Comparison

RS vs Packet Commander

Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.

Head to head
About

RS

Control and adjust settings for the ICOM Wideband Handy Receiver IC-R30 remotely. View receiver settings directly from your iPhone or iPad. Requires iOS 9.0 or later and a compatible receiver.

Highlights
  • Remote operation of IC-R30 receiver
  • Change receiver settings
  • Check receiver settings
  • iPhone and iPad compatibility
  • Bluetooth LE connectivity
Features
Read full description

"RS-R30I" is a remote control application for the ICOM Wideband Handy Receiver "IC-R30." You can operate and change the receiver’s settings using an iPhone or iPad, and you can also check its settings. Device requirements: iOS version 9.0 or later for 64 bit CPU models. Supported receiver: Icom IC-R30 Refer to the instruction manual for details. NOTE: - The RS-R30I does not guarantee compatibility with all iPhones and iPads. It may not work, depending on its OS version, installed applications, and so on. - Confirm the IC-R30's Serial port function is set to"CI-V (Echo Back OFF)" ( [MENU] > Bluetooth Set > Data Device Set > Serialport Function ) - Bluetooth LE is used to connect with the IC-R30 and it is a slow data transfer. So there may be a time delay between the receiver’s operation and the display on the data device. In addition, depending on the receiver environment, it may not be able to operate properly. - Bluetooth may be disconnected in the following cases: · The screen of the device is locked. · The application is running in the background mode. · Wi-Fi is enabled. · Connecting or removing a Bluetooth headset.

About

Packet Commander

This app provides a classic terminal experience for packet radio communication on mobile devices. It offers powerful terminal features, smart connection management, and real-time over-the-air traffic monitoring. It's designed for amateur radio operators to connect with nodes, BBS, and decode traffic.

Highlights
  • Full-screen terminal for packet nodes and BBS
  • Classic color themes and adjustable layout
  • YAPP protocol support for file transfers
  • Location-aware digipeater routing
  • Seamless iCloud sync
  • Over-the-air traffic decoding
  • Auto-discovery of TNCs
Read full description

Packet Commander brings a classic terminal experience for packet radio to your iPhone or iPad. Try it free. The download includes 5 full connection sessions so you can explore the features and confirm compatibility before purchasing. After that, a purchase is required to continue connecting. Note: An amateur radio license is required to operate on the air. Powerful Terminal • Full-screen terminal for interacting with packet nodes and BBS over amateur radio • Classic color themes inspired by iconic computers • Adjustable fonts and layout for readability and screen efficiency • YAPP protocol support for file transfers • Dictation-ready for composing messages hands-free • Smart filename selection — double tap to highlight and copy Smarter Packet Connections • Location-aware digipeater routing: automatically recalls the last-used path at each location • Seamless iCloud sync for nodes and digipeaters across all your devices • Compatible with popular packet node software including BPQ32, URONode, and others Over-the-Air Monitor Connect to your radio and decode over-the-air traffic in real time. AX.25 frames are decoded and presented in an easy-to-read format. • Filter traffic to display exactly what you’re looking for • Search by address or content • Export the log to a file for later analysis Works with the Gear You Love • Auto-discovery of Bluetooth and TCP TNCs, including Dire Wolf on DigiPi • Automatic frequency set/restore on supported radios • Built-in, high-performance 1200 baud AFSK software modem • Optimized for VHF/UHF packet at both 1200 and 9600 baud Compatible with the Following Radios and TNCs: Radios with Built-in TNCs (Auto-sets and restores frequency on those radios) · BTECH UV-PRO, UV-50PRO · VERO VR-N76, VR-N7600 · RADIODITY GA-5WB, DB50-B · Kenwood TH-D74*, TH-D75* · PicoAPRS V4 *Requires B.B. Link Bluetooth adapter Portable KISS TNCs · Mobilinkd TNC3, TNC4 · LiNK500 TNC · DigiPi · Dire Wolf Software TNC Audio Interfaces (Using built-in software modem) · Digirig Lite · Digirig VOX PTT Cable · AIOC (All-In-One Cable) Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/

Screenshots

RS4 screens
Packet Commander4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is review sentiment: Packet Commander at 100% against RS's 19%. Packet Commander also leads on rating (4.9 vs 2.8) and ratings volume (48 vs 5). RS's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (9.0 vs 18.2). On price, ads and device support 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

CostPrice · In-app purchases · Ads · Monetization

Both are free to download. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. RS asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

Packet Commander holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 2.8. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Packet Commander has 48 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 19% of RS's written reviews are positive against 100% of Packet Commander's.

Scorecard6 real differences · 4 level
RS versus Packet Commander: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterRSPacket Commander
PriceFreeFree
Rating2.8 (5 ratings)4.9 (48 ratings) — better
Positive reviews18.8% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings548 — better
Update frequency—Every 2 months
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesNo — betterYes
MonetizationFree — betterFree with in-app purchases
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS9.0 — better18.2
Further details — not scored
Size12 MB10 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperICOM INCORPORATEDIsland Magic Co.

Customer experience

RS

All ratings4 ratings
Positive50.0%
Neutral25.0%
Negative25.0%
Written reviews16 reviews
Positive18.8%
Neutral6.3%
Negative75.0%

Packet Commander

All ratings44 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews8 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

RS

No in-app purchases

2 purchases

Packet Commander

Subscriptions1
  • Yearly Subscription$8.991 Year
One-time1
  • One-Time Purchase$24.99

Questions

Is RS free?
RS is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is Packet Commander free?
Packet Commander is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Which has better reviews, RS or Packet Commander?
Packet Commander is rated higher. RS averages 2.8 out of 5 from 5 ratings, while Packet Commander averages 4.9 from 48 ratings.
Do RS or Packet Commander have ads?
Neither RS nor Packet Commander shows ads.

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