# Installation

> Setup guide for ML Radio

Category: RADIO · Source: https://miciomods.it/docs/ml-radio-installation · Last updated: 2026-08-21

## Overview

ML Radio adds handset radios on pma-voice with antenna-based signal coverage, jammers, hackable towers, job-gated broadcast stations, speaker zones and placeable stereos. It persists placed infrastructure to the database and integrates with the inventory through `ml_bridge`.

## Quick Start

1. Download from [CFX Portal](https://portal.cfx.re)
2. Extract to your `resources` folder as `ml_radio`
3. Add to `server.cfg`:

**server.cfg**

```cfg
ensure oxmysql
ensure ox_lib
ensure pma-voice
ensure ml_bridge
ensure xsound      # optional - station and stereo audio
ensure ml_radio
```

> **WARNING:** Load Order
>
> `ml_radio` must start AFTER `ml_bridge` and `pma-voice`.

> **WARNING:** Dual Channel Needs The Bundled pma-voice
>
> The download ships a `pma-voice` folder next to `ml_radio`. It is pma-voice with a second radio channel added, which is what lets the handset talk on one frequency while monitoring another. Install it in place of your current pma-voice, or port the `setSecondRadioChannel` export into your own copy. On stock pma-voice the dual channel switches itself off, prints one warning and everything else runs unchanged. `README_ML_RADIO.md` in that folder lists what was changed.

## Database

Tables are created automatically on first start:

`ml_radio_antennas`: Player-placed antennas: position, health, lockout

`ml_radio_fixed_antennas`: Fixed tower state overrides: health, lockout

`ml_radio_jammers`: Placed jammers: position, power, health

`ml_radio_data`: Key/value store, currently placed stereos

Per-player radio state rides on the item itself as metadata, not in a table, so a handset keeps its frequencies, callsign and charge when it changes hands.

`_INSTALL/sql.sql` holds the same four statements for anyone who prefers to create them by hand.

## Item Registration

Register the following items in your inventory system. Ready-to-paste definitions ship in `_INSTALL/items.lua`, and `_INSTALL/ox_items.txt` is pre-formatted for `ox_inventory/data/items.lua`:

- `radio`: Handset
- `radio_jammer`: Placeable jamming tower
- `radio_antenna_small` / `radio_antenna_medium` / `radio_antenna_large` - Placeable antennas
- `boombox` / `pa_speaker` - Placeable stereos
- `battery_pack`: Battery, recharges handsets and jammers
- `electronic_kit` / `metal_scrap` - Repair materials
- `hacking_device`: Required to hack antennas

Icons for all of them ship in `_INSTALL/inventory_images/`. Copy them into `ox_inventory/web/images/`.

Handset and consumable names live in `Config.Items`. Antenna and jammer names live with their models in `Config.Antenna.tiers` and `Config.Jammer.tiers`. Stereo names live in `Config.StereoProps.items`.

> **INFO:** Props Ship With The Script
>
> The custom tower model used by the large antenna and the fixed towers is streamed from the resource itself. Everything else uses base-game props. Nothing extra to install.

## Verify

After starting, the console prints the resource banner and the fixed towers load. In game: use a `radio` item from your inventory, tune a frequency near a tower and the signal bars read above zero.

**Troubleshooting**

- Radio opens but nobody hears voice - check that `pma-voice` is running and started before `ml_radio`.
- Stations and boomboxes play no music - `xsound` is missing or `Config.Broadcast.streamingProvider = 'none'`. Voice radio is unaffected.
- Using the item does nothing - the item is not registered in your inventory, or its name does not match `Config.Items.radios`.
- "No signal" everywhere - signal starts at `Config.Signal.baseSignalWithoutAntenna = 0`; coverage comes from fixed towers and placed antennas. Check the tower coords are loaded.
- Nothing posts to Discord - the webhooks in `server/config_server.lua` ship empty; fill in real URLs.