ControlDeck - SDR Hot Keys

Tom Bowles

About this app

Why ControlDeck?
ControlDeck is a touch-first control surface for FLEX-6000, FLEX-8000 and Flex Aurora radios. Customize a button grid, drag to tune the VFO, key the transmitter, and run multi-step macros from your phone or tablet.

It's a different approach to the same problem a Stream Deck solves — programmable hot-key control of your radio — without dedicated hardware, host-computer software, or per-station configuration. The app connects directly to the radio over the network, at the desk or via SmartLink.

Key Features
• Macros: chain 50+ built-in actions into multi-step sequences
• Rearrangeable button grid — long-press to edit, drag to reorder, search to find any control
• Show or hide individual controls to match your operating style
• Drag-to-tune VFO with five step sizes and haptic feedback
• Direct frequency-entry keypad with per-model tuning limits — type a frequency and go
• Editable per-mode filter presets — dial in your preferred bandwidth once, recall it with a tap
• In-use filter fine-tune: enter exact width, set low/high cut, drag the passband, or save a new preset
• Filter width stepper with a raw-Hz readout and accelerating hold-to-repeat
• Audio and DSP controls: volume, pan, NB, NR, AGC, APF/ANF — all drag-adjustable
• Multi-slice support with slice selector and +SLICE creation
• SmartLink remote access using your existing SmartLink account
• Global Profile hotkeys
• Monitor/Sidetone hotkey with drag to adjust volume
• MOX and PTT transmit keying with slide-to-lock — momentary or latched, interlock-aware
• TX control: power, ATU, TUNE with safety timeout, CW speed, mic gain
• RIT/XIT offset tuning
• Bands 160M through 6M; modes LSB, USB, AM, CW, DIGL, DIGU, SAM, FM, NFM, DFM, RTTY
• Works alongside SmartSDR (or any other SDR software) or Maestro on the radio
• Responsive layout for phone and tablet, portrait and landscape — with a master-detail Settings layout on iPad
• Optional Keep Screen Awake mode for long operating sessions
• Built-in Demo Mode to explore the interface without hardware

How It Works
1. Open ControlDeck — radios on your local network appear automatically
2. Tap a radio to connect, or sign in to SmartLink for remote access
3. Customize: hide what you don't use, reorder the rest, build macros for routine operations

Requirements
• A FLEX-6000 series transceiver (FLEX-6300, 6400, 6400M, 6500, 6600, 6600M, 6700), FLEX-8000 series transceiver (FLEX-8400, 8400M, 8600, 8600M), or Flex Aurora series transceiver (AU-510, AU-510M, AU-520, AU-520M)
• SmartSDR, Maestro, or any other SDR Software running as the GUI client
• iOS 17.0 or later
• Android Phone or tablet
• Local network access (for local discovery) or a SmartLink account (for remote operation)

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ControlDeck is an independent, third-party companion app and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by FlexRadio Systems, Inc. "FlexRadio," "FLEX-6000," "FLEX-8000," "SmartSDR," "SmartLink," "Maestro" and "Aurora" are trademarks of FlexRadio Systems, Inc., used here solely to indicate hardware compatibility.

What’s new

Frequency memories are here — save, recall, and manage your radio's memories, with a searchable picker and one-tap grid buttons. Plus a new RF Gain control that follows your antenna, a new squelch (SQL) control, bigger control-grid text on tablets, and steadier reconnects when you switch back to the app.