the Core's FlexAPI listener on TCP port 4992, enables PGXL/TGXL connection attempts, and enables their setup pages and applets. When off, the listener is not bound and the accessory tabs are greyed. On the phone, read the Power Genius XL and Tuner Genius rows: a missing device, disabled feature, or old Core has an explanatory message.
2. Under PGXL / TGXL Peripherals, select Scan LAN to discover devices on the local network, or enter the device address and port in the appropriate row, then Connect. Verify the row identifies the expected device and reports connected before operating it. On the phone the Core's accessory header shows connection phase, model/nickname and error text; the Core performs the scan and connection.
3. Keep each device address reachable from the Core computer after connecting. The Core, not the phone, must have network access to the amplifier and tuner. A phone being connected to the radio does not establish that the Core can reach an accessory.
4. If a device drops, read its error/status. Use the row's Reconnect action or applet's right-click Reconnect when shown. If the address has changed, update it in Peripherals and reconnect. Do not toggle the 4O3A master gate as a substitute for checking the address and link state.

The General page also contains PGXL Interlock. Its settings apply on the Core and affect subsequent TX requests; see the interlock procedure below before enabling TX.

Operate the Power Genius XL

The Amp applet shows forward power, SWR and temperature gauges, and when reported, mains volts, drain amps and MEffA. The OPERATE/STANDBY button follows the PGXL's reported state. Click it to request the other state, then wait for the button and PGXL page's State badge to change. POWERUP, STANDBY, FAULT, IDLE, OPERATE and TRANSMIT_A/TRANSMIT_B are not interchangeable: a green-looking button is not a fault clear, and FAULT requires reading the cause before trying again.

Use the applet's right-click menu to open Open PGXL Advanced..., select Disconnect or Reconnect, or choose Copy diagnostics to clipboard. The copied diagnostics are useful when reporting an unexpected connection or meter result.

The phone's Radio > Power Genius XL page shows the Core's PGXL state, forward power/SWR/temperature gauges, numeric output and MEffA, band-follow/paired-with status, output-cap alert, and fault history. Tap OPERATE or STANDBY to request a state change. The page reports why a switch is unavailable, such as the Core being disconnected or the radio being on the air. Wait for the state text to follow the amplifier report. The phone interlock card is readback; use its Change in Setup route, when offered, for the Core's interlock settings.

PGXL output cap

On the desktop, 4O3A > PowerGenius XL > Hardware > TX Power Cap has Enable soft cap and a watts field from 100 to 2000 W (default 1500 W). The cap is a Core-side transmit/output limit and alert, not a new calibrated meter profile. Check Enable soft cap, set the intended limit, and confirm the pending indicator. The Core alerts in its windows if PGXL output rises above the limit. On a remote desktop, Enable soft cap and its completed watts value are sent to the Core; finish editing the watts field before the request so the entire value is sent once. The phone exposes the Core's cap alert/readback, not this desktop hardware form.

PGXL interlock policy

Under 4O3A > General > PGXL Interlock, choose Interlock Mode:

Grace Period is 0 to 30,000 ms, in 100 ms steps, default 3000 ms. It delays enforcement of the SWR gate after the PGXL enters OPERATE so warm-up current/SWR settling does not immediately nuisance-trip. It does not bypass the amplifier-state test. Enable SWR Gate turns the second check on; Max SWR is 1.0 to 10.0, default 3.0, and only applies while the gate is checked. A value above the limit trips the same Warn or Block policy. Changes take effect immediately for later TX requests. Phone accessory records show mode, grace and SWR gate; the app identifies if the Core cannot share those records. Confirm the actual interlock readback before testing a TX path.

Configure PGXL device settings

Open File > Settings > CAT & Network > 4O3A > PowerGenius XL. When connected, the page reads the device's current setup and network configuration. A remote desktop receives the Core's reported device settings and last device answer; its editable controls are available only when the Core offers device-settings capability. Apply Network Settings, Revert, and Save & Reboot Amp also require a live Core-to-PGXL connection. The page shows the unavailable reason instead of applying a local guess.

Changing IP can make the PGXL unreachable. Before applying a static address, check the Core's subnet, gateway and physical LAN. If status does not return, rediscover the amplifier, update its configured address and reconnect before attempting other settings.

