diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/generated/app.js b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/generated/app.js
index 052bd6e9..4e315f52 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/generated/app.js
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/generated/app.js
@@ -2905,9 +2905,9 @@ function applyRigList(activeRigId, rigIds, displayNames) {
   populateRigPicker(headerRigSwitchSelect, lastRigIds, lastActiveRigId, disableSwitch);
   updateRigSubtitle(lastActiveRigId);
   window.trxUi?.setActiveRig(lastActiveRigId);
+  window.trx.modules.scheduler?.setRig(lastActiveRigId);
+  window.trx.modules.backgroundDecode?.setRig(lastActiveRigId);
   if (rigListChanged) {
-    window.trx.modules.scheduler?.setRig(lastActiveRigId);
-    window.trx.modules.backgroundDecode?.setRig(lastActiveRigId);
     window.trx.modules.bookmarks?.populateScopePicker();
     void window.trx.modules.bookmarks?.fetch(document.getElementById("bm-category-filter")?.value || "");
   }
@@ -6001,7 +6001,9 @@ async function initializeApp() {
     showAuthGate(allowGuest);
   }
 }
+var settingsUiReady = false;
 function initSettingsUI() {
+  settingsUiReady = true;
   window.trx.modules.scheduler?.initialize(lastActiveRigId, authRole);
   window.trx.modules.scheduler?.wireEvents();
   if (window.trx.modules.backgroundDecode) {
@@ -6272,7 +6274,9 @@ Object.defineProperties(trxState, {
   } }
 });
 window.trx = Object.freeze({ state: trxState, core: trxCore, modules: trxModules });
-void loadEagerPlugins().catch((error) => {
+void loadEagerPlugins().then(() => {
+  if (settingsUiReady) initSettingsUI();
+}).catch((error) => {
   console.error(error);
 });
 void initializeApp();
diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/generated/background-decode.js b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/generated/background-decode.js
index 24c09973..a14bc591 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/generated/background-decode.js
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/generated/background-decode.js
@@ -19,9 +19,11 @@ var bgdWindow = window;
   let bookmarkList = [];
   let statusInterval = null;
   let bgdDirty = false;
+  let statusByBookmark = /* @__PURE__ */ new Map();
+  let lastStatus = null;
   function initBackgroundDecode(rigId, role) {
     backgroundDecodeRole = role;
-    currentRigId = rigId || null;
+    currentRigId = rigId || hostState.lastActiveRigId || null;
     if (currentRigId) loadBackgroundDecode();
     startStatusPolling();
   }
@@ -108,7 +110,7 @@ var bgdWindow = window;
     }
     setCheckbox("background-decode-enabled", currentConfig.enabled);
     renderBookmarkChecklist();
-    const isControl = backgroundDecodeRole === "control" || hostState.authEnabled === false;
+    const isControl = isControlRole();
     const panel = document.getElementById("background-decode-panel");
     if (panel) {
       panel.querySelectorAll("input, select, button.sch-write").forEach(function(el) {
@@ -119,6 +121,10 @@ var bgdWindow = window;
     const resetBtn = document.getElementById("background-decode-reset-btn");
     if (saveBtn) saveBtn.style.display = isControl ? "" : "none";
     if (resetBtn) resetBtn.style.display = isControl ? "" : "none";
+    syncSaveButton();
+  }
+  function currentFilterText() {
+    return document.getElementById("bgd-bookmark-filter")?.value ?? "";
   }
   function renderBookmarkChecklist(filterText = "") {
     const container = document.getElementById("bgd-bookmark-checklist");
@@ -134,20 +140,49 @@ var bgdWindow = window;
       return text.indexOf(filter) >= 0;
     }) : all;
     if (filtered.length === 0) {
-      container.innerHTML = '<div class="bgd-checklist-empty">' + (all.length === 0 ? "No supported bookmarks available." : "No bookmarks match filter.") + "</div>";
+      container.innerHTML = '<div class="bgd-checklist-empty">' + escHtml(emptyListText(all.length)) + "</div>";
+      renderSelectionSummary();
       return;
     }
     filtered.forEach(function(bookmark) {
       const row = document.createElement("label");
       row.className = "bgd-checklist-row";
+      row.dataset.bmId = bookmark.id;
       const decoders = bookmarkDecoderKinds(bookmark);
-      const checked = selectedIds.has(bookmark.id) ? " checked" : "";
-      row.innerHTML = '<input type="checkbox"' + checked + ' data-bm-id="' + escHtml(bookmark.id) + '" /><span class="bgd-checklist-name">' + escHtml(bookmark.name) + '</span><span class="bgd-checklist-meta">' + escHtml(formatFreq(bookmark.freq_hz) + " " + bookmark.mode + " · " + decoders.join("/").toUpperCase()) + "</span>";
+      const selected = selectedIds.has(bookmark.id);
+      if (selected) row.classList.add("is-selected");
+      row.innerHTML = '<input type="checkbox"' + (selected ? " checked" : "") + ' data-bm-id="' + escHtml(bookmark.id) + '" /><span class="bgd-checklist-name">' + escHtml(bookmark.name) + '</span><span class="bgd-checklist-meta">' + escHtml(formatFreq(bookmark.freq_hz)) + '<span class="bgd-checklist-mode">' + escHtml(bookmark.mode + " · " + decoders.join("/").toUpperCase()) + "</span></span>" + stateBadgeHtml(bookmark.id, selected);
       row.querySelector("input")?.addEventListener("change", function(e) {
         onChecklistToggle(bookmark.id, e.currentTarget.checked);
       });
       container.appendChild(row);
     });
+    renderSelectionSummary();
+  }
+  function emptyListText(supportedCount) {
+    if (supportedCount > 0) return "No bookmark matches that filter.";
+    if (bookmarkList.length > 0) {
+      return "None of your bookmarks name a decoder that can run in the background. Give one a decoder on the Bookmarks tab to list it here.";
+    }
+    return "No bookmarks yet. Save one on the Bookmarks tab and it can be decoded here.";
+  }
+  function stateBadgeHtml(bookmarkId, selected) {
+    if (!selected) return '<span class="bgd-state" data-state="unselected"></span>';
+    const entry = statusByBookmark.get(bookmarkId);
+    const state = entry?.state ?? (currentConfig?.enabled ? "pending" : "disabled");
+    return '<span class="bgd-state" data-state="' + escHtml(state) + '" title="' + escHtml(stateHelp(state)) + '"><span class="bgd-state-dot"></span>' + escHtml(prettyState(state)) + "</span>";
+  }
+  function renderSelectionSummary() {
+    const el = document.getElementById("bgd-selection-summary");
+    if (!el) return;
+    const selected = currentConfig?.bookmark_ids.length ?? 0;
+    if (selected === 0) {
+      el.textContent = "Nothing selected — background decoding is idle.";
+      return;
+    }
+    const active = [...statusByBookmark.values()].filter((entry) => entry.state === "active").length;
+    const noun = `${String(selected)} bookmark${selected === 1 ? "" : "s"} selected`;
+    el.textContent = currentConfig?.enabled ? `${noun}, ${String(active)} decoding now.` : `${noun}. Switch Enabled on to start decoding them.`;
   }
   function onChecklistToggle(bookmarkId, checked) {
     if (!currentConfig) {
@@ -182,7 +217,7 @@ var bgdWindow = window;
     }).catch(function(err) {
       showToast(`Save failed: ${errorMessage(err)}`, true);
     }).finally(function() {
-      if (btn) btn.disabled = false;
+      syncSaveButton();
     });
   }
   async function resetBackgroundDecode() {
@@ -210,59 +245,83 @@ var bgdWindow = window;
     });
   }
   function renderStatus(status) {
-    const card = document.getElementById("background-decode-status-card");
-    if (!card) return;
-    const entries = status.entries ?? [];
-    if (!entries.length) {
-      card.textContent = "No background decode bookmarks configured.";
+    lastStatus = status;
+    statusByBookmark = new Map(
+      (status.entries ?? []).filter((entry) => typeof entry.bookmark_id === "string" && entry.bookmark_id.length > 0).map((entry) => [entry.bookmark_id, entry])
+    );
+    renderSpanSummary();
+    renderBookmarkChecklist(currentFilterText());
+  }
+  function renderSpanSummary() {
+    const el = document.getElementById("bgd-span-summary");
+    if (!el) return;
+    const status = lastStatus;
+    if (!status) {
+      el.textContent = "";
       return;
     }
-    const summary = [];
-    if (status.active_rig) {
-      if (typeof status.center_hz === "number" && Number.isFinite(status.center_hz)) summary.push("Center " + formatFreq(status.center_hz));
-      if (typeof status.sample_rate === "number" && Number.isFinite(status.sample_rate) && status.sample_rate > 0) summary.push("Span ±" + formatFreq(status.sample_rate / 2));
-    } else {
-      summary.push("This rig is not currently selected for audio.");
+    if (!status.active_rig) {
+      el.textContent = "This rig is not the one playing audio.";
+      el.dataset.tone = "warn";
+      return;
+    }
+    const centre = typeof status.center_hz === "number" && Number.isFinite(status.center_hz) ? formatFreq(status.center_hz) : null;
+    const half = typeof status.sample_rate === "number" && Number.isFinite(status.sample_rate) && status.sample_rate > 0 ? formatFreq(status.sample_rate / 2) : null;
+    el.dataset.tone = "";
