# Echo: Global SDR Receiver — SDR Tuner, Shortwave & Scanner

> Global SDR receiver app for tuning into remote radio servers. (iPhone/iPad app by Mark Garrison Jr..)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/echo-global-sdr-receiver/id6759174390 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Mark Garrison Jr.](https://appshunter.io/developer/1877165041)
- Category: Utilities, News
- Price: Free
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 18 App Store ratings · 7 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 17.0 · 8 MB
- Languages: English
- Released: 2026-03-31
- Data updated: 2026-08-16
- Monetization: free
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/echo-global-sdr-receiver/id6759174390/reviews.md

## What is Echo?

Echo is the ultimate, natively-built iOS client for tuning into remote radio servers. Listen to anything, from anywhere. Dive into international shortwave broadcasts from Asia, monitor aviation communications over the Atlantic, discover mysterious numbers stations, or tune into distant FM stations across the globe, all from your iPhone or iPad.

As featured on RTL-SDR.com: "Designed to make it easy to search for and view public receivers on iOS."

Designed for radio enthusiasts and curious listeners alike, Echo is a powerful aggregator that connects you to over 2,000 community-hosted Software Defined Radio (SDR) receivers and OpenMHz archives. By integrating these reliable streams into a dedicated native environment, Echo delivers true background audio, high-performance mapping, and premium features impossible to achieve with a standard web browser.

KEY FEATURES

Global Interactive Map & Search
Visually browse thousands of remote SDR servers worldwide using our smooth, native MapKit clustering engine, or instantly search 2,000+ receivers by name or location.

Unmatched SDR Compatibility
Seamless support for KiwiSDR, OpenWebRX, WebSDR, and FM-DX Webserver architectures. Want to listen to a private node? Add your own unlisted servers with custom URL entry.

Scanner Mode & OpenMHz
Automatically cycle through station lists at set intervals. Listen directly to public safety, fire, and EMS radio systems via vast OpenMHz archives.

Pro-Level Tuning & Analytics
• Smart Manual Tuner: Instantly tune by entering kHz or MHz; Echo intelligently detects the band format.
• Audio Engine Passthrough: Interfaces directly with server-side signal processors for 100% compatibility with waterfall rendering, plugins, and decoding extensions.
• Intelligent Profile Switching: Automatically switches to the correct server band profile as you tune on supported networks.
• Live Signal Metrics: Real-time SNR (Signal-to-Noise) sorting instantly identifies the strongest receivers in your list.

Offline Frequency Library & Logging
Search an offline, built-in EIBI database of over 11,000 global shortwave and utility frequencies. Save and log your favorite stations to your local device.

Uninterrupted Background Audio
Keep listening when your screen is locked or while using other apps. Our custom audio bridge intercepts complex SDR streams to provide true iOS background playback and lock-screen controls.

Privacy First
Zero tracking. No analytics, no proprietary servers, and no ad IDs. All your logs and favorites are securely stored locally or in your personal, encrypted iCloud container.

Built with speed, aesthetics, and privacy in mind, Echo ensures a fast, premium listening experience. Start exploring the airwaves today!

VoiceOver & Accessibility Support 
• Every button, control, and station card announces meaningful context to VoiceOver  
• Scanner controls (play/pause/skip/favorite) are fully labeled and navigable 
• Station changes, server connections, and scanner state are announced in real-time  
• Reduce Transparency support: glass effects swap to solid backgrounds when enabled  
• Reduce Motion support: animations are simplified when enabled in iOS settings
• Decorative elements hidden from assistive technology for a cleaner navigation experience

## Key features

- Global interactive map and search
- Support for multiple SDR architectures
- Scanner mode and OpenMHz archives
- Pro-level tuning and analytics
- Offline frequency library and logging
- Uninterrupted background audio
- Privacy-first design

## Recent user reviews (7 of 7)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/echo-global-sdr-receiver/id6759174390/reviews.md

### 5/5 — ❤️ Excellent SDR app for radio enthusiasts! ❤️

*2026-04-26*

Echo is a fantastic app for anyone interested in SDR, shortwave, ham radio, aviation, and global radio listening. The interface is clean, fast, and very easy to use, with access to thousands of remote SDR receivers around the world. I especially like the interactive map, background audio, scanner mode, and the ability to explore real radio signals directly from my iPhone or iPad.

The app feels polished, privacy-friendly, and clearly built with care. A must-have for radio hobbyists and curious listeners alike! 📡🌍🎧

### 5/5 — Awesome app for the SWL community

*2026-04-19*

SDR anywhere. I will still travel w a radio..but this lil app is really great.

### 5/5 — Great free App!!!

*2026-04-19*

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

### 5/5 — Fantastic

*2026-04-10*

Thank you!  Now I can listen using my iPad while mobile. Excellent implementation.

