ShackSwitch

ShackSwitch

ShackSwitch is an open-source Arduino-based antenna / accessory switch built by Nigel Fenton. AetherSDR speaks the same Antenna Genius UDP/TCP protocol over port 9007, so any ShackSwitch device on the LAN appears in Radio Setup → Peripherals and gets a dedicated applet for one-click port switching.

Integrated in v0.9.4 (#2214 / #2227, nigelfenton).

Discovery + connect

1. Open Settings → Radio Setup → Peripherals tab.
2. AetherSDR auto-discovers ShackSwitch devices on the local subnet by listening for the AG broadcast. Discovered devices appear in the table with their IP, hardware version, and port count.
3. Click Connect beside the device, or click Add Manual IP… if the device is on a different subnet.
4. The ShackSwitch applet appears in the right-side applet panel.

The connection state persists across radio sessions — when you reconnect to your radio, AetherSDR automatically reconnects to the previously-paired ShackSwitch.

ShackSwitch applet

A compact panel with up to 8 labelled antenna-port buttons. The labels come from the ShackSwitch device's own configuration (set through the device's web UI), so what shows up matches whatever you've labelled the ports — "80m Vertical", "Hex Beam", "Dummy", etc.

Visual	Meaning
Cyan-ringed button	Currently selected port
Click	Switch to that port
Click currently active port again	Deselect (route to dummy / no antenna)

SO2R / dual-radio mode

When the ShackSwitch is in SO2R configuration, the applet splits into two columns — Input A and Input B — each showing the full port list. Conflict detection lights up if both inputs select the same port.

Single-radio mode (4-port R4 hardware) hides Input B automatically.

Protocol details

• Antenna Genius UDP discovery on port 9007
• TCP control on port 9007 once connected
• Connection state and selected port persist in AppSettings keys prefixed ShackSwitch*

Troubleshooting

Device doesn't appear in Peripherals

• Confirm the device is on the same subnet (broadcasts don't cross routers). Use Add Manual IP… instead.
• Check the device's web UI to confirm it's on the network and reporting an IP.

Buttons greyed out

• The applet only enables buttons after a successful connection. Check the Peripherals tab status indicator.

Conflict detection lighting up in SO2R mode

• ShackSwitch hardware physically blocks two inputs on the same port. The conflict warning is informational — the device ignores the second selection until you switch one input off.

See also: USB Cable Management for radio-side BCD/CAT cables that can drive ShackSwitch automatically based on band.