+    el.textContent = centre && half ? `Span ${centre} ±${half}` : centre ? `Centre ${centre}` : "";
+  }
+  function stateHelp(state) {
+    switch (state) {
+      case "active":
+        return "Decoding on a hidden channel.";
+      case "out_of_span":
+        return "Outside the span the rig is tuned across, so it cannot be heard from here.";
+      case "waiting_for_spectrum":
+        return "Waiting for the first spectrum frame from the rig.";
+      case "waiting_for_user":
+        return "Nobody is listening to this rig, so no audio is being pulled.";
+      case "missing_bookmark":
+        return "The bookmark this was selected from is gone.";
+      case "no_supported_decoders":
+        return "No decoder that runs in the background can decode this bookmark.";
+      case "disabled":
+        return "Background decoding is switched off.";
+      case "handled_by_scheduler":
+      case "scheduler_has_control":
+        return "The scheduler is running this bookmark instead.";
+      case "handled_by_virtual_channel":
+        return "A virtual channel is already on this frequency.";
+      case "pending":
+        return "Selected, and not started yet — save to apply.";
+      default:
+        return "Selected, but not decoding.";
     }
-    let html = summary.length ? '<div style="margin-bottom:0.8rem;color:var(--text-muted);">' + escHtml(summary.join(" · ")) + "</div>" : "";
-    html += '<div class="bgd-status-list">';
-    entries.forEach(function(entry) {
-      const name = entry.bookmark_name || entry.bookmark_id || "Unknown bookmark";
-      const parts = [];
-      if (typeof entry.freq_hz === "number" && Number.isFinite(entry.freq_hz)) parts.push(formatFreq(entry.freq_hz));
-      if (entry.mode) parts.push(entry.mode);
-      if (Array.isArray(entry.decoder_kinds) && entry.decoder_kinds.length) {
-        parts.push(entry.decoder_kinds.join("/").toUpperCase());
-      }
-      html += '<div class="bgd-status-row"><div><div class="bgd-status-name">' + escHtml(name) + '</div><div class="bgd-status-meta">' + escHtml(parts.join(" · ")) + '</div></div><div class="bgd-status-state" data-state="' + escHtml(entry.state || "inactive") + '"><svg class="bgd-state-dot" viewBox="0 0 8 8"><circle cx="4" cy="4" r="3.5"/></svg>' + escHtml(prettyState(entry.state)) + "</div></div>";
-    });
-    html += "</div>";
-    card.innerHTML = html;
   }
   function prettyState(state) {
     switch (state) {
       case "active":
-        return "✓ Active";
+        return "Decoding";
       case "out_of_span":
-        return "△ Out of span";
+        return "Out of span";
       case "waiting_for_spectrum":
-        return "△ Waiting";
+        return "Waiting for spectrum";
       case "waiting_for_user":
-        return "△ No user";
+        return "Nobody listening";
       case "missing_bookmark":
-        return "✗ Missing";
+        return "Bookmark gone";
       case "no_supported_decoders":
-        return "✗ Unsupported";
+        return "No decoder";
       case "disabled":
-        return "△ Disabled";
+        return "Off";
       case "handled_by_scheduler":
-        return "△ Scheduler";
       case "scheduler_has_control":
-        return "△ Scheduler";
+        return "Scheduler has it";
       case "handled_by_virtual_channel":
-        return "△ VChan";
+        return "On a channel";
+      case "pending":
+        return "Not saved";
       default:
-        return "△ Inactive";
+        return "Idle";
     }
   }
   function setCheckbox(id, value) {
@@ -285,13 +344,21 @@ var bgdWindow = window;
   function markBgdDirty() {
     if (bgdDirty) return;
     bgdDirty = true;
-    const btn = document.getElementById("background-decode-save-btn");
-    if (btn) btn.classList.add("sch-dirty");
+    syncSaveButton();
   }
   function clearBgdDirty() {
     bgdDirty = false;
+    syncSaveButton();
+  }
+  function syncSaveButton() {
     const btn = document.getElementById("background-decode-save-btn");
-    if (btn) btn.classList.remove("sch-dirty");
+    if (!btn) return;
+    btn.classList.toggle("sch-dirty", bgdDirty);
+    btn.disabled = !bgdDirty || !isControlRole();
+    btn.title = bgdDirty ? "Apply these bookmarks to the background decoder" : "No changes to save";
+  }
+  function isControlRole() {
+    return backgroundDecodeRole === "control" || hostState.authEnabled === false;
   }
   function showToast(msg, isError) {
     const el = document.getElementById("background-decode-toast");
@@ -311,7 +378,7 @@ var bgdWindow = window;
       return bm.id;
     });
     currentConfig.bookmark_ids = ids;
-    renderBookmarkChecklist(document.getElementById("bgd-bookmark-filter")?.value);
+    renderBookmarkChecklist(currentFilterText());
     markBgdDirty();
   }
   function deselectAllBookmarks() {
@@ -319,7 +386,7 @@ var bgdWindow = window;
       currentConfig = { remote: currentRigId, enabled: false, bookmark_ids: [] };
     }
     currentConfig.bookmark_ids = [];
-    renderBookmarkChecklist(document.getElementById("bgd-bookmark-filter")?.value);
+    renderBookmarkChecklist(currentFilterText());
     markBgdDirty();
   }
   function wireBackgroundDecodeEvents() {
@@ -334,7 +401,9 @@ var bgdWindow = window;
     if (enabledCb && !enabledCb._wired) {
       enabledCb._wired = true;
       enabledCb.addEventListener("change", function() {
+        if (currentConfig) currentConfig.enabled = enabledCb.checked;
         markBgdDirty();
+        renderBookmarkChecklist(currentFilterText());
       });
     }
     const selectAllBtn = document.getElementById("bgd-select-all-btn");
diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/index.html b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/index.html
index ec936b08..1e1b49dd 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/index.html
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/index.html
@@ -1467,30 +1467,31 @@ SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
       <div id="subtab-settings-background-decode" class="sub-tab-panel" style="display:none;">
         <div id="background-decode-panel" class="sch-panel">
           <div class="sch-toast" id="background-decode-toast" role="alert" aria-live="polite" style="display:none;"></div>
-          <!-- Now Playing status card (moved to top) -->
-          <div class="now-playing-card">
-            <div id="background-decode-status-card" class="sch-status-card">No background decode bookmarks configured.</div>
-          </div>
           <div class="sch-section">
-            <div class="sch-section-title">Configuration</div>
-            <div class="sch-row">
-              <label class="sch-label bgd-toggle-wrap">Background decode
-                <span class="bgd-toggle-row">
-                  <input type="checkbox" id="background-decode-enabled" />
-                  <span>Enable hidden background decoder channels</span>
-                </span>
+            <div class="sch-section-title">Background Decode</div>
+            <p class="bgd-intro">
+              Decodes saved bookmarks on hidden channels while you work another band.
+              Needs an SDR rig, and a bookmark is only decoded while it falls inside
+              the span the rig is tuned across.
+            </p>
+            <div class="bgd-controls">
+              <label class="bgd-enable">
+                <input type="checkbox" id="background-decode-enabled" />
+                <span>Enabled</span>
               </label>
+              <span id="bgd-span-summary" class="bgd-span" aria-live="polite"></span>
             </div>
-            <div class="sch-row" style="flex-direction:column;gap:0.5rem;">
-              <label class="sch-label" style="min-width:100%;">Bookmarks
-                <input type="text" id="bgd-bookmark-filter" class="bgd-checklist-filter" placeholder="Filter bookmarks..." />
-              </label>
+            <div class="bgd-list-toolbar">
+              <input type="text" id="bgd-bookmark-filter" class="bgd-checklist-filter"
+                     placeholder="Filter bookmarks&hellip;" aria-label="Filter bookmarks" />
               <div class="bgd-select-actions">
-                <button type="button" id="bgd-select-all-btn" class="bgd-select-btn" aria-label="Select all bookmarks">Select All</button>
-                <button type="button" id="bgd-deselect-all-btn" class="bgd-select-btn" aria-label="Deselect all bookmarks">Deselect All</button>
+                <button type="button" id="bgd-select-all-btn" class="bgd-select-btn" aria-label="Select every bookmark">All</button>
+                <button type="button" id="bgd-deselect-all-btn" class="bgd-select-btn" aria-label="Select no bookmarks">None</button>
               </div>
-              <div id="bgd-bookmark-checklist" class="bgd-checklist"></div>
             </div>
+            <div id="bgd-bookmark-checklist" class="bgd-checklist" role="group"
+                 aria-label="Bookmarks decoded in the background"></div>
+            <div id="bgd-selection-summary" class="bgd-summary" aria-live="polite"></div>
           </div>
 