### 5/5 — Thank you!

*2026-04-09*

I have been wanting an app just like this for so long, use web SDRs often but this makes it so convenient to listen from the phone/on the go rather than on the computer. Even just for AM/FM listening it’s vastly superior to all the “radio” apps that seem to just use the web streams of stations rather than actual radio. Searched many times for an app like this since it just seemed like something that should exist, thank you for making it real!

**Developer response:** Thank you! I’ve used it a lot myself just for AM/FM listening as well. If you ever think of any features that would make tuning around even better, definitely let me know.

### 5/5 — Great!

*2026-04-01*

The app makes it easy to listen to SDRs all over the world. I can easily use it to see where my signal it reaching, all from my phone! 73

**Developer response:** That is a fantastic use case, that’s one of the earliest ways I saw my TestFlight users using Echo. I’m glad it’s helping you track your signal reach! Thanks for the review, and 73

### 5/5 — Excellent app!

*2026-03-31*

This is such a great mobile interface to a world of radio.  A lot of hard work was put into this app and it shows.

**Developer response:** Thank you Adam! A lot of late nights went into getting the interface just right, so I really appreciate you saying that. One of my personal favorite aspects of Echo. Glad you enjoy it

## Frequently asked questions about Echo

### What can I listen to with Echo?

Echo allows you to tune into a wide variety of radio signals from around the world. This includes international shortwave broadcasts, aviation communications, numbers stations, and distant FM stations, all accessible through community-hosted Software Defined Radio (SDR) receivers.

### How does Echo's interactive map work?

The app features a global interactive map that uses a native clustering engine to visually display thousands of remote SDR servers worldwide. You can easily browse these receivers or instantly search for specific ones by name or location.

### What SDR architectures does Echo support?

Echo offers unmatched SDR compatibility, seamlessly supporting KiwiSDR, OpenWebRX, WebSDR, and FM-DX architectures. You can also add your own unlisted servers with custom URL entry if needed.

### Can I listen to Echo in the background?

Yes, Echo provides uninterrupted background audio. It features a custom audio bridge that intercepts complex SDR streams, allowing for true iOS background playback and lock-screen controls, even when your screen is locked or you are using other apps.

### Does Echo have ads?

No, Echo is ad-free. The application is built with a privacy-first approach and does not include any advertisements.

### Is Echo available on Android devices?

Echo is natively built for iOS devices. It is currently supported on iPhone and iPad.

### How often is Echo updated?

Echo was last updated on March 31, 2026, with version 1.0. The app is designed for speed, aesthetics, and privacy, ensuring a premium listening experience.

### What is the age rating for Echo?

Echo has an age rating of 4+. This indicates it is suitable for a wide audience and does not contain content inappropriate for younger users.

## Version history (last 2 releases)

### 1.1.1 — 2026-04-14

Improvements

• Fixed KiwiSDR server fetching. (KiwiSDR 2 servers will remain unlabeled pending a future update, and previously saved Kiwi servers may need to be re-favorited)
• macOS Compatibility Guidance: Introduced a proactive guidance system for users on Apple Silicon Macs. Echo now intelligently identifies platform hardware restrictions and provides a seamless "Open in Browser" shortcut for FM-DX streams.
• Updated branding of "FM-DX" to "FM-DX Webserver" across the app for better consistency where space allows. Added FM-DX community credit to Acknowledgements. 
• Improved frequency input support for international keyboard layouts (automatically handling localized decimal separators like commas).
• Changed formatting of onboarding screen to better reflect location services reason 

Bug Fixes

• Resolved a flashing UI issue that occurred during active connections to FM-DX Webservers.
• Fixed a bug where manual tuning and saving stations would silently fail for VoiceOver users or when using certain dictation settings.
• Fixed a bug where Monitor Mode would not activate when listening from Active Receiver mode 
• Tuning Stability: Centralized frequency handling to ensure consistent behavior across all interaction types.

Accessibility & VoiceOver

• SDR Interface Context: The live radio player now identifies itself to VoiceOver, providing better orientation for blind and low-vision users.
• Global Database Fix: Restored access to the "Favorite" button within station search results for VoiceOver users.
• Onboarding Announcements: Swiping through the setup guide now clearly announces page numbers (e.g., "Page 2 of 5").
• Scanner Audio Cues: The automatic scanner now gives a three-second warning before advancing, so you're never surprised by a station change.
• Map & Sheet Navigation: Improved VoiceOver focus handling for map server details and connection error screens.
• Semantic Grouping: Cleaned up labels on the Acknowledgements screen, Filter chips, and Retry buttons to remove "image noise" and provide clear descriptions.
• Platform Announcements: The new macOS compatibility banner features automatic VoiceOver announcements and semantic grouping, ensuring the platform-specific guidance is immediately clear to blind and low-vision users.
• Accessibility improvements will keep being added as feedback is given

### 1.0 — 2026-03-31

No release notes.

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*Data collected daily from the US App Store and indexed by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/). User reviews are verbatim App Store reviews. Ratings, prices and chart positions refresh continuously; this snapshot is from 2026-08-16.*
