jensenpat · Oct 31, 2026 · Oct 31, 2026
@@ -881,6 +881,7 @@ set(AETHER_SETTINGS_SOURCES
 )
 
 set(CORE_SOURCES
+    src/models/ConnectionWorkspace.cpp
     src/core/control/ControlProtocolCodec.cpp # aetherd v1 bounded JSON envelopes
     src/core/control/ControlResourceStore.cpp # typed snapshots and revisions
     src/core/control/ControlSession.cpp       # subscriptions and bounded event queues

@@ -30,6 +30,7 @@ builds qtkeychain against it, then configure as usual:
 ```bash
 scripts/setup/setup-qt.sh
 cmake -B build -G Ninja \
+  -DREQUIRE_KEYCHAIN=ON \
   -DCMAKE_PREFIX_PATH="$(scripts/setup/setup-qt.sh --print-prefix);$(brew --prefix)"
 ```
 
@@ -38,6 +39,10 @@ for fftw, librtlsdr, portaudio and hidapi, but a Homebrew `qt` formula (often
 pulled in by something else) lives under the same prefix; naming the pinned Qt
 first keeps it the one CMake finds.
 
+`REQUIRE_KEYCHAIN=ON` makes a missing credential store a configuration error.
+Keep it enabled when testing saved SmartLink accounts or Icom connections;
+without QtKeychain those credentials last only for the current session.
+
 Qt 6.12 needs **Xcode 16** (the macOS 15 SDK): Qt's own CMake stops at
 configure with "Qt requires at least version 16 of Xcode" on anything older,
 and the script checks before it downloads. Xcode 16 itself needs a macOS 14.5+

@@ -1732,5 +1732,11 @@
   "note": "Explicit per-radio amplifier telemetry association; no radio or tuner commands.",
   "split": "",
   "confidence": "high"
+ },
+ "models/ConnectionWorkspace.h": {
+  "tag": "universal",
+  "note": "Versioned local station membership, connection references and operator audio/layout configuration. QtCore only; no vendor wire API or radio operating state.",
+  "split": "",
+  "confidence": "high"
  }
 }
@@ -4,7 +4,7 @@
 
 Burndown manifest for the engine/UI decoupling ([RFC](../aetherd-headless-engine-design.md) §2, §10). One row per engine header the UI includes; converting a touchpoint means the UI reaches that surface through the versioned protocol instead of the header.
 
-**Totals:** 274 touchpoint headers (223 core, 51 models) — 274/274 tagged, 0/274 converted.
+**Totals:** 275 touchpoint headers (223 core, 52 models) — 275/275 tagged, 0/275 converted.
 
 | Header | Includers | Tag | Status |
 |---|---:|---|---|
@@ -239,6 +239,7 @@ Burndown manifest for the engine/UI decoupling ([RFC](../aetherd-headless-engine
 | `models/BandDefs.h` | 5 | universal — Static ARRL band plan table (edges, default freq/mode, GEN/WWV); canonical band-plan data, no vendor ties. | unconverted |
 | `models/BandPlanManager.h` | 9 | universal — Band-plan overlay data (segments/spots/license classes, region merge) from JSON; radio-agnostic canon | unconverted |
 | `models/BandSettings.h` | 6 | universal — Per-band save/restore of canonical state (freq/mode/filter/AGC/WNB/display range) — band memories, no vendor fields | unconverted |
+| `models/ConnectionWorkspace.h` | 1 | universal — Versioned local station membership, connection references and operator audio/layout configuration. QtCore only; no vendor wire API or radio operating state. | unconverted |
 | `models/Ctr2ProxyModel.h` | 5 | peripheral(ctr2) — CTR2-Max controller relay: an operator-enabled opaque byte relay between the controller (TCP listener in Wi-Fi mode, USB HID link in USB mode) and a dedicated radio TCP connection. The CTR2 is an independent radio client; nothing passes RadioModel, a backend socket or IRadioBackend. A device that negotiates link extensions (HID Feature report 0x02; never a stock CTR2) also receives AetherSDR's own audio spectrum, from the GUI's Ctr2AudioSpectrumFeeder, beside the relayed stream. A peripheral accessory transport, NOT behind the radio seam. See docs/ctr2-tcp-proxy-design.md and docs/ctr2-usb-relay-design.md (RFC #6091). | unconverted |
 | `models/CwDecodeSettings.h` | 9 | ui-support — CW receive backend selection and display preferences in the existing feature-owned settings blob; no radio state. | unconverted |
 | `models/CwRxModel.h` | 2 | universal — Receive CW backend catalog and lifecycle over typed PCM; decoder workers remain private and TX is separate. | unconverted |

