# ShackPilot: Ham Radio Remote — CAT, FT8, JS8, SSTV, RTTY & CW

> Remote control for Yaesu ham radios with live audio and digital modes. (iPhone/iPad app by Lukasz Skierkowski.)

- Source: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shackpilot-ham-radio-remote/id6760430670 (this page in markdown: same URL + `.md`)
- Developer: [Lukasz Skierkowski](https://appshunter.io/developer/1280847319)
- Category: Utilities, Entertainment
- Price: Free with in-app purchases
- Rating: 5.00/5 from 1 App Store ratings · 1 written reviews indexed
- Age rating: 4+
- Requires: iOS 18.0 · 13 MB
- Languages: American English
- Released: 2026-04-07
- Data updated: 2026-08-22
- Monetization: subscription
- User reviews in markdown: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shackpilot-ham-radio-remote/id6760430670/reviews.md

## What is ShackPilot?

Your shack, in your pocket. ShackPilot turns your iPhone or iPad into a wireless remote head for your Yaesu transceiver. Live audio, full CAT control, a real-time waterfall, and eight digital modes that receive and transmit. No network adapters, no Windows software, no extra hardware.

Run ShackPilot on the Mac that's connected to your radio via USB, then operate from anywhere: check into your favorite net from the couch, work FT8 from the backyard, send an SSTV picture from the kitchen table, or chase DX from the other side of the world over VPN.

SUPPORTED RADIOS
- Yaesu, driven directly with no extra software. Fully supported: FT-710 (full CAT + wideband scope), FT-991A. Partial support: FTDX10, FTDX101D, FTDX101MP, FTX-1
- Hundreds more through hamlib: Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood, Elecraft, FlexRadio, Xiegu, Ten-Tec, Alinco and many others. Run the free rigctld alongside ShackPilot and that radio gets the same frequency, mode, VFO, split, PTT, level and meter control a Yaesu gets, plus its antenna tuner and, where the rig can report them, its memory channels. ShackPilot asks your rig what it can do and shows only the controls it really has. A guided setup screen writes the rigctld command for you, and it can run on this Mac or on a Raspberry Pi in the shack.
- Generic mode: any radio with an audio interface, with optional serial PTT. Every digital mode still transmits, CW included
- More radios are on the way

REMOTE CONTROL THAT FEELS LOCAL
- Full CAT control: frequency, mode, VFO, split, TX power, filters, DSP
- Low-latency RX and TX audio streaming with Opus compression
- Live S-meter, power, SWR, and ALC readings
- On-screen PTT with haptic feedback
- Zero configuration: ShackPilot finds your shack Mac automatically on WiFi
- Away from home? Connect over the free, secure VPN of your choice

WATERFALL & SPECTRUM
- Real-time audio-band waterfall with tap-to-tune, on every supported radio
- Wideband spectrum scope on the FT-710 only
- Customizable color maps

DIGITAL MODES BUILT IN
Eight modes, all of which receive and transmit. No external software.
- FT8 & FT4: full QSO support with auto-sequencing, CQ calling, and auto-logging
- JS8: keyboard-to-keyboard messaging on weak signals, with a heard-station list, CQ and heartbeat calling, and optional automation that answers SNR?, GRID?, INFO? and STATUS? on its own
- CW: Morse decoded as scrolling text. Send with the radio's keyer, or as a generated tone with adjustable speed, pitch, and Farnsworth spacing
- RTTY: automatic mark, space, and baud-rate detection on receive. Send at 45.45, 50, or 75 baud
- Olivia: automatic configuration detection on receive. Send at any of the five standard presets
- SSTV: receive with auto mode detection and a live progress view. Send a picture in any of 18 modes from Robot 8 to PD-290, cropped and scaled for you
- Packet: AX.25, FX.25, and IL2P for VHF APRS and HF packet. Send as AFSK, or through a networked KISS TNC such as Direwolf

QSO LOGGING
- Built-in log with ADIF export
- Direct upload to QRZ Logbook and Cloudlog
- WSJT-X UDP broadcast for your favorite logging software

HOW IT WORKS
ShackPilot is one app for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. Install it on the Mac in your shack and connect your radio over USB. The Mac acts as the server. Your iPhone and iPad connect to it over WiFi or VPN. One subscription covers all your devices.

Try everything free for 2 weeks. After the trial, ShackPilot is a simple monthly subscription which you can cancel anytime. Subscriptions fund ongoing development: new radios, new modes, and new features.

Requires ShackPilot running on a Mac (macOS 15+) connected to your transceiver via USB.

73, and see you on the bands!

Terms of Use (EULA): https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

## Key features

- Wireless remote head for Yaesu transceivers
- Live audio streaming
- Full CAT control
- Real-time waterfall display
- Built-in FT8 & FT4 digital modes
- ADIF export and direct logbook upload

## Pricing and in-app purchases

Base price: Free.

**Subscriptions**

| Subscription | Price | Period |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ShackPilot Monthly | $4.99 | per month |

**One-time purchases**

| Purchase | Price | Type |
| --- | --- | --- |
| ShackPilot Lifetime | $49.99 | one-time |


## Recent user reviews (1 of 1)

All indexed reviews: https://appshunter.io/ios/app/shackpilot-ham-radio-remote/id6760430670/reviews.md

### 5/5 — This Is amazing!!!!!

*2026-08-10*

I’ve been using ShackPilot with my Yaesu FT-991A, and the latest update adds some features that make remote operation considerably more practical.

One of the features I was particularly excited about is Bluetooth headset PTT support. I can now use the function button on my BlueParrott headset as the PTT, which makes operating the FT-991A remotely feel much more like actually sitting at the radio. This is especially useful when using an iPhone rather than having to reach over and operate an on-screen PTT button every time I want to transmit.