           <div class="sch-actions">
diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/style.css b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/style.css
index 8d7afb5b..35560d40 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/style.css
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/assets/web/style.css
@@ -5589,18 +5589,6 @@ body[data-operator-layout="broadcast"] #cw-bar-overlay {
 #sch-sat-form-cancel:hover {
   background: var(--border);
 }
-.bgd-toggle-wrap {
-  min-width: 18rem;
-  flex: 1 1 20rem;
-}
-.bgd-toggle-row {
-  display: inline-flex;
-  align-items: center;
-  gap: 0.55rem;
-  min-height: var(--control-height);
-  color: var(--text);
-  font-weight: 500;
-}
 .bgd-add-row {
   display: flex;
   gap: 0.55rem;
@@ -5624,48 +5612,6 @@ body[data-operator-layout="broadcast"] #cw-bar-overlay {
   color: var(--text-muted);
   font-size: 0.78rem;
 }
-.bgd-status-list {
-  display: grid;
-  gap: 0.65rem;
-}
-.bgd-status-row {
-  display: flex;
-  justify-content: space-between;
-  gap: 1rem;
-  padding: 0.65rem 0.75rem;
-  border: 1px solid var(--border-light);
-  border-radius: 0.55rem;
-  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--card-bg) 74%, transparent);
-}
-.bgd-status-name {
-  font-weight: 600;
-}
-.bgd-status-meta {
-  color: var(--text-muted);
-  font-size: 0.82rem;
-}
-.bgd-status-state {
-  align-self: center;
-  white-space: nowrap;
-  font-size: 0.78rem;
-  font-weight: 700;
-  letter-spacing: 0.05em;
-  text-transform: uppercase;
-  color: var(--accent-green);
-}
-.bgd-status-state[data-state="out_of_span"],
-.bgd-status-state[data-state="waiting_for_spectrum"],
-.bgd-status-state[data-state="waiting_for_user"],
-.bgd-status-state[data-state="scheduler_has_control"],
-.bgd-status-state[data-state="inactive"],
-.bgd-status-state[data-state="handled_by_scheduler"],
-.bgd-status-state[data-state="handled_by_virtual_channel"] {
-  color: var(--accent-yellow);
-}
-.bgd-status-state[data-state="missing_bookmark"],
-.bgd-status-state[data-state="no_supported_decoders"] {
-  color: var(--accent-red);
-}
 /* ── "Now Playing" status card (top of scheduler & bgd panels) ──── */
 .now-playing-card {
   border-left: 3px solid var(--accent-green);
@@ -5881,18 +5827,65 @@ body[data-operator-layout="broadcast"] #cw-bar-overlay {
   color: var(--text-muted);
   opacity: 0.7;
 }
+.bgd-intro {
+  margin: 0 0 0.9rem;
+  max-width: 62ch;
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+  font-size: 0.85rem;
+  line-height: 1.45;
+}
+/* The switch and what the rig can hear, on one line: the second is the reason
+   a selected bookmark may not be decoding, so it belongs beside the first. */
+.bgd-controls {
+  display: flex;
+  flex-wrap: wrap;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: space-between;
+  gap: 0.75rem;
+  margin-bottom: 0.9rem;
+}
+.bgd-enable {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  font-size: 0.9rem;
+  font-weight: 600;
+  color: var(--text);
+  cursor: pointer;
+}
+.bgd-span {
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+  font-size: 0.82rem;
+}
+.bgd-span[data-tone="warn"] {
+  color: var(--text-warn, #b7791f);
+}
+/* The filter and the bulk buttons sit on the list they act on, and stay on it
+   when the panel narrows. */
+.bgd-list-toolbar {
+  display: flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  gap: 0.5rem;
+  margin-bottom: 0.5rem;
+}
+.bgd-list-toolbar .bgd-checklist-filter {
+  flex: 1 1 auto;
+  min-width: 0;
+}
 .bgd-checklist {
-  max-height: 16rem;
+  max-height: 22rem;
   overflow-y: auto;
   border: 1px solid var(--border-light);
   border-radius: 0.4rem;
   background: var(--bg-secondary);
 }
+/* One row per bookmark: pick it here, and read what it is doing here too. */
 .bgd-checklist-row {
-  display: flex;
+  display: grid;
+  grid-template-columns: auto minmax(6rem, 1fr) auto auto;
   align-items: center;
   gap: 0.55rem;
-  padding: 0.45rem 0.65rem;
+  padding: 0.5rem 0.65rem;
   border-bottom: 1px solid var(--border-light);
   cursor: pointer;
   font-size: 0.85rem;
@@ -5904,28 +5897,83 @@ body[data-operator-layout="broadcast"] #cw-bar-overlay {
 .bgd-checklist-row:hover {
   background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--card-bg) 60%, transparent);
 }
+.bgd-checklist-row.is-selected {
+  background: color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent-green) 8%, transparent);
+}
 .bgd-checklist-row input[type="checkbox"] {
   flex-shrink: 0;
 }
 .bgd-checklist-name {
   font-weight: 600;
   color: var(--text);
-}
-.bgd-checklist-meta {
-  color: var(--text-muted);
-  font-size: 0.78rem;
-  margin-left: auto;
+  overflow: hidden;
+  text-overflow: ellipsis;
   white-space: nowrap;
 }
+.bgd-checklist-meta {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: baseline;
+  gap: 0.4rem;
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+  font-size: 0.78rem;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+  font-variant-numeric: tabular-nums;
+}
+.bgd-checklist-mode {
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+  opacity: 0.85;
+}
+/* A dot and a word. The dot carries the state, so the word can stay a word. */
+.bgd-state {
+  display: inline-flex;
