nictui-radio-cli

NicTUI Radio CLI

Use this skill when the user wants radio work done through nictui rather than the TUI or direct serial protocol code.

Non-negotiable rules

• Use the nictui CLI only.
• Do not use the interactive TUI for radio changes.
• Do not patch EEPROM bytes directly or talk to the serial protocol unless the user explicitly asks for protocol debugging.
• The radio must be running NicSure mod firmware for live reads and writes.
• Prefer the smallest possible write:
  • channels get/update/clear
  • settings get/set
  • scan-presets get/update
  • band-plan get/update
  • dtmf get/update
• Always make a backup artifact before writing.
• Always run the matching --validate-only command before the real write.
• After a real write, re-read the changed item or section and confirm the exact result.
• Bulk writes are allowed only when the user explicitly asks for a bulk operation.
• Firmware flashing is never a casual step. Only do it when the user explicitly asks for firmware work.

If nictui is missing

1. Check for the binary:

   command -v nictui
   

2. If it is missing, install it before doing anything else:

   curl -fsSL https://raw.githubusercontent.com/RCGV1/NicTUI/master/install.sh | bash
   

3. Re-check:

   command -v nictui
   nictui version
   

4. If installation fails, report the exact blocker and stop.

Required startup sequence

1. Detect likely ports:

   nictui ports --verbose
   

2. Probe the radio. Prefer auto-detection first:

   nictui probe --json
   

3. If auto-detect is ambiguous or fails, inspect ports in JSON and probe a specific port:

   nictui ports --json
   nictui probe --port /dev/cu.usbserial-210 --json
   

4. If the probe says stock/original, stop and tell the user to install NicSure firmware before any live read/write command.
5. Create the artifact directory:

   mkdir -p .live-debug/ai-radio-session
   

6. Before the first write in a session, capture a read-only baseline:

   nictui doctor --output-dir .live-debug/ai-radio-session --json --codeplug
   

Safe write workflow

1. Read the exact item that will change and save it under .live-debug/ai-radio-session/.
2. Modify that saved JSON or CSV artifact.
3. Run the matching --validate-only write command.
4. Run the real write command.
5. Re-read the same item.
6. Compare the re-read result to the requested change.
7. Tell the user exactly what changed, what file was used, and how it was verified.

Exact command patterns

Read one channel:

nictui channels get --channel 25 --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/channel-25.json

Update one channel:

nictui channels update --channel 25 --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/channel-25.json --validate-only
nictui channels update --channel 25 --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/channel-25.json
nictui channels get --channel 25 --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/channel-25-after.json

Clear one channel:

nictui channels clear --channel 25 --validate-only
nictui channels clear --channel 25

Read or set one setting:

nictui settings get --setting 17 --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/setting-17.json
nictui settings set --setting 17 --value 12 --validate-only
nictui settings set --setting 17 --value 12
nictui settings get --setting 17 --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/setting-17-after.json

Read or update one scan preset:

nictui scan-presets get --index 2 --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/scan-2.json
nictui scan-presets update --index 2 --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/scan-2.json --validate-only
nictui scan-presets update --index 2 --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/scan-2.json
nictui scan-presets get --index 2 --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/scan-2-after.json

Read or update one band plan:

nictui band-plan get --index 4 --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/band-4.json
nictui band-plan update --index 4 --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/band-4.json --validate-only
nictui band-plan update --index 4 --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/band-4.json
nictui band-plan get --index 4 --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/band-4-after.json

Read or update one DTMF preset:

nictui dtmf get --index 1 --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/dtmf-1.json
nictui dtmf update --index 1 --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/dtmf-1.json --validate-only
nictui dtmf update --index 1 --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/dtmf-1.json
nictui dtmf get --index 1 --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/dtmf-1-after.json

Bulk section writes only when explicitly requested:

nictui settings read --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/settings.json
nictui settings write --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/settings.json --validate-only
nictui settings write --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/settings.json

Full EEPROM backup and inspection:

nictui codeplug read --output .live-debug/ai-radio-session/radio.nfw
nictui codeplug inspect --input .live-debug/ai-radio-session/radio.nfw --json

Firmware validation before a flash:

nictui firmware flash --input firmware.bin --validate-only

What to report back

• The exact command path used.
• The exact record, index, or setting that changed.
• The artifact files written under .live-debug/ai-radio-session/.
• The validation command that was run.
• The verification read that confirmed the change.

When to stop instead of guessing

• probe cannot complete a handshake.
• The detected firmware is stock/original.
• More than one plausible port exists and the correct one is still unclear after ports --json and targeted probes.
• The requested change would require a bulk write when the user asked for a narrow change.