FT Ham vs SimpleSSTV
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side — with what reviewers say about each.
FT Ham
This application decodes and transmits FT8/FT4 signals for amateur radio operators. It features a live waterfall, real-time decoding, and automated QSO sequencing, all processed on your device. Optional premium features enhance radio control and logging capabilities.
- Live waterfall display
- Real-time FT8/FT4 decoding
- Audio transmission for QSOs
- Auto QSO sequencing
- Logbook with ADIF import/export
- Call alerts
- Contact map visualization
Read full descriptionHide full description
FT Ham – FT8/FT4 Decoder & Audio Transmitter for Amateur Radio. FT Ham puts a complete FT8 and FT4 station in your pocket. Decode, reply and log QSOs from your iPhone or iPad in real time. Decoding runs entirely on your device. WHAT FT HAM DOES - Live waterfall: color palettes, level controls and a label on every decoded signal. Tap near a signal to reply. - Real-time decoding: FT8 and FT4 from the microphone or a USB audio interface, with callsign, report, SNR and country. - Transmit: FT8 and FT4 audio for CQ, reports, RRR and 73, aligned to UTC slots and played through the speaker or your radio interface. - Auto QSO sequencing: answers CQ, follows even and odd cycles, retries when needed and logs the QSO when it is complete. - Manual control at any time: choose any message yourself. - Clear decode list: columns, an active QSO bar, NEW GRID and NEW DXCC badges and a Needed filter. - Call alerts: sound, vibration or a notification when someone calls you or a watched station is heard. - Accurate timing: slots follow network time for more reliable decodes. - Compound callsigns, optional 11 m and CB callsigns, and HF to 23 cm bands. - Logbook: edit, batch select, filter by date, undo, and ADIF import and export. - Contact map: see your logged QSOs and coverage on a map. - English, German, Spanish, French and Italian. FT HAM PREMIUM (OPTIONAL ONE-TIME PURCHASE) - CAT radio control through rigctld on your computer, with frequency sync and PTT. - QRZ Logbook, LoTW and eQSL upload with confirmation sync. - PSK Reporter spotting. - QSO statistics: charts by band and mode, DXCC counter and activity heatmaps. - iPad dashboard with the waterfall and messages side by side. Everything that was free before stays free. Premium is not a subscription. PRIVACY Your logbook and settings stay on your device. FT Ham sends anonymous crash reports and usage statistics (you can turn statistics off). QRZ, LoTW, eQSL and PSK Reporter only receive data after you turn them on. Full details at ftham.turrion.dev/privacy. GOOD TO KNOW Transmitting requires an amateur radio license. FT Ham only produces audio and your radio does the transmitting. Always follow your local regulations. The FT Ham core is open source under the MIT License. Premium features are proprietary. Third-party licenses are listed in the app.
SimpleSSTV
This app allows ham radio operators to encode images into audio signals for transmission and decode received audio back into images. It supports various SSTV modes, live camera feeds, and