Ham Fox Hunt Helper vs Packet Commander
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
Ham Fox Hunt Helper
This field-ready toolkit assists amateur radio fox hunters by allowing quick compass bearings, plotting them on a live map, and visualizing convergence points for confident tracking, even off-grid. It offers offline map caching and a dark mode for night operations.
- Live map with compass bearings
- Save and color-code bearings
- Multiple map source options
- Offline map caching
- Dark Mode for night use
- Visualize convergence points
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Find the fox faster. This field-ready toolkit for amateur radio fox hunting (T-hunting/ARDF) lets you take quick bearings with a compass, plot them on a live map, and see where lines converge—so you can zero in with confidence, even off-grid. Why you’ll love it Map + Compass, together: Take a bearing and drop it at your current location in one tap. Save & color-code bearings: Organize multiple readings and visualize likely intersections at a glance. Switch map sources: Instantly toggle between USGS Topo, OpenStreetMap, and Apple Maps to match the terrain. Offline capable: Enable map caching before you head out, then keep navigating when signal fades. Made for night ops: Dark Mode preserves night vision and reduces glare. How it works Aim your directional antenna, use the compass to set a bearing, and add it to the map. Repeat from new locations; color-code readings to keep track of legs. Use the map layer that best fits your area (topo, OSM, or Apple Maps) and follow the convergence. Perfect for club hunts, training, and weekend T-hunting adventures—whether you’re sweeping city streets or hiking in the hills. Note: Always follow local laws and event rules. Continued use of GPS can impact battery life.
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.
- 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
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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
Verdict
The clearest difference is review sentiment: Packet Commander at 100% against Ham Fox Hunt Helper's 50%. Packet Commander also leads on rating (4.9 vs 4.4) and update cadence (every 2 months vs every 5 months). Ham Fox Hunt Helper's advantage is in-app purchases (none vs 2) and iOS requirement (16.4 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
Both are free to download. Packet Commander sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $8.99 per year. Ham Fox Hunt Helper asks for nothing beyond the download.
Packet Commander holds the better App Store score, 4.9 against 4.4. That said, the two scores are not equally well evidenced: Packet Commander has 44 ratings behind it against 5, so its average is the more settled of the two. Written reviews point the same way: 50% of Ham Fox Hunt Helper's written reviews are positive against 100% of Packet Commander's.
Ham Fox Hunt Helper ships an update every 5 months, Packet Commander every 2 months. The most recent releases landed on October 21, 2026 and October 8, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | Ham Fox Hunt Helper | Packet Commander |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.4 (5 ratings) | 4.9 (44 ratings) — better |
| Positive reviews | 50.0% of reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better |
| Number of ratings | 5 | 44 — better |
| Update frequency | Every 5 months | Every 2 months — better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | No — better | Yes |
| Monetization | Free — better | Free with in-app purchases |
| Devices | iPhone | iPhone, iPad — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.4 — better | 18.2 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 46 MB | 10 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Jon Thomasson | Island Magic Co. |
Customer experience
Ham Fox Hunt Helper
Packet Commander
In-app purchases
Ham Fox Hunt Helper
No in-app purchases
Packet Commander
- Yearly Subscription$8.991 Year
- One-Time Purchase$24.99









