RadioBOSS automatic countdown for speakers: 2026 guide (free)

If you run a web or FM radio with RadioBOSS, you know the problem: a speaker enters the studio and needs to know exactly when their live show starts. No more improvisation, no more "I'll watch the clock and guess the jingle." You need an automatic countdown that reads the RadioBOSS schedule and shows precise seconds to on-air.

In this guide we'll see how to set up RadioKit Timer in 5 minutes: a free Windows app that does exactly that, synced in realtime with your RadioBOSS.

🎯 What RadioKit Timer does

RadioKit Timer is a small Windows program that:

• Connects locally to your RadioBOSS via HTTP API (port 9000 default)
• Reads the schedule (.sdl) and queued tracks to calculate exact time to next on-air
• Shows a sub-second countdown on the studio screen
• Publishes the state to radiokit.io in outbound-only mode (HTTPS), so remote speakers, external regia or public page can see it
• Works through firewall and NAT with no port forwarding or VPN required

📋 Requirements

• Windows 10/11 PC running RadioBOSS
• RadioBOSS 6.x or higher (free version OK)
• RadioBOSS HTTP API enabled (see below)
• Internet connection (even modest, 1-2 Mbps upload is enough)

🚀 5-step setup

1. Enable HTTP API in RadioBOSS

Open RadioBOSS → Settings → Network Server:

• Enable HTTP server ✅
• Port: 9000 (default)
• Leave username/password empty for local access, or set credentials for network access

Verify by opening in browser on the same PC: http://127.0.0.1:9000/. You should see RadioBOSS web interface.

2. Download RadioKit Timer

Go to radiokit.io/timer and download the latest Windows .exe. Free beta (renewable every 30 days).

3. Install and launch

Open the downloaded .exe. On first launch it will ask:

• RadioBOSS URL: http://127.0.0.1:9000 (default if running on same PC)
• Radio key: we assign automatically (format RKT-XXXXX). Save it — needed by anyone wanting to see the public timer.

4. Schedule ready in RadioBOSS

The Timer reads automatically the events in RadioBOSS scheduler. If you already set programming (e.g. "DJ live at 6 PM", "news flash 7:30 PM"), the Timer will show:

• Time remaining to next on-air
• Show name coming up
• Realtime status (ON AIR / WAITING / COUNTDOWN)

5. Public page for remote speakers

Every Timer has a public page at a URL like https://radiokit.io/t/RKT-XXXXX showing the same countdown visible from any browser or smartphone. Perfect for:

• Speaker connecting from home
• External director monitoring remote
• Guests entering the studio at precise times

⚡ Sub-second precision with drift correction

The Timer updates state to RadioKit every 400 ms (ETag/304 to minimize traffic). The public page does adaptive polling: faster near on-air, slower during pauses. The system auto-corrects clock drift between server and client for sub-second precision.

Practical result: the countdown a remote speaker sees is accurate to a tenth of a second compared to studio. No more awkward "are we live? wait…"

🆚 Comparison with alternatives

🎁 Start today

Download RadioKit Timer at radiokit.io/timer, follow this 5-step guide and in under 10 minutes you have a professional countdown working 24/7.

Questions? Custom setup? Write us at info@radiokit.io. We reply within 24 hours (Italian, English, French, Spanish).