@@ -2785,6 +2785,9 @@ Bare-line forms are also accepted:
 
 ```text
 connect list
+connect profiles
+connect profile stations <station-id>
+connect profile operators <operator-id>
 connect show
 connect hide
 connect local first
@@ -2795,6 +2798,17 @@ connect wait 30000
 disconnect
 ```
 
+`connect profiles` returns the versioned connection workspace: saved locations and
+their connection paths, operator audio/layout preferences, account labels and
+references, and the selected IDs. The API retains the `stations` collection name
+for compatibility with saved documents; the UI calls these **Locations**.
+It never contains passwords or refresh tokens.
+It is available in Observe-only mode. `connect profile stations|operators <id>`
+persists a selection for the next connection, including while a radio is live;
+it neither connects nor applies audio or radio state. This mutation is refused
+in Observe-only mode. Profile creation and editing are exercised through the
+normal `connectionProfileEditor` widgets with `invoke`.
+
 `connect show` and `connect hide` idempotently show/raise or hide the
 modeless **Connect to Radio** dialog for visual debugging; they do not toggle,
 so `connect show` is safe when the dialog is already open. `connect local first`
@@ -4916,7 +4930,7 @@ audio devices require separate hardware validation.
 | `invoke` | — | invoke <target> <action> [value…] — drive a control (TX-guarded) |
 | `get` | — | get <model> [selector] [property] — live model snapshot; get eqstats [selector] [reset] reports Client EQ paint/cache counters |
 | `meterwindow` | — | meterwindow <start [duration_ms]\|status\|stop> — bounded meter ages and unrounded peaks; never keys TX |
-| `connect` | — | connect <list\|show\|hide\|local\|ip\|wait> [args] |
+| `connect` | — | connect <list\|profiles\|profile stations\|operators <id>\|show\|hide\|local\|ip\|wait> [args] |
 | `disconnect` | — | disconnect from the radio |
 | `txtest` | — | txtest <twotone\|off> — TX-gated test signal |
 | `atu` | — | atu <bypass\|start> — antenna tuner (start is TX-gated) |

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ AetherSDR can receive with an Apache Labs **ANAN-G2** over openHPSDR Protocol 2.
 
 ## Setup
 
-The G2 is found automatically on your LAN: open **File → Connect to Radio...** → **On This Network**, select it and click **Connect Selected Radio**.
+The G2 is found automatically on your LAN: open **File → Connect to Radio...** → **Nearby radios**, select it and click **Connect Selected Radio**.
 
 Discovery also sends a directed broadcast to each attached IPv4 subnet. This can find a G2 on a second NIC with its own subnet. Two NICs sharing a subnet still use the preferred route; VPNs and routers may block broadcast discovery. If the G2 does not appear, use **Connect by IP** with **Radio type:** set to **ANAN-G2** (see [Manual Connection](./manual-connection.md)).
 

@@ -20,7 +20,7 @@ Demo mode runs the full AetherSDR interface against a built-in simulator, so you
 ## Setup
 
 1. Open the **Connect to Radio** window (**File → Connect to Radio...**).
-2. On **On This Network**, the list includes **AetherSDR Demo**, labeled **"Simulator (not on the air)"**.
+2. Under **Nearby radios**, the list includes **AetherSDR Demo**, labeled **"Simulator (not on the air)"**.
 3. Select it and click **Connect Selected Radio**.
 
 The demo always sorts below real radios and is never chosen over one. There is no menu item or command-line flag; you connect to it like any radio.

@@ -26,21 +26,22 @@ This page walks through connecting to a FlexRadio for the first time. AetherSDR
 
 ## Setup
 
-<img src="/img/screens/connect-dialog.png" width="760" alt="Connect to Radio window. Three cards across the top read On This Network (selected), Remote with SmartLink and Connect by IP. The Available radios list holds three entries: Hermes-Lite 2, ready on your local network, highlighted, with its address blacked out; FLEX-8600 FLX8600 KK7GWY, shared radio on your network via multiFLEX at AetherSDR, USA; and AetherSDR Demo, Simulator (not on the air), DEMO, ready on your local network at 127.0.0.1. A Connect Selected Radio button and checkboxes for the adaptive frame-rate throttle, connecting to the last radio on start-up, waking an Icom on connect and showing the demo simulator follow, with Connected and a Disconnect button at the bottom." />
-
-*The Connect to Radio window, On This Network: every radio discovery found on the LAN. The addresses are blacked out.*
+The **Connect to a radio** window keeps your saved radios together in named locations, such as Home, POTA or Cabin. The initial **Home** location preserves your current connection settings. See [Location and Operator Profiles](./station-profiles.md).
 