+  align-items: center;
+  justify-content: flex-end;
+  gap: 0.35rem;
+  min-width: 9.5rem;
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+  font-size: 0.76rem;
+  white-space: nowrap;
+}
+.bgd-state-dot {
+  width: 0.5rem;
+  height: 0.5rem;
+  border-radius: 50%;
+  background: currentcolor;
+  opacity: 0.55;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
+}
+.bgd-state[data-state="active"] {
+  color: var(--accent-green);
+  font-weight: 600;
+}
+.bgd-state[data-state="active"] .bgd-state-dot {
+  opacity: 1;
+  box-shadow: 0 0 0 3px color-mix(in srgb, var(--accent-green) 22%, transparent);
+}
+.bgd-state[data-state="missing_bookmark"],
+.bgd-state[data-state="no_supported_decoders"] {
+  color: var(--color-error, #c0392b);
+}
+.bgd-state[data-state="unselected"] {
+  min-width: 0;
+}
 .bgd-checklist-empty {
-  padding: 0.75rem;
+  padding: 1rem 0.75rem;
   text-align: center;
   color: var(--text-muted);
   font-size: 0.85rem;
+  line-height: 1.5;
 }
-/* ── Select All / Deselect All buttons ────────────────────────────── */
+/* What the selection adds up to, under the list it describes. */
+.bgd-summary {
+  margin-top: 0.5rem;
+  color: var(--text-muted);
+  font-size: 0.8rem;
+}
+/* ── Select all / none buttons ─────────────────────────────────────── */
 .bgd-select-actions {
   display: flex;
+  flex-shrink: 0;
   gap: 0.5rem;
 }
 .bgd-select-btn {
@@ -5943,15 +5991,6 @@ body[data-operator-layout="broadcast"] #cw-bar-overlay {
   background: var(--card-bg);
   color: var(--text);
 }
-/* ── SVG State Dot Badges ─────────────────────────────────────────── */
-.bgd-state-dot {
-  width: 8px;
-  height: 8px;
-  display: inline-block;
-  vertical-align: middle;
-  margin-right: 4px;
-  fill: currentColor;
-}
 @media (max-width: 600px) {
   .channel-scheduler-controls {
     flex-direction: column;
@@ -5992,8 +6031,7 @@ body[data-operator-layout="broadcast"] #cw-bar-overlay {
   .bm-page-summary {
     text-align: center;
   }
-  .bgd-add-row,
-  .bgd-status-row {
+  .bgd-add-row {
     flex-direction: column;
     align-items: stretch;
   }
@@ -6003,8 +6041,17 @@ body[data-operator-layout="broadcast"] #cw-bar-overlay {
   .interleave-ring-label {
     max-width: 8rem;
   }
-  .bgd-checklist-meta {
-    margin-left: 0;
+  /* Two lines rather than four columns: the name and its state stay legible
+     when there is no room for the frequency beside them. */
+  .bgd-checklist-row {
+    grid-template-columns: auto minmax(0, 1fr);
+    row-gap: 0.2rem;
+  }
+  .bgd-checklist-meta,
+  .bgd-state {
+    grid-column: 2;
+    justify-content: flex-start;
+    min-width: 0;
     font-size: 0.75rem;
   }
 }
diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/package.json b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/package.json
index edfdea2a..8a53fbc2 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/package.json
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/package.json
@@ -12,7 +12,7 @@
     "typecheck": "tsc --project tsconfig.json && tsc --project tsconfig.worker.json",
     "lint": "eslint \"src/**/*.ts\" \"tests/**/*.mjs\" build.mjs --no-error-on-unmatched-pattern",
     "test": "node --test tests/*.test.mjs",
-    "test:browser": "node tests/browser-smoke.mjs && node tests/spectrum-layout.mjs && node tests/decode-flow.mjs && node tests/tune-links.mjs && node tests/mobile-layout.mjs && node tests/satellite-predictions.mjs",
+    "test:browser": "node tests/browser-smoke.mjs && node tests/spectrum-layout.mjs && node tests/decode-flow.mjs && node tests/tune-links.mjs && node tests/mobile-layout.mjs && node tests/satellite-predictions.mjs && node tests/background-decode.mjs",
     "verify-generated": "npm run generate-types && npm run build && git diff --exit-code -- ../assets/web/generated src/api/generated.ts"
   },
   "devDependencies": {
diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/src/app.ts b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/src/app.ts
index a921b48e..f20e4d78 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/src/app.ts
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/src/app.ts
@@ -1468,9 +1468,13 @@ function applyRigList(activeRigId: string | null, rigIds: string[], displayNames
   populateRigPicker(headerRigSwitchSelect, lastRigIds, lastActiveRigId, disableSwitch);
   updateRigSubtitle(lastActiveRigId);
   window.trxUi?.setActiveRig(lastActiveRigId);
+  // Told every time, not only when the list changes: these modules load lazily
+  // and can miss the one telling there was, which left them holding no rig and
+  // showing an empty panel until the operator switched rigs. Both ignore a rig
+  // they already have.
+  window.trx.modules.scheduler?.setRig(lastActiveRigId);
+  window.trx.modules.backgroundDecode?.setRig(lastActiveRigId);
   if (rigListChanged) {
-    window.trx.modules.scheduler?.setRig(lastActiveRigId);
-    window.trx.modules.backgroundDecode?.setRig(lastActiveRigId);
     window.trx.modules.bookmarks?.populateScopePicker();
     void window.trx.modules.bookmarks?.fetch((document.getElementById("bm-category-filter") as HTMLSelectElement | null)?.value || "");
   }
@@ -5036,7 +5040,12 @@ async function initializeApp() {
   }
 }
 
