smartDF vs TS Control for Kenwood
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side โ with what reviewers say about each.
smartDF
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iPadOS application designed in cooperation between certified developer Carlos Lago and Rhotheta International Inc - www.rhothetaint.com - for the remote control and monitoring of Rhotheta radio direction finders via Bluetooth (BLE) or Wi-Fi. A modern UI for direction finder (DF) products increases crew productivity and enhances mission awareness during search-and-rescue, law enforcement, and special missions. DF sensor data is conveniently displayed over maps with state-of-the-art graphics.
TS Control for Kenwood
Control your Kenwood TS-890 radio remotely from your iPhone or iPad. Access spectrum scope, waterfall, VFO, filters, and various communication modes like FT8, JS8, and CW. Includes a logbook and DX cluster tools for ham radio enthusiasts.
- Remote radio control
- Spectrum scope & waterfall
- Multiple communication modes (FT8, JS8, CW)
- Logbook with ADIF import/export
- DX Cluster integration
- Support for controllers and antennas
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Your Kenwood TS-890 on your iPhone and iPad: at home over Wi-Fi or from anywhere over the internet. Made by a ham, for hams, with personal support included. TS-Control connects to the TS-890's built-in network interface (KNS). No extra hardware, no PC and no extra software needed. WORKS WITH โ Kenwood TS-890S, connected to your network by cable The app connects over the network only. A USB cable connection is not supported. OPERATE โ Spectrum scope and waterfall with band plan, DX Cluster and FT8 spots โ VFO A and B, filters, preamp, attenuator, NB, NR, notch, AGC and more โ Compact floating panels: tuning, PTT, CW, memories, tune stack, macros, Command Bar, DTMF, RIT / โTX โ Your iPhone or iPad as microphone and speaker; the radio keeps playing in the background โ Ready for iPhone Duo, iPad split screen and Apple Vision Pro MODES โ FT8-Improved with AutoAnswer and AutoCQ, plus the classic FT8 โ JS8 keyboard chat โ CW with decoder, keyer, ESM and CW keyboard: send CW remotely, by keyboard or with a paddle on a CTR2 or MIDI controller โ Speech: incoming voice transcribed and translated, your typed text sent as speech โ SSTV, HF-Fax, APRS and WSPR FT8-Improved, JS8, Speech and WSPR need iOS 26. TOOLS โ Logbook with ADIF import and export, shared via iCloud with SmartSDR, SDR-Control, FT-Control and K4-Control, on iPhone, iPad and Mac โ DX Cluster with alerts, POTA, PSK Reporter, Call Lookup, Band Plan, Network Stats, Memories โ Controllers: MIDI, CTR2, HaliKey, Pryme, Flic โ 4O3A Genius devices, Ultra Beam antennas, rotators and relay boards MADE BY A HAM Made by Marcus, DL8MRE, who has been developing apps for Apple devices since 2009 and uses this app every day in his own shack, where all supported radios are on the desk. Personal online support and a detailed manual are included. Updates with new modes and features are free: no subscription, no in-app purchases. WHAT YOU NEED โ A Kenwood TS-890S on your network, with its KNS remote access set up (user name and password) โ An iPhone or iPad with iOS 18 or later โ For use over the internet: access to your home network from outside (see the manual) Manual: https://go-to.me/ts-control-ios-manual More apps: https://ham-radio-apps.com TS-Control is developed independently and is not affiliated with or endorsed by Kenwood.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is price: smartDF at Free against TS Control for Kenwood's $89.99. smartDF also leads on iOS requirement (15.4 vs 17.0). On update cadence, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price ยท Rating ยท Positive reviews ยท Number of ratings ยท Update frequency ยท Ads ยท In-app purchases ยท Monetization ยท Best chart rank ยท Devices ยท Requires iOS
smartDF is free to download; TS Control for Kenwood costs $89.99 up front. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.
smartDF ships an update weekly, TS Control for Kenwood fortnightly. The most recent releases landed on November 7, 2026 and November 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | smartDF | TS Control for Kenwood |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free โ better | $89.99 |
| Positive reviews | โ | 0.0% of reviews |
| Update frequency | Weekly โ better | Fortnightly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Monetization | โ | Paid |
| Devices | iPad | iPhone, iPad โ better |
| Requires iOS | 15.4 โ better | 17.0 |
| Further details โ not scored | ||
| Size | 59 MB | 61 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Carlos Yordanis Lago Gonzalez | Marcus Roskosch |
In-app purchases
smartDF
No in-app purchases
TS Control for Kenwood
No in-app purchases