 The window has no title bar. It opens above the status bar; drag any empty part of it to move it, and drag an edge or corner to resize it. Close it with the round **✕** in the top-right corner, **Esc** or **Ctrl+W** (**⌘W** on macOS). **View → Frameless Window** does not apply to it, and pressing **Return** in a field (an IP address, a SmartLink password) does only what that field does.
 
 The window automatically fits its height to the available screen space, including room for a horizontal scrollbar when the contents are wider than the window. On a smaller screen, scroll the body to reach its controls; the connection status and **Disconnect** button remain below it.
 
-1. **Launch AetherSDR.** The **Connect to Radio** window opens. You can reopen it at any time with **File → Connect to Radio...**, or from the **+** button beside the title bar's radio tabs.
-2. Choose **On This Network** ("Recommended for new users when the radio and computer are on the same LAN").
-3. Your radio appears under **Available radios** within a few seconds.
-4. Select it and click **Connect Selected Radio**.
-5. The spectrum and waterfall appear, and audio starts playing through your default output device.
+<img src="/img/screens/connect-dialog.png" width="912" alt="Connect to a radio window with Locations, the Radios at Home list, selected radio details, operator selection and SmartLink accounts." />
+
+*Choose a location, select a radio and use Connect to connect to that radio.*
+
+1. **Launch AetherSDR.** The **Connect to a radio** window opens. Reopen it with **File → Connect to Radio...**, or the **+** beside the title bar's radio tabs.
+2. Select your location. If it has no saved connections, discovered radios appear directly in its list.
+3. Select your radio and click **Connect**. The connection is saved in this location.
+4. The spectrum, waterfall and receive audio start.
 
-If no radio appears, the window shows "No local radios found yet" with **Retry Discovery**, **Remote with SmartLink**, **Connect by IP** and **Open Network Diagnostics** buttons. See [Troubleshooting](#troubleshooting).
+**Nearby radios** opens the full discovery list. Select a radio and click **Save selected radio to location**, then **Back to location** to return to the launcher. Discovery continues as you browse locations. If nothing appears, use **Retry Discovery** or **Open Network Diagnostics** there.
 
 The list can also include:
 - **Hermes-Lite 2** and **ANAN-G2** radios on the same LAN, and RTL-SDR dongles plugged into this computer (on builds with the RTL-SDR backend).
@@ -61,15 +62,15 @@ Controls that the connected radio cannot use are hidden or dimmed with a reason.
 
 ### Auto-connect
 
-With **Connect to last radio on start up** checked (the default), AetherSDR reconnects to the last radio on the next launch if it is reachable. Untick it in the Connect to Radio window to choose a radio yourself each time. If startup auto-connect gives up, the Connect to Radio window opens again.
+With **Connect to last radio on start up** checked (the default), AetherSDR reconnects to the last radio on the next launch if it is reachable. Untick it under **Startup and connection preferences** in the connection window to choose a radio yourself each time. If startup auto-connect gives up, the Connect to Radio window opens again.
 
 ### Connect by IP (routed networks)
 
-If your radio is on a different subnet or behind a VPN, discovery cannot see it. Choose the **Connect by IP** card, set **Radio type:**, enter **Radio IP:** and click **Connect by IP**. See [Manual Connection](./manual-connection.md).
+If your radio is on a different subnet or behind a VPN, discovery cannot see it. Choose **+ Add radio by IP**, set **Radio type:**, enter **Radio IP:** and click **Connect by IP**. See [Manual Connection](./manual-connection.md).
 
 ### SmartLink (remote operation)
 
-Choose **Remote with SmartLink** to reach a FlexRadio over the internet. See [SmartLink Setup](./smartlink-setup.md).
+Choose **SmartLink accounts…** to reach a FlexRadio over the internet. See [SmartLink Setup](./smartlink-setup.md).
 
 ## Known issues
 

@@ -30,7 +30,7 @@ The HL2 has no on-board DSP, so AetherSDR does the demodulation, filtering, AGC,
 
 ### Connecting
 
-The HL2 is found automatically on your LAN: open **File → Connect to Radio...** → **On This Network**, select it and click **Connect Selected Radio**. AetherSDR probes from every active IPv4 interface, so a computer with several network adapters finds the HL2 on the one it is connected to, and keeps using that interface for the session and its reconnects.
+The HL2 is found automatically on your LAN: open **File → Connect to Radio...** → **Nearby radios**, select it and click **Connect Selected Radio**. AetherSDR probes from every active IPv4 interface, so a computer with several network adapters finds the HL2 on the one it is connected to, and keeps using that interface for the session and its reconnects.
 