+// Whether the session got far enough to wire the settings panels up, so the
+// plugins can be wired again if they turn up after it did.
+let settingsUiReady = false;
+
 function initSettingsUI() {
+  settingsUiReady = true;
   window.trx.modules.scheduler?.initialize(lastActiveRigId, authRole);
   window.trx.modules.scheduler?.wireEvents();
   if (window.trx.modules.backgroundDecode) {
@@ -5189,7 +5198,15 @@ window.trx = Object.freeze({ state: trxState, core: trxCore, modules: trxModules
 
 // Load plugin scripts now that window.trx is populated.  Dynamic scripts are
 // async so they must not be created before the namespace they depend on exists.
-void loadEagerPlugins().catch((error: unknown) => { console.error(error); });
+//
+// Wire the settings panels again once they are here: the session can be up
+// before these modules finish importing, and the wiring at that point silently
+// skipped whichever had not arrived.  A panel that missed it had no rig, no
+// data, and dead buttons — for the rest of the session, since nothing came
+// back to it.  Both entry points are safe to run twice.
+void loadEagerPlugins()
+  .then(() => { if (settingsUiReady) initSettingsUI(); })
+  .catch((error: unknown) => { console.error(error); });
 
 // Start the app
 void initializeApp();
diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/src/plugins/background-decode.ts b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/src/plugins/background-decode.ts
index 16e7dcc5..323d4833 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/src/plugins/background-decode.ts
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/src/plugins/background-decode.ts
@@ -66,10 +66,17 @@ const bgdWindow = window as unknown as BackgroundBridge;
   let bookmarkList: Bookmark[] = [];
   let statusInterval: ReturnType<typeof setInterval> | null = null;
   let bgdDirty = false;
+  /** Last polled state per bookmark, so a row can say what it is doing. */
+  let statusByBookmark = new Map<string, BackgroundStatusEntry>();
+  let lastStatus: BackgroundDecodeStatus | null = null;
 
   function initBackgroundDecode(rigId: string | null, role: string | null): void {
     backgroundDecodeRole = role;
-    currentRigId = rigId || null;
+    // The panel used to take whatever rig it was handed at load and wait to be
+    // told again.  Loading before the rig list arrives handed it null, and the
+    // next telling only came when the operator switched rigs, so the panel sat
+    // empty and silent.  The host knows the rig; ask it.
+    currentRigId = rigId || hostState.lastActiveRigId || null;
     if (currentRigId) loadBackgroundDecode();
     startStatusPolling();
   }
@@ -171,7 +178,7 @@ const bgdWindow = window as unknown as BackgroundBridge;
     setCheckbox("background-decode-enabled", currentConfig.enabled);
     renderBookmarkChecklist();
 
-    const isControl = backgroundDecodeRole === "control" || hostState.authEnabled === false;
+    const isControl = isControlRole();
     const panel = document.getElementById("background-decode-panel");
     if (panel) {
         panel.querySelectorAll<HTMLInputElement | HTMLSelectElement | HTMLButtonElement>("input, select, button.sch-write").forEach(function (el) {
@@ -182,6 +189,11 @@ const bgdWindow = window as unknown as BackgroundBridge;
     const resetBtn = document.getElementById("background-decode-reset-btn");
     if (saveBtn) saveBtn.style.display = isControl ? "" : "none";
     if (resetBtn) resetBtn.style.display = isControl ? "" : "none";
+    syncSaveButton();
+  }
+
+  function currentFilterText(): string {
+    return (document.getElementById("bgd-bookmark-filter") as HTMLInputElement | null)?.value ?? "";
   }
 
   function renderBookmarkChecklist(filterText = ""): void {
@@ -203,26 +215,65 @@ const bgdWindow = window as unknown as BackgroundBridge;
       : all;
 
     if (filtered.length === 0) {
-      container.innerHTML = '<div class="bgd-checklist-empty">' +
-        (all.length === 0 ? "No supported bookmarks available." : "No bookmarks match filter.") +
-        '</div>';
+      container.innerHTML = '<div class="bgd-checklist-empty">' + escHtml(emptyListText(all.length)) + "</div>";
+      renderSelectionSummary();
       return;
     }
 
     filtered.forEach(function (bookmark) {
       const row = document.createElement("label");
       row.className = "bgd-checklist-row";
+      row.dataset.bmId = bookmark.id;
       const decoders = bookmarkDecoderKinds(bookmark);
-      const checked = selectedIds.has(bookmark.id) ? " checked" : "";
+      const selected = selectedIds.has(bookmark.id);
+      if (selected) row.classList.add("is-selected");
       row.innerHTML =
-        '<input type="checkbox"' + checked + ' data-bm-id="' + escHtml(bookmark.id) + '" />' +
+        '<input type="checkbox"' + (selected ? " checked" : "") + ' data-bm-id="' + escHtml(bookmark.id) + '" />' +
         '<span class="bgd-checklist-name">' + escHtml(bookmark.name) + '</span>' +
-        '<span class="bgd-checklist-meta">' + escHtml(formatFreq(bookmark.freq_hz) + " " + bookmark.mode + " · " + decoders.join("/").toUpperCase()) + '</span>';
+        '<span class="bgd-checklist-meta">'
+          + escHtml(formatFreq(bookmark.freq_hz)) + '<span class="bgd-checklist-mode">'
+          + escHtml(bookmark.mode + " · " + decoders.join("/").toUpperCase()) + '</span></span>'
+        + stateBadgeHtml(bookmark.id, selected);
       row.querySelector<HTMLInputElement>("input")?.addEventListener("change", function (e) {
         onChecklistToggle(bookmark.id, (e.currentTarget as HTMLInputElement).checked);
       });
       container.appendChild(row);
     });
+    renderSelectionSummary();
+  }
+
+  /** Why the list is empty, in the terms the operator can act on. */
+  function emptyListText(supportedCount: number): string {
+    if (supportedCount > 0) return "No bookmark matches that filter.";
+    if (bookmarkList.length > 0) {
+      return "None of your bookmarks name a decoder that can run in the background."
+        + " Give one a decoder on the Bookmarks tab to list it here.";
+    }
+    return "No bookmarks yet. Save one on the Bookmarks tab and it can be decoded here.";
+  }
+
+  /** The live state of a selected bookmark, as the row's own badge. */
+  function stateBadgeHtml(bookmarkId: string, selected: boolean): string {
+    if (!selected) return '<span class="bgd-state" data-state="unselected"></span>';
+    const entry = statusByBookmark.get(bookmarkId);
+    const state = entry?.state ?? (currentConfig?.enabled ? "pending" : "disabled");
+    return '<span class="bgd-state" data-state="' + escHtml(state) + '" title="' + escHtml(stateHelp(state)) + '">'
+      + '<span class="bgd-state-dot"></span>' + escHtml(prettyState(state)) + "</span>";
+  }
+
+  function renderSelectionSummary(): void {
+    const el = document.getElementById("bgd-selection-summary");
+    if (!el) return;
+    const selected = currentConfig?.bookmark_ids.length ?? 0;
+    if (selected === 0) {
+      el.textContent = "Nothing selected — background decoding is idle.";
+      return;
+    }
+    const active = [...statusByBookmark.values()].filter((entry) => entry.state === "active").length;
+    const noun = `${String(selected)} bookmark${selected === 1 ? "" : "s"} selected`;
+    el.textContent = currentConfig?.enabled
+      ? `${noun}, ${String(active)} decoding now.`
+      : `${noun}. Switch Enabled on to start decoding them.`;
   }
 
