Comparison

HAM Distance vs Wifi Rig CTRL

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

Head to head
About

HAM Distance

Calculate distances between amateur radio stations using callsigns, grid locators, or coordinates. Save, visualize, and analyze your contacts with interactive maps and statistics. Syncs across devices via iCloud.

Highlights
  • Distance calculation via callsign, grid, or coordinates
  • Save and label distance pairs
  • Interactive map visualization of contacts
  • Contact statistics and distribution charts
  • iCloud sync across devices
  • Home screen widgets for quick access
Features
Read full description

Calculate the distance between any two amateur radio stations in seconds. Mircules HAM Distance is the essential tool for ham radio operators who want to know exactly how far their signal traveled. Enter callsigns, Maidenhead grid locators, or coordinates and get the great-circle distance instantly. THREE INPUT METHODS โ€ข Callsign: Enter any amateur callsign to resolve it to coordinates via QRZ.com or HamQTH.com โ€ข Maidenhead Grid: Enter grid locators from 2 to 8 characters โ€ข Lat/Lon: Enter decimal coordinates directly SAVE YOUR CALCULATIONS Save distance pairs with custom labels like "Home to repeater" or "Field Day DX." Track your contacts over time and review them anytime. MAP VISUALIZATION Plot your saved distances on an interactive map. Filter by week, month, or year, or view all contacts at once. See markers and distance lines for every pair. STATISTICS See your total contacts, longest and shortest distance, average distance, and a distribution chart showing how your contacts break down by range. ICLOUD SYNC Your saved pairs sync automatically across all your devices via iCloud. No account needed โ€” just sign into iCloud and your data is there. HOME SCREEN WIDGETS Add widgets to your home screen to see your latest distance calculation and stats at a glance. NO ACCOUNT REQUIRED The calculator works immediately. Configure your QRZ.com or HamQTH.com credentials and start calculating. Your data stays on your device and in your private iCloud. BUILT FOR HAM RADIO Designed specifically for amateur radio operators. Supports the Maidenhead Locator System, integrates with QRZ.com and HamQTH.com, and uses the Haversine formula for accurate great-circle distances. Free to use. No ads. Tips welcome. 73 de Mircules

About

Wifi Rig CTRL

Features
Read full description

WifiRigCTRL is an iPhone / iPad app for remotely operating your amateur-radio transceiver via a Raspberry Pi or ICOM CI-V (Wi-Fi / Bluetooth). Features: - Real-time RX frequency, mode and S-meter display - Change frequency, mode, power, squelch and filter width - RX audio playback through the speaker (with noise reduction) - PTT on/off and microphone transmit - CW Morse send and receive-decode (BLE / USB-NCM keyers) - RTTY AFSK transmit/receive (on-device software modem or via the Raspberry Pi's minimodem, with spectrum display) - FT8 / FT4 receive-decode and transmit - Automatic FT8 all-decode log to ~/ALL.TXT (WSJT-X compatible) - Band Scope (CAT single-sweep / native ICOM CI-V scope, with POTA/SOTA spots overlaid) - APRS beacon transmit (GPS) - QSO log (ADIF export, POTA/SOTA references) - Operating-location (JCC/JGC, grid) registration and operating sessions - eQSL auto-upload, Smart Ham Log integration, PSKReporter spotting - Band memory, POTA/SOTA spot integration (SP2ALART) - Multiple profiles, API-key auth, WireGuard VPN - Direct Wi-Fi / Bluetooth CI-V to Icom IC-705 / IC-9700 - One-tap Raspberry Pi SSH setup โ–  Requirements (Important) This app does not work on its own. You need one of the following, owned by you: A Raspberry Pi Zero 2W that is already set up (connected to your radio, with Hamlib/FastAPI installed), or An IC-705 or IC-9700 (for a direct CI-V connection) Connect either one to the same Wi-Fi network as your iPhone. Setup instructions and firmware for the Raspberry Pi are available on GitHub: https://github.com/ji1ore/M5CoreHamCAT โ–  Intended Users This app is for licensed amateur radio operators who have a compatible radio setup. *This app contains no ads and no usage tracking. All data it collects is used only on your device and is never sent to an external server.

Screenshots

HAM Distance4 screens
Wifi Rig CTRL4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: Wifi Rig CTRL at none against HAM Distance's 3. Wifi Rig CTRL also leads on update cadence (every 2 days vs every 12 months). On price, ads, device support and iOS requirement 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

CostPrice ยท In-app purchases ยท Ads ยท Monetization

Both are free to download. HAM Distance sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Wifi Rig CTRL asks for nothing beyond the download.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HAM Distance ships an update every 12 months, Wifi Rig CTRL every 2 days. The most recent releases landed on November 1, 2026 and November 10, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard2 real differences ยท 6 level
HAM Distance versus Wifi Rig CTRL: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHAM DistanceWifi Rig CTRL
PriceFreeFree
Positive reviews0.0% of reviewsโ€”
Update frequencyEvery 12 monthsEvery 2 days โ€” better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo โ€” better
MonetizationFreeโ€”
DevicesiPhone, iPadiPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details โ€” not scored
Size2 MB16 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperMirculesJIRO UENO

In-app purchases

3 purchases

HAM Distance

One-time3
  • Small Tip$0.99
  • Medium Tip$2.99
  • Large Tip$3.99
None

Wifi Rig CTRL

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HAM Distance free?
HAM Distance is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is Wifi Rig CTRL free?
Wifi Rig CTRL is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Do HAM Distance or Wifi Rig CTRL have ads?
Neither HAM Distance nor Wifi Rig CTRL shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HAM Distance or Wifi Rig CTRL?
HAM Distance ships an update every 12 months, and Wifi Rig CTRL every 2 days. Most recently, HAM Distance was updated on November 1, 2026 and Wifi Rig CTRL on November 10, 2026.

Other comparisons