 Across a VPN or another subnet, use **Connect by IP** with **Radio type:** set to **Hermes-Lite 2** (see [Manual Connection](./manual-connection.md)).
 

@@ -15,12 +15,12 @@ Use **Connect by IP** for:
 
 ## Setup
 
-<img src="/img/screens/connect-by-ip-card.png" width="760" alt="Connect to Radio window with the Connect by IP card selected. The Radio IP address group has Radio type: FlexRadio, Radio IP: 192.0.2.25, Network Diagnostics and Connect by IP buttons, and an Advanced: choose the VPN source path expander. Below are Connection options for slower links with a Use low bandwidth mode checkbox, and the shared checkboxes for the adaptive frame-rate throttle, connecting to the last radio, waking an Icom and showing the demo simulator." />
+<img src="/img/screens/connect-by-ip-card.png" width="912" alt="Connect to a radio manual form with Connection name above the radio family, host and source path, and Save connection beside Connect by IP." />
 
-*The Connect by IP card, with a documentation address typed in.*
+*The saved manual connection form, with a documentation address typed in.*
 
-1. Open the **Connect to Radio** window: **File → Connect to Radio...**, or the **+** button beside the title bar's radio tabs → **Connect manually…**.
-2. Choose the **Connect by IP** card ("Best for VPN or routed station access when you already know the radio IP").
+1. Open **File → Connect to Radio...** and select the destination location.
+2. Choose **+ Add radio by IP**.
 
 The **Radio IP address** group starts with two rows:
 
@@ -33,6 +33,9 @@ The **Radio IP address** group starts with two rows:
 
 ## Using Connect by IP
 
+Enter an optional **Connection name:** at the top of the form, then choose **Save connection**, beside **Connect by IP**, to save without connecting. **Edit connection**, under **Connection settings** on the selected radio, restores its host, radio family, source interface, Icom settings and low bandwidth preference for editing. A saved connection stays visible while offline. An address is a saved locator; it is not proof that the same physical radio is still there.
+
+
 ### Connecting to a FlexRadio
 
 1. Set **Radio type:** to **FlexRadio**.
@@ -54,7 +57,7 @@ For a networked Icom behind NAT, see the **Icom ports:** row on [Networked Icom]
 
 ### Slower links
 
-**Use low bandwidth mode** and **Enable adaptive frame-rate throttle** are in the same window, under "Connection options for slower links". See [Low Bandwidth Connections](./low-bandwidth-connections.md).
+**Use low bandwidth mode** is under **Connection options for slower links**. **Enable adaptive frame-rate throttle** is under **Startup and connection preferences**. See [Low Bandwidth Connections](./low-bandwidth-connections.md).
 
 ### Auto-reconnect
 

@@ -45,9 +45,9 @@ Enable network (remote) control and create a network user name and password. Aet
 
 ### Connecting
 
-Networked Icoms are not discovered automatically. Open **File → Connect to Radio...**, choose **Connect by IP** and set **Radio type:** to **Icom (network)**. The form gains these rows:
+Networked Icoms are not discovered automatically. Open **File → Connect to Radio...**, choose **+ Add radio by IP** and set **Radio type:** to **Icom (network)**. The form gains these rows:
 
-<img src="/img/screens/connect-icom-rows.png" width="734" alt="Radio IP address group with Radio type: Icom (network), Radio IP: 192.0.2.30, empty Icom user and Icom password fields, Icom ports: Standard (50001–50003), Icom CI-V: Auto-detect (recommended), Network Diagnostics and Connect by IP buttons, and an Advanced: choose the VPN source path expander." />
+<img src="/img/screens/connect-icom-rows.png" width="912" alt="Radio IP address group with Radio type: Icom (network), Radio IP: 192.0.2.30, empty Icom user and Icom password fields, Icom ports: Standard (50001–50003), Icom CI-V: Auto-detect (recommended), Network Diagnostics and Connect by IP buttons, and an Advanced: choose the VPN source path expander." />
 
 *Connect by IP with Radio type set to Icom (network): the Icom user, password, ports and CI-V rows appear.*
 

@@ -23,7 +23,7 @@ Building from source: the `ENABLE_RTL` option is on by default and takes effect
 ## Setup
 
 1. Plug in the dongle.
-2. Open **File → Connect to Radio...** → **On This Network**. Supported dongles on USB are listed with the network radios.
+2. Open **File → Connect to Radio...** → **Nearby radios**. Supported dongles on USB are listed with the network radios.
 3. Select the dongle and click **Connect Selected Radio**.
 
 The radio tab shows **Connected** with a green status dot once the USB connection is established. Amber indicates discovery; a USB receiver does not need a network heartbeat to show its connected state.