Operate the Tuner Genius XL

Run a desktop tune cycle

Use the desktop Tuner applet with the radio connected, the intended TX slice/band selected, the physical antenna path known, and no transmission or other RF flow active. Have the intended drive source/value and the amplifier's reported state in view. TUNE creates a carrier as part of the TGXL sweep; it is not a receive-only relay command. The cycle temporarily places an operating PGXL in STANDBY and restores its prior operating state when the cycle ends.

1. Read the applet's TGXL connection/state, antenna, forward power/SWR, and C1, L, C2 relay reports. Confirm the selected antenna is the one physically connected to the intended load. If PGXL is connected, note whether it reports OPERATE or a non-operating state. Resolve stale or unavailable status before requesting a tune.
2. Check the TX owner, transmit readiness, current drive source/value, and station protections in Set up and transmit. End any existing MOX/TUNE/test transmission and wait for receive. Do not use a numerical RF target from this manual; use the station's established safe tuner path and verified load.
3. Click the TGXL applet's TUNE. Follow the button to TUNING... and watch for TGXL's tuning state. If PGXL was in OPERATE, confirm its reported transition to STANDBY as the cycle is prepared. Do not start a second cycle while one is active.
4. On completion, wait for TGXL to leave its tuning state and for the settled SWR result to appear briefly on the button. Confirm the carrier is off and receive returns. Check the final relay and meter reports. If the cycle reports refusal, no PTT, low RF power, or does not enter tuning, confirm the applet returned to TUNE, the carrier was dropped, and the refusal/status is visible. Recheck TGXL connection, transmit permission, drive source, physical path, and the amplifier state before another attempt.
5. Confirm PGXL's reported state. If it was operating before the cycle, the Core requests OPERATE after tuning once RF and pending key actions have cleared. It can remain in STANDBY while a key is active or pending; wait for the state report before relying on the amplifier. If it was not operating before the cycle, the routine leaves its prior non-operating state. Save the settled relay values to memory only after confirming the antenna and band shown by the applet.

The applet's TUNE starts the coordinated Core cycle. The separate cycle button requests OPERATE → BYPASS → STANDBY → OPERATE; read the reported state after each click. Scroll over a relay bar only for an intentional one-step adjustment and verify the bar changes. A grey control or refusal reason is the current permission/state result. The iPhone/iPad Radio > Tuner Genius page exposes reported state, meters, relay-step buttons, and antenna selection, but manual TUNE is unavailable there.

Tuner antenna and tune memory

Use the desktop applet's context menu for the current antenna and band. The memory is a stored record of reported relay values, not a physical relay command.

1. Verify the current antenna and TX band. Right-click the desktop Tuner applet and choose Save current tune memory to store the currently reported C1, L, and C2 values for that antenna/band.
2. To inspect a saved entry, choose Recall tune memory. The applet loads the values into its local display/cache; it sends no absolute relay positions to TGXL. The reported physical relay values remain authoritative. A later physical TUNE starts a fresh autotune from the tuner's current position. Clear tune memory removes only the current antenna/band record.
3. On iPhone/iPad, Radio > Tuner Genius > Tune memory lists Core-stored entries and allows clearing a row. This page does not tune the radio or issue relay commands. A recalled-memory match indication compares the TGXL report with the stored values; it does not prove a physical recall.
4. The shared Recall a stored tune on a band or antenna change setting is a separate automatic action. When enabled, a qualifying band change on the TX-bound slice checks for a saved entry for the current antenna and new band; if one exists and TGXL is connected, the Core sends a fresh autotune command. The stored relay values are not sent as target positions. An antenna-only change does not trigger this handler, and this automatic request does not itself key NereusSDR MOX. After a band change, inspect TGXL's tuning/state, relay and SWR readbacks and handle any refusal before transmitting.

TGXL advanced settings and recovery

Under 4O3A > Tuner Genius XL, Identity & Status shows nickname, firmware, serial, state and variant. Nickname is a device label. Antenna Labels names ANT1-3 in the app and shared/Core presentation; it does not rename a physical antenna in TGXL firmware. Network has Use DHCP, IP Address, Netmask, Gateway, and Apply Network Settings. Apply with the address known to be reachable from the Core. It can interrupt the connection; in a remote window confirm the warning naming that the Core will change its Tuner Genius address. Reconnect using the new address if necessary.