   function onChecklistToggle(bookmarkId: string, checked: boolean): void {
@@ -260,7 +311,7 @@ const bgdWindow = window as unknown as BackgroundBridge;
         showToast(`Save failed: ${errorMessage(err)}`, true);
       })
       .finally(function () {
-        if (btn) btn.disabled = false;
+        syncSaveButton();
       });
   }
 
@@ -295,58 +346,77 @@ const bgdWindow = window as unknown as BackgroundBridge;
   }
 
   function renderStatus(status: BackgroundDecodeStatus): void {
-    const card = document.getElementById("background-decode-status-card");
-    if (!card) return;
-    const entries = status.entries ?? [];
-    if (!entries.length) {
-      card.textContent = "No background decode bookmarks configured.";
-      return;
-    }
-    const summary = [];
-    if (status.active_rig) {
-      if (typeof status.center_hz === "number" && Number.isFinite(status.center_hz)) summary.push("Center " + formatFreq(status.center_hz));
-      if (typeof status.sample_rate === "number" && Number.isFinite(status.sample_rate) && status.sample_rate > 0) summary.push("Span ±" + formatFreq(status.sample_rate / 2));
-    } else {
-      summary.push("This rig is not currently selected for audio.");
-    }
-    let html = summary.length ? '<div style="margin-bottom:0.8rem;color:var(--text-muted);">' + escHtml(summary.join(" · ")) + "</div>" : "";
-    html += '<div class="bgd-status-list">';
-    entries.forEach(function (entry) {
-      const name = entry.bookmark_name || entry.bookmark_id || "Unknown bookmark";
-      const parts = [];
-      if (typeof entry.freq_hz === "number" && Number.isFinite(entry.freq_hz)) parts.push(formatFreq(entry.freq_hz));
-      if (entry.mode) parts.push(entry.mode);
-      if (Array.isArray(entry.decoder_kinds) && entry.decoder_kinds.length) {
-        parts.push(entry.decoder_kinds.join("/").toUpperCase());
-      }
-      html +=
-        '<div class="bgd-status-row">' +
-          '<div>' +
-            '<div class="bgd-status-name">' + escHtml(name) + '</div>' +
-            '<div class="bgd-status-meta">' + escHtml(parts.join(" · ")) + '</div>' +
-          '</div>' +
-          '<div class="bgd-status-state" data-state="' + escHtml(entry.state || "inactive") + '">' +
-            '<svg class="bgd-state-dot" viewBox="0 0 8 8"><circle cx="4" cy="4" r="3.5"/></svg>' +
-            escHtml(prettyState(entry.state)) + '</div>' +
-        '</div>';
-    });
-    html += "</div>";
-    card.innerHTML = html;
+    lastStatus = status;
+    statusByBookmark = new Map(
+      (status.entries ?? [])
+        .filter((entry) => typeof entry.bookmark_id === "string" && entry.bookmark_id.length > 0)
+        .map((entry) => [entry.bookmark_id as string, entry]),
+    );
+    renderSpanSummary();
+    // Rows carry the state, so the list repaints — keeping the filter the
+    // operator typed and the selection they have not saved yet.
+    renderBookmarkChecklist(currentFilterText());
   }
 
+  /** What the rig is listening across, which is what decides whether a
+   *  selected bookmark can be decoded at all. */
+  function renderSpanSummary(): void {
+    const el = document.getElementById("bgd-span-summary");
+    if (!el) return;
+    const status = lastStatus;
+    if (!status) {
+      el.textContent = "";
+      return;
+    }
+    if (!status.active_rig) {
+      el.textContent = "This rig is not the one playing audio.";
+      el.dataset.tone = "warn";
+      return;
+    }
+    const centre = typeof status.center_hz === "number" && Number.isFinite(status.center_hz)
+      ? formatFreq(status.center_hz)
+      : null;
+    const half = typeof status.sample_rate === "number" && Number.isFinite(status.sample_rate) && status.sample_rate > 0
+      ? formatFreq(status.sample_rate / 2)
+      : null;
+    el.dataset.tone = "";
+    el.textContent = centre && half ? `Span ${centre} ±${half}` : centre ? `Centre ${centre}` : "";
+  }
+
+  /** The one-line reason behind a state, for the row's tooltip. */
+  function stateHelp(state: string | undefined): string {
+    switch (state) {
+      case "active": return "Decoding on a hidden channel.";
+      case "out_of_span": return "Outside the span the rig is tuned across, so it cannot be heard from here.";
+      case "waiting_for_spectrum": return "Waiting for the first spectrum frame from the rig.";
+      case "waiting_for_user": return "Nobody is listening to this rig, so no audio is being pulled.";
+      case "missing_bookmark": return "The bookmark this was selected from is gone.";
+      case "no_supported_decoders": return "No decoder that runs in the background can decode this bookmark.";
+      case "disabled": return "Background decoding is switched off.";
+      case "handled_by_scheduler":
+      case "scheduler_has_control": return "The scheduler is running this bookmark instead.";
+      case "handled_by_virtual_channel": return "A virtual channel is already on this frequency.";
+      case "pending": return "Selected, and not started yet — save to apply.";
+      default: return "Selected, but not decoding.";
+    }
+  }
+
+  // The dot beside the word already says whether this is running, so the
+  // words no longer carry a tick or a triangle of their own.
   function prettyState(state: string | undefined): string {
     switch (state) {
-      case "active": return "\u2713 Active";
-      case "out_of_span": return "\u25B3 Out of span";
-      case "waiting_for_spectrum": return "\u25B3 Waiting";
-      case "waiting_for_user": return "\u25B3 No user";
-      case "missing_bookmark": return "\u2717 Missing";
-      case "no_supported_decoders": return "\u2717 Unsupported";
-      case "disabled": return "\u25B3 Disabled";
-      case "handled_by_scheduler": return "\u25B3 Scheduler";
-      case "scheduler_has_control": return "\u25B3 Scheduler";
-      case "handled_by_virtual_channel": return "\u25B3 VChan";
-      default: return "\u25B3 Inactive";
+      case "active": return "Decoding";
+      case "out_of_span": return "Out of span";
+      case "waiting_for_spectrum": return "Waiting for spectrum";
+      case "waiting_for_user": return "Nobody listening";
+      case "missing_bookmark": return "Bookmark gone";
+      case "no_supported_decoders": return "No decoder";
+      case "disabled": return "Off";
+      case "handled_by_scheduler":
+      case "scheduler_has_control": return "Scheduler has it";
+      case "handled_by_virtual_channel": return "On a channel";
+      case "pending": return "Not saved";
+      default: return "Idle";
     }
   }
 
