Comparison

HAM Test Prep Lite vs RST 599TK

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

Head to head
About

HAM Test Prep Lite

Prepare for your Amateur Radio Extra license exam with practice questions and tests. Review FCC rule text, track your proficiency, and utilize features like zoomable figures and immediate feedback. This lite version offers a sample of the full question pool.

Highlights
  • Practice question pool
  • Practice exams
  • Proficiency tracking
  • Immediate feedback option
  • Zoomable figures
  • Viewable FCC rule text
  • Resumable practice tests
Features
Read full description

Includes the Extra Question Pool effective July 1, 2024! NOTE: This "Lite" version contains only 2 of the 10 subelements in the question pool. Click the 'Buy Now' link in the app to get the FULL version. Upgrade your HAM license from General to Amateur Extra! With the elimination of the Morse Code requirement, there is no reason not to upgrade your license to the highest level to obtain all privileges! Amateur Radio License exams are composed of questions from a pool. Use this application prior to taking your exam to review and practice all possible questions. Then, test your knowledge with practice exams! After completing your first practice exam, the question pool screen will display your proficiency in each question group for all practice exams you have completed. You may choose to receive immediate feedback on right and wrong answers when taking a practice test. On practice tests, questions in a group will not be repeated until all of them have been used. Some questions require you to review associated Figures. These figures may be zoomed and panned on iPhone/iPod touch. FCC rule text is viewable within the application. All sections can be browsed from the main screen. Additionally, for questions where rule sections have been identified, the rule text can be viewed on the question screen when studying the question pool or reviewing test results. An in-progress practice test can be resumed if you exit the test or the application. Current Extra question pool is valid through June 30, 2028. This "Lite" version only contains questions from subelements E1 and E5. Versions of this application for both the Technician and General license classes are also available. This app has these additional features: • Accessibility option for vision-impaired users to exclude questions with figures • Dark mode support • Portrait and Landscape support on iPad • Swipe gestures to navigate between questions • Tap on answer to select it • Double-tap or use pinch gesture to zoom Figures on iPhone and iPod touch • Buttons to skip to next/previous wrong answer in test results • ARRL question number displayed on practice tests • Configurable Test Settings • Optional randomizing of test answers • Optional auto-advance during test

About

RST 599TK

This application simulates Morse code communication for amateur radio operators. It supports various QSO styles, Morse code input via a touch keyer, and includes a CW decoder. Features allow for speed control, status display, and shortcut keys for common phrases.

Highlights
  • CW QSO simulation
  • Electric Touch Keyer input
  • Contest style QSO support
  • CW Speed Control
  • Min-in CW Decoder
  • Shortcut keys for CQ and TU
Read full description

This app is a real CW QSO simulator for Amateur Radio.  "599BK & AADX Contest type QSO" is supported.  Input of Morse Codes are by using Electric Touch Keyer.  Changing of TX/RX is by SEND button. Supported Min-in CW Decoder too. 【Characteristic】 1. "599BK" and "Contest" style support. 2.Support the CW Speed Control, Reverse of Dot/Dash pad. 3.Status display showing TX / RX operation. 4.Support the space insertion operation both automatic and manual. 5.Support the Min-in CW Decoder function. 6.Support the shortcut-key of CQ and TU. CQ Button function can be set by setting menu. 7.Support the repeat-call function. It works only when the TU button is pressed at the end of the QSO. 8.Support input function by key button 【How to use】 1.The case of CQ Calling Press SEND button Input "CQ CQ DX DE (YOUR CALLSIGN) PSE K" by Touch Keyer. Press SEND button again 2.The case of CQ Answering Press SEND button Input "QRZ DX" by Touch Keyer or Straight Key. Press SEND button again --- Examples of QSO --- [CQ Calling] "CQ CQ DX DE xxnxx xxnxx PSE K" >>> xxnxx DE **n** K "**n** DE xxnxx UR RST 559 BK" >>> R MY RPT 559 UR RST 599 BK "QSL TU" >>> R 73 TU "E E" >>> E E [CQ Ansewing] "QRZ DX" >>> "CQ CQ DE **n** **n** PSE K" "**n** DE xxnxx K" >>> "xxnxx DE **n** UR RST 579 BK" "R **n** DE xxnxx UR RST 599 TU" >>> "R TU" "E E" >>> E E --- DETEC WORDS --- [CQ Calling] CQ CQ DX CQ NA CQ JA [CQ Ansewing] QRZ QRZ DX QRZ NA QRZ JA [BOTH] DE K BK UR RST 73 TU E E etc... 【Example usage video】 - Touch Keyer - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CuSEaJtD3KQ - Microphone IN Mode - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=goN9hVDEGnM

Screenshots

HAM Test Prep Lite4 screens
RST 599TK4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is rating: HAM Test Prep Lite at 4.6 against RST 599TK's 4.1. HAM Test Prep Lite also leads on ads (none vs shown). RST 599TK's advantage is update cadence (every 6 weeks vs every 5 months) and monetization model (ad-supported vs free with in-app purchases). On price, review sentiment, ratings volume and in-app purchases 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

HAM Test Prep Lite holds the better App Store score, 4.6 against 4.1. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 24 and 9 respectively. Written reviews complicate that: 93% of HAM Test Prep Lite's written reviews are positive against 100% of RST 599TK's, so the app with the better star average is not the one people write more warmly about.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HAM Test Prep Lite ships an update every 5 months, RST 599TK every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on September 18, 2026 and August 22, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard4 real differences · 6 level
HAM Test Prep Lite versus RST 599TK: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHAM Test Prep LiteRST 599TK
PriceFreeFree
Rating4.6 (24 ratings) — better4.1 (9 ratings)
Positive reviews92.5% of reviews100.0% of reviews — better
Number of ratings24 — better9
Update frequencyEvery 5 monthsEvery 6 weeks — better
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree with in-app purchasesAd-supported — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, iPod — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS15.515.0 — better
Further details — not scored
Size3 MB36 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperPatrick J Maloney LLCkoji kamogawa

Customer experience

HAM Test Prep Lite

All ratings24 ratings
Positive91.7%
Neutral4.2%
Negative4.2%
Written reviews40 reviews
Positive92.5%
Neutral5.0%
Negative2.5%

RST 599TK

All ratings9 ratings
Positive77.8%
Neutral11.1%
Negative11.1%
Written reviews2 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HAM Test Prep Lite

No in-app purchases

None

RST 599TK

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HAM Test Prep Lite free?
HAM Test Prep Lite is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is RST 599TK free?
RST 599TK is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HAM Test Prep Lite or RST 599TK?
HAM Test Prep Lite is rated higher. HAM Test Prep Lite averages 4.6 out of 5 from 24 ratings, while RST 599TK averages 4.1 from 9 ratings.
Do HAM Test Prep Lite or RST 599TK have ads?
RST 599TK shows ads; HAM Test Prep Lite does not.
Which is updated more often, HAM Test Prep Lite or RST 599TK?
HAM Test Prep Lite ships an update every 5 months, and RST 599TK every 6 weeks. Most recently, HAM Test Prep Lite was updated on September 18, 2026 and RST 599TK on August 22, 2026.

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