Revert requests the current network/setup from the connected device and clears pending network edits. Save & Reboot Tuner commits the device configuration and reboots TGXL. Confirm the warning before using it and wait for status to return. Diagnostics reports uptime, RTT, missed keepalives, reconnects, frames and bytes. Remote desktop exposes Fault History and Clear All through the Core's recorded faults; clearing history is not a hardware reset. A local desktop does not promise a populated TGXL fault table when no local fault producer is present. The phone's Advanced page shows the Core-described identity, antenna labels, network and diagnostic values that its catalogue offers; unavailable Core/device-setting capabilities are explained beside the controls.

Operate the RF-Kit RF2K-S

Open the RF-Kit applet to read its link indicator, model/nickname, OPERATE/STANDBY request, forward power, SWR, temperature, volts and amps. The applet's ANT 1 through ANT 4 buttons follow the amplifier's reported selection; the active button lights only after the report identifies it. Select the antenna that is physically connected to the desired path. A disabled/missing antenna reflects the amplifier's availability report.

The RF-Kit tuner status reports TUNING..., BYPASS, TUNED frequency (setup), NOT TUNED, or unknown state. TUNE and BYPASS buttons are intentionally disabled because the RF2K-S firmware used by this interface does not accept tuner write commands. Use the amplifier's front panel for those two functions. Never tell the applet that a tune or bypass succeeded when the firmware did not accept a command.

On iPhone/iPad, Radio > RF2K-S shows the Core's model and status, OPERATE/STANDBY, forward power/SWR/temperature and numeric forward watts, SWR, volts and amps. Its four antenna buttons follow Core reports and may have operator labels. It displays the tuner's reported AUTO, MANUAL, AUTO TUNING or BYPASS mode, but its TUNE and BYPASS buttons remain greyed with the front-panel instruction. The phone's RF-Kit settings row opens the Core's connection/settings page. The Core's link/error text and the active antenna/band-follow messages take precedence over the last requested action.

RF-Kit connection and station settings

Open File > Settings > CAT & Network > RF-Kit. The General tab shows the radio/MAC whose peripherals are being edited, the Core-local master switch, live status and band-follow status. The RF2K-S tab contains these controls:

On a remote desktop, a connected Core and catalogue support determine which controls are enabled. It does not open a direct phone-to-amplifier link. Set amp to TCI mode, Reset amp error state, Connect, Disconnect and enabled/master changes are Core requests; check the displayed result/reason. On an older Core, it may put the amp in TCI mode itself while its own TCI server is enabled. Changing the saved host address does not automatically dial on older Core versions; select Connect to submit it.

If band follow says the RF-Kit does not follow the radio, compare the RF-Kit's TCI server address/port with the displayed Core TCI endpoint, then use its own network/interface configuration to make them match. NereusSDR reports the observed follow state; do not infer successful tracking from enabling the applet alone.

Phone and remote-device availability

The phone reaches the Core's PGXL, TGXL and RF-Kit records and sends documented station actions through its connection. A device row can be absent because the Core does not report that accessory; an action can be grey because the Core lacks a command/capability, is not connected to the device, or the radio is on the air. The page gives the Core's reason. If a request is accepted, wait for the device's status field, state text, antenna indication, relay value or settings record to update. If refused, the previously accepted value remains and the page shows the refusal.

Remote desktop forms have their own availability. PGXL/TGXL own-device hardware/network forms are editable only if that Core offers device settings. Their Apply/Revert/Save & Reboot actions require an active Core-to-device link. RF-Kit remote settings use the Core's station-settings catalogue and full-control capability; a Core may support status/control but not a given settings write. Keep the Core connection open while applying a shared change, and do not repeat an action until the current status or refusal has arrived.

For the radio-side front-end, antenna connectors, ADC options and general calibration, see Chapter 17. For PureSignal feedback and PA gain/watt-meter calibration, see Chapter 18. For transmitting, RF drive, TUNE and protective blocks, see Chapter 05.