The update also adds control of the tuner, including the ability to turn the tuner on and off and activate the FT-991A’s internal automatic antenna tuner directly from ShackPilot. For anyone operating the radio remotely, having access to those functions without physically being in front of the radio is a big improvement.

There have also been improvements to the FT-991A’s CW operation, PTT control, and connection handling in recent versions. I’ve been testing several of these features, and the developer has clearly been putting a lot of effort into making ShackPilot work properly with the FT-991A rather than simply providing basic remote-control functionality.

Another feature that I find particularly useful on the iPhone is Guided Access. If I’m going to leave ShackPilot running for an extended period, I can use Guided Access to lock the iPhone to the ShackPilot screen. That prevents accidental touches or accidentally leaving the application while the radio is being operated remotely.

For the networking side of my setup, I’m using Tailscale as the VPN tunnel between my remote device and the Mac running my shack equipment. This gives me a private connection to the shack without having to expose the radio-control services directly to the public Internet. Combined with ShackPilot, it makes the whole remote setup surprisingly seamless.

My setup is essentially:

FT-991A → USB → Mac → ShackPilot → Tailscale VPN → iPhone → BlueParrott headset

And being able to control PTT, audio, tuning, and other FT-991A functions from the iPhone makes this much more than simply being able to change frequency remotely.

I also want to give credit to the developer because ShackPilot has been evolving very quickly. Features have been added in response to actual user feedback, and the FT-991A-specific improvements are becoming increasingly useful for serious remote operation.

I haven’t had a chance to go through every change in the newest release yet, so there may be additional improvements that I haven’t discovered. But based on what I’ve tested so far, this is a substantial update.

For FT-991A owners who are interested in remote operation, ShackPilot is definitely worth taking another look at. It’s becoming a very capable way to turn the FT-991A into a genuinely usable remotely operated station rather than simply a radio that happens to have remote-control capability.

**Developer response:** Thank you for such detailed review! Your feedback helps making ShackPilot better. Having so involved users is beneficial for everyone. I hope you will have a lot of fun using the app.

## Frequently asked questions about ShackPilot

### What radios does ShackPilot support?

ShackPilot supports several Yaesu models including the FT-710, FT-991A, FTDX10, FTDX101D, FTDX101MP, and FTX-1. It also offers a generic mode for any radio with an audio interface and optional PTT.

### How does ShackPilot connect to my radio?

ShackPilot requires the app to be running on a Mac connected to your transceiver via USB. Your iPhone or iPad then connects to the Mac over WiFi or a VPN for remote operation.

### What digital modes are included in ShackPilot?

ShackPilot includes full QSO support for FT8 and FT4, CW decoding, RTTY decoding, SSTV decoding, and AX.25/APRS decoding.

### Can I log my contacts with ShackPilot?

Yes, ShackPilot has a built-in log with ADIF export. It also supports direct uploads to QRZ Logbook and Cloudlog, and WSJT-X UDP broadcast.

### What is the pricing for ShackPilot?

ShackPilot offers a 2-week free trial. After the trial, it is a monthly subscription costing $4.99 per month, which can be canceled anytime.

### What devices can I use ShackPilot on?

ShackPilot is available for iPhone, iPad, and Mac. One subscription covers all your devices.

### Does ShackPilot have ads?

No, ShackPilot does not contain advertisements. It is a subscription-based application.

### How often is ShackPilot updated?

The latest version of ShackPilot is 1.7, and it was last updated on August 11, 2026. Subscriptions fund ongoing development for new radios, modes, and features.

## Version history (last 5 releases)

### 1.9 — 2026-08-20

Hamlib support, control most of the modern radios. Icom, Kenwood and more!

### 1.8 — 2026-08-18

- VFO dial 
- New digital modes with encoding support: RTTY, Packet, SSTV, Olivia, JS8
- SWR alarm

### 1.7 — 2026-08-11

connection improvements

### 1.6 — 2026-08-06

- SWR reading
- Tune
- BlueParrott headsets support (action button ptt)

### 1.5 — 2026-07-30

- bluetooth and wired headset ptt support 
- background audio session

## Apps similar to ShackPilot

| App | Rating | Price | Category |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [Ham Radio Tools.](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/ham-radio-tools/id6759591447) | — | Free | Utilities |
| [DX Cluster monitor](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/dx-cluster-monitor/id6754661294) | 1.5 (2) | $3.99 | Utilities |
| [SmartMTR for FlexRadio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/smartmtr-for-flexradio/id6758765008) | 4.0 (1) | Free | Utilities |
| [HF Pilot (Ham Radio/Shortwave)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/hf-pilot-ham-radioshortwave/id6756332625) | — | $1.99 | Utilities |
| [CB/HAM DX Cluster](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/cbham-dx-cluster/id6755640584) | — | $1.99 | Utilities |
| [Greyline FT8](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/greyline-ft8/id6773455172) | 4.8 (11) | $3.99 | Utilities |

## More apps by Lukasz Skierkowski

- [PacketMessage](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packetmessage/id6758742785)
- [PacketChess](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/packetchess/id6758742856)
- [DigiDecoder: Ham Radio](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/digidecoder-ham-radio/id6759073503)
- [ScreenshotMaker](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/screenshotmaker/id6761403429)

All apps by Lukasz Skierkowski: https://appshunter.io/developer/1280847319

## Related topics

[ham radio remote](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/ham-radio-remote) · [yaesu](https://appshunter.io/ios/topics/yaesu)

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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 2026-08-22.*