@@ -380,14 +450,25 @@ const bgdWindow = window as unknown as BackgroundBridge;
   function markBgdDirty() {
     if (bgdDirty) return;
     bgdDirty = true;
-    const btn = document.getElementById("background-decode-save-btn");
-    if (btn) btn.classList.add("sch-dirty");
+    syncSaveButton();
   }
 
   function clearBgdDirty() {
     bgdDirty = false;
-    const btn = document.getElementById("background-decode-save-btn");
-    if (btn) btn.classList.remove("sch-dirty");
+    syncSaveButton();
+  }
+
+  /** Save offers itself only when there is something to save. */
+  function syncSaveButton() {
+    const btn = document.getElementById("background-decode-save-btn") as HTMLButtonElement | null;
+    if (!btn) return;
+    btn.classList.toggle("sch-dirty", bgdDirty);
+    btn.disabled = !bgdDirty || !isControlRole();
+    btn.title = bgdDirty ? "Apply these bookmarks to the background decoder" : "No changes to save";
+  }
+
+  function isControlRole(): boolean {
+    return backgroundDecodeRole === "control" || hostState.authEnabled === false;
   }
 
   function showToast(msg: string, isError: boolean): void {
@@ -407,7 +488,7 @@ const bgdWindow = window as unknown as BackgroundBridge;
     }
     const ids = supportedBookmarks().map(function (bm) { return bm.id; });
     currentConfig.bookmark_ids = ids;
-    renderBookmarkChecklist((document.getElementById("bgd-bookmark-filter") as HTMLInputElement | null)?.value);
+    renderBookmarkChecklist(currentFilterText());
     markBgdDirty();
   }
 
@@ -416,7 +497,7 @@ const bgdWindow = window as unknown as BackgroundBridge;
       currentConfig = { remote: currentRigId, enabled: false, bookmark_ids: [] };
     }
     currentConfig.bookmark_ids = [];
-    renderBookmarkChecklist((document.getElementById("bgd-bookmark-filter") as HTMLInputElement | null)?.value);
+    renderBookmarkChecklist(currentFilterText());
     markBgdDirty();
   }
 
@@ -432,7 +513,11 @@ const bgdWindow = window as unknown as BackgroundBridge;
     const enabledCb = document.getElementById("background-decode-enabled") as (HTMLInputElement & WiredElement) | null;
     if (enabledCb && !enabledCb._wired) {
       enabledCb._wired = true;
-      enabledCb.addEventListener("change", function () { markBgdDirty(); });
+      enabledCb.addEventListener("change", function () {
+        if (currentConfig) currentConfig.enabled = enabledCb.checked;
+        markBgdDirty();
+        renderBookmarkChecklist(currentFilterText());
+      });
     }
 
