I believe I'm doing something wrong, but what it is, I don't know

I've followed the manual instructions at https://help.mikrotik.com/docs/display/ROS/WiFi .
I first created a security profile such as: I then created a common configuration such as: I created the channel interfaces such as: I then bind it all up: There are no error messages and checking /interface/wifi/actual-configuration looks sensible. Winbox GUI looks correct as well, although all the values are correct but grey.

It just doesn't work. The WiFi APs never go live.

BUT, if I go into the GUI for security, open my-authN and click on each item, the text goes from grey to black (with exactly the same setting). If I then go into configuration, open my-conf and click on each item, the text goes from grey to black.

Suddenly it all works.

But most odd - /interface/wifi/actual-configuration is 100% unchanged

If I delete everything and not bother with the configuration approach and just enter : it all works immediately

I've now repeated it twice, and it behaves the same way... I can't see why this behaviour happens