Use keyboard and mouse controls
Radio Bench deliberately limits global keyboard control. This reduces accidental station actions while you enter text.
Enter a frequency
Select a digit in the frequency display. Type a number to replace that digit. The receiver tunes immediately, and the selection moves to the next digit.
Use the left and right arrow keys to select another digit. Press Escape or select another control to end entry. Escape does not undo digits that you already typed.
Use the PTT shortcut
The default PTT shortcut is Space. Press once to start ordinary PTT, and press again to stop. Releasing the key does not stop transmission.
During a live FSK contact, the shortcut halts the contact instead, including from another tab. It does not confirm or start an FSK exchange.
The shortcut works only while the Radio Bench window has focus. It does not operate while you type in a text field, so a typed space cannot start PTT.
Open Settings > General > PTT shortcut to change the shortcut. Select the shortcut control, then press the new unmodified key. Enter and Tab cannot be assigned. Press Escape while capturing a key to keep the existing shortcut.
Treat the keyboard shortcut as a live PTT control. Confirm the selected TX device, rig, mode, and frequency before you press it.
Keyboard reference
| Key | Where | Action |
|---|---|---|
Space (configurable) |
Anywhere outside a text field | Starts or stops ordinary PTT. Halts a live FSK contact. |
Digits, Left, Right |
Frequency display | Replace the selected digit and move between digits. |
Escape |
Frequency display | Ends frequency entry. |
Ctrl+F (Cmd+F on macOS) |
Settings window | Starts a settings search. |
Escape |
Settings search field | Clears the search. |
Enter |
QSO entry bar fields | Logs the contact immediately, or updates a contact that you loaded for editing. Review the entry before you press it. |
Enter |
License email and code fields | Continues to the next activation step. |
Mouse reference
| Action | Where | Result |
|---|---|---|
| Click | Spectrum or waterfall | Tunes the receiver VFO. |
| Drag the VFO marker | Spectrum or waterfall | Tunes continuously. |
| Drag horizontally | Frequency scale | Pans the view. See pan and zoom. |
| Drag vertically | Lower edge of the spectrum | Changes the space shared by spectrum and waterfall. |
| Click | FSK waterfall | Sets the RX audio offset. |
Shift-click |
FSK waterfall | Sets the TX audio offset. |
| Drag a marker | FSK waterfall | Moves the RX or TX offset. |
| Drag, or double-click | Lower edge of the FSK waterfall | Resizes the waterfall, or restores automatic sizing. |
| Double-click | Eligible FSK decode | Starts a reply. See FT8 and FT4. |
| Right-click | Logbook row | Opens Edit QSO, Show on map, and Delete QSO. |
| Right-click | Map | Opens Set home here. |
| Right-click | KiwiSDR Station URL |
Opens Paste. |
FT8/FT4 controls
In the FSK workspace, use the contact card to confirm a scheduled transmission. Use Halt to stop the exchange. While a guided contact is live, the PTT button shows HALT.