     const selectAllBtn = document.getElementById("bgd-select-all-btn") as WiredElement | null;
diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/tests/background-decode.mjs b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/tests/background-decode.mjs
new file mode 100644
index 00000000..87bc8250
--- /dev/null
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/tests/background-decode.mjs
@@ -0,0 +1,138 @@
+// SPDX-FileCopyrightText: 2026 Stan Grams <sjg@haxx.space>
+//
+// SPDX-License-Identifier: GPL-2.0-or-later
+
+// The background decode panel: one list that both picks the bookmarks and says
+// what each one is doing. It used to be two lists of the same bookmarks — one
+// to choose from, one to read state off — and it filled neither until the
+// operator switched rigs, because it took whatever rig it was handed at load
+// and that was nothing yet.
+
+import assert from "node:assert/strict";
+import { chromium } from "playwright-core";
+import { startBrowser, startWebFixture } from "./web-fixture.mjs";
+
+/* global document */
+
+const BOOKMARKS = [
+  { id: "bm-ft8-20", name: "FT8 20 m", freq_hz: 14_074_000, mode: "USB", decoders: ["ft8"] },
+  { id: "bm-ft8-40", name: "FT8 40 m", freq_hz: 7_074_000, mode: "USB", decoders: ["ft8"] },
+  { id: "bm-ft4-20", name: "FT4 20 m", freq_hz: 14_080_000, mode: "USB", decoders: ["ft4"] },
+  { id: "bm-aprs", name: "APRS 2 m", freq_hz: 144_800_000, mode: "PKT", decoders: ["aprs"] },
+  // Nothing that runs in the background can decode CW, so it must not be offered.
+  { id: "bm-cw", name: "CW practice", freq_hz: 7_030_000, mode: "CW", decoders: ["cw"] },
+];
+
+const backgroundDecode = {
+  config: { remote: "rig-a", enabled: true, bookmark_ids: ["bm-ft8-20", "bm-ft8-40", "bm-aprs"] },
+  status: {
+    active_rig: true,
+    center_hz: 14_100_000,
+    sample_rate: 2_400_000,
+    entries: [
+      { bookmark_id: "bm-ft8-20", bookmark_name: "FT8 20 m", freq_hz: 14_074_000, mode: "USB", decoder_kinds: ["ft8"], state: "active" },
+      { bookmark_id: "bm-ft8-40", bookmark_name: "FT8 40 m", freq_hz: 7_074_000, mode: "USB", decoder_kinds: ["ft8"], state: "out_of_span" },
+      { bookmark_id: "bm-aprs", bookmark_name: "APRS 2 m", freq_hz: 144_800_000, mode: "PKT", decoder_kinds: ["aprs"], state: "handled_by_scheduler" },
+    ],
+  },
+};
+
+const readRows = () => page.evaluate(() => {
+  const rows = [...document.querySelectorAll("#bgd-bookmark-checklist .bgd-checklist-row")];
+  return rows.map((row) => ({
+    name: row.querySelector(".bgd-checklist-name")?.textContent ?? "",
+    checked: row.querySelector("input[type=checkbox]")?.checked ?? false,
+    state: row.querySelector(".bgd-state")?.dataset.state ?? null,
+    stateText: row.querySelector(".bgd-state")?.textContent?.trim() ?? "",
+  }));
+});
+
+const openPanel = async () => {
+  await page.goto(`${fixture.origin}/settings`, { waitUntil: "domcontentloaded" });
+  await page.locator("#tab-settings").waitFor({ state: "visible" });
+  await page.waitForTimeout(2000);
+  await page.locator('.sub-tab[data-subtab="settings-background-decode"]').click();
+  await page.waitForTimeout(1200);
+};
+
+const fixture = await startWebFixture({ spectrum: true, bookmarks: BOOKMARKS, backgroundDecode });
+const { browser, page, runtimeErrors } = await startBrowser(chromium);
+
+try {
+  await page.setViewportSize({ width: 1400, height: 950 });
+  await openPanel();
+
+  // Nothing was switched, clicked or reloaded: the panel asked the host which
+  // rig it is on and filled itself.
+  const rows = await readRows();
+  assert.deepEqual(rows.map((row) => row.name), ["FT8 20 m", "FT8 40 m", "FT4 20 m", "APRS 2 m"],
+    "the list does not hold the bookmarks a background channel can decode");
+  assert.deepEqual(rows.map((row) => row.checked), [true, true, false, true],
+    "the saved selection is not reflected in the list");
+
+  // Each row carries its own state, so there is no second list to consult.
+  assert.deepEqual(rows.map((row) => row.state),
+    ["active", "out_of_span", "unselected", "handled_by_scheduler"],
+    "the rows do not carry the state of the bookmark they name");
+  assert.match(rows[0].stateText, /Decoding/);
+  assert.match(rows[1].stateText, /Out of span/);
+
+  // What the rig can hear, and what the selection adds up to.
+  const context = await page.evaluate(() => ({
+    span: document.getElementById("bgd-span-summary")?.textContent?.trim(),
+    summary: document.getElementById("bgd-selection-summary")?.textContent?.trim(),
+  }));
+  assert.match(context.span, /14\.1 MHz/, `the span reads "${context.span}"`);
+  assert.match(context.summary, /3 bookmarks selected, 1 decoding now\./, `the summary reads "${context.summary}"`);
+
+  // Save has nothing to do until something changes, and says so again once it
+  // has been done.
+  const saveState = () => page.evaluate(() => {
+    const btn = document.getElementById("background-decode-save-btn");
+    return { disabled: btn.disabled, dirty: btn.classList.contains("sch-dirty") };
+  });
+  assert.deepEqual(await saveState(), { disabled: true, dirty: false }, "Save offers itself with nothing to save");
+
+  await page.locator('#bgd-bookmark-checklist .bgd-checklist-row:nth-child(3) input').click();
+  await page.waitForTimeout(300);
+  assert.deepEqual(await saveState(), { disabled: false, dirty: true }, "Save stayed inert after a change");
+
+  await page.locator("#background-decode-save-btn").click();
+  await page.waitForTimeout(1000);
+  assert.deepEqual(await saveState(), { disabled: true, dirty: false }, "Save stayed live after saving");
+
+  // The selection reached the server and comes back on the next load.
+  await openPanel();
+  const saved = await readRows();
+  assert.deepEqual(saved.map((row) => row.checked), [true, true, true, true],
+    "the newly selected bookmark did not survive a reload");
+
+  assert.deepEqual(runtimeErrors, []);
+} finally {
+  await browser.close();
+  await fixture.close();
+}
+
+// With no bookmarks at all the panel says what to do about it rather than
+// showing an empty box.
+const emptyFixture = await startWebFixture({ spectrum: true, bookmarks: [] });
+const empty = await startBrowser(chromium);
+try {
+  await empty.page.setViewportSize({ width: 1400, height: 950 });
+  await empty.page.goto(`${emptyFixture.origin}/settings`, { waitUntil: "domcontentloaded" });
+  await empty.page.locator("#tab-settings").waitFor({ state: "visible" });
+  await empty.page.waitForTimeout(2000);
+  await empty.page.locator('.sub-tab[data-subtab="settings-background-decode"]').click();
+  await empty.page.waitForTimeout(1000);
+  const text = await empty.page.evaluate(() =>
+    document.getElementById("bgd-bookmark-checklist")?.textContent?.trim() ?? "");
+  assert.match(text, /No bookmarks yet/, `the empty list reads "${text}"`);
+  const summary = await empty.page.evaluate(() =>
+    document.getElementById("bgd-selection-summary")?.textContent?.trim() ?? "");
+  assert.match(summary, /Nothing selected/, `the summary reads "${summary}"`);
+} finally {
+  await empty.browser.close();
+  await emptyFixture.close();
+}
+
+console.log("background decode panel tests passed");
diff --git a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/tests/web-fixture.mjs b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/tests/web-fixture.mjs
index 1e2682f2..f79e60f0 100644
--- a/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/tests/web-fixture.mjs
+++ b/src/trx-client/trx-frontend/trx-frontend-http/frontend/tests/web-fixture.mjs
@@ -34,7 +34,14 @@ const DECODER_REGISTRY = [
   { id: "aprs", label: "APRS", activation: "toggle", active_modes: ["FM"] },
   { id: "hf-aprs", label: "HF APRS", activation: "toggle", active_modes: ["USB"] },
   { id: "vdes", label: "VDES", activation: "toggle", active_modes: ["FM"] },
-].map((decoder) => ({ ...decoder, background_decode: false, bookmark_selectable: true }));
+].map((decoder) => ({
+  ...decoder,
+  // Which decoders a background channel can run, as the server's own registry
+  // has it: the background decode panel offers a bookmark only if one of these
+  // can decode it, so marking them all false left that panel with nothing.
+  background_decode: ["ft8", "ft4", "ft2", "wspr", "ais", "aprs", "hf-aprs"].includes(decoder.id),
+  bookmark_selectable: true,
+}));
 
 const CONTENT_TYPES = new Map([
   [".css", "text/css; charset=utf-8"],
@@ -132,6 +139,7 @@ export async function startWebFixture({
   mode = "FM",
   history = {},
   bookmarks = [],
+  backgroundDecode = null,
   bandplan = {},
   bandplanEnabled = false,
   bandplanUnauthorizedFirst = false,
@@ -271,6 +279,34 @@ export async function startWebFixture({
       response.writeHead(200).end();
       return;
     }
+    // Background decode: the panel reads its config, its status, and the
+    // bookmark list, and writes the config back.
+    if (url.pathname.startsWith("/background-decode/")) {
+      const isStatus = url.pathname.endsWith("/status");
+      if (isStatus) {
+        response.writeHead(200, { "content-type": "application/json" });
+        response.end(JSON.stringify(backgroundDecode?.status ?? { entries: [] }));
+        return;
+      }
+      if (request.method === "PUT") {
+        const body = await new Promise((resolve) => {
+          let raw = "";
+          request.on("data", (chunk) => { raw += chunk; });
+          request.on("end", () => resolve(raw));
+        });
+        try {
+          const parsed = JSON.parse(body);
+          if (backgroundDecode) backgroundDecode.config = parsed;
+        } catch { /* leave the config as it was */ }
+      }
+      if (request.method === "DELETE" && backgroundDecode) {
+        backgroundDecode.config = { remote: "rig-a", enabled: false, bookmark_ids: [] };
+      }
+      response.writeHead(200, { "content-type": "application/json" });
+      response.end(JSON.stringify(backgroundDecode?.config
+        ?? { remote: "rig-a", enabled: false, bookmark_ids: [] }));
+      return;
+    }
     if (url.pathname === "/select_rig" && request.method === "POST") {
       const remote = url.searchParams.get("remote");
       if (remote) {