Q Codes vs FT Ham
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Q Codes
Access a comprehensive collection of standardized radiotelegraph communication codes, primarily for amateur radio use. This utility allows for rapid searching and lookup of any Q Code.
- Standardized Q Code collection
- Radiotelegraph communication codes
- Amateur radio focus
- Quick lookup functionality
- Comprehensive code database
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Q Codes are a standardized collection of codes developed for radiotelegraph communication especially amateur radio. This tool is designed for quick look up of any Q Code
FT Ham
Decode and transmit FT8/FT4 amateur radio signals directly from your mobile device. Features real-time decoding, automatic QSO sequencing, and an integrated logbook with ADIF export. All processing is done offline and locally on your device.
- Real-time FT8/FT4 decoding
- Offline audio transmission
- Automatic QSO sequencing
- Live waterfall display
- Integrated logbook with ADIF export
- Customizable message composer
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FT Ham – FT8/FT4 Decoder & Audio Transmitter for Amateur Radio FT Ham puts a complete FT8/FT4 decoder and audio encoder/transmitter in your pocket. Decode, reply, and log QSOs directly from your iPhone — all in real time, fully offline. What the app does for you: - Live Waterfall: frequency vs time spectrogram with color intensity and vertical labels for each decoded signal. - Real-time Decoding: receive FT8 and FT4 audio via microphone or connected audio interface and see callsigns, reports, and SNR instantly. - Transmit (Encode & Play): generate FT8/FT4 audio for CQ, reports, RRR, and 73, aligned to correct UTC slots and played through speaker or radio interface. - Auto QSO Sequencing: detects CQ, prepares replies, respects UTC timing and even/odd cycles, retries if needed, and can complete QSOs automatically. - Manual Control Always Available: full manual message selection and intervention at any point. - Predefined Messages & Composer: CQ, DX→ME, reports, RRR, and 73 — automatically filled with your callsign and locator, fully customizable. - Logbook & ADIF Export: automatically log completed QSOs and export to standard ADIF for external logging software. - Contact Map: visualize logged QSOs and geographic coverage in a single view. Privacy & Safety: - All decoding and signal processing runs entirely on your device. No internet connection required. - FT Ham does not collect or share personal data. All settings and logs remain local on your device. - Audio output may be connected to external radios; always comply with local amateur radio regulations. - Payments are handled by Apple or third-party services; FT Ham never receives payment details. Legal & Licenses: - FT Ham code is released under the MIT License. - Third-party library licenses are included in-app.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: FT Ham at 100% against Q Codes's 50%. FT Ham also leads on rating (4.7 vs 3.7) and ads (none vs shown). Q Codes's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 4). On price, ratings volume, device support and iOS requirement there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price · Rating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings · Update frequency · Ads · In-app purchases · Monetization · Best chart rank · Devices · Requires iOS
Both are free to download. FT Ham sells 4 one-off in-app purchases. Q Codes asks for nothing beyond the download.
FT Ham holds the better App Store score, 4.7 against 3.7. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 7 and 3 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Q Codes's written reviews are positive against 100% of FT Ham's.
Q Codes ships an update every 8 months, FT Ham every 5 days. The most recent releases landed on October 17, 2026 and October 3, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Q Codes | FT Ham |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 3.7 (7 ratings) | 4.7 (3 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 7 — better | 3 |
| Update frequency | Every 8 months | Every 5 days — better |
| Ads | Yes | No — better |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Ad-supported — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 | 16.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 5 MB | 17 MB |
| Age rating | 17+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jonathan Gibbs | PABLO TURRION SAN PEDRO |
Customer experience
Q Codes
FT Ham
In-app purchases
Q Codes
No in-app purchases
FT Ham
- Donation of 0.99 €$0.99
- FT Ham premium access$1.99
- Donation of 2,99 €$2.99
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- Donation of 4,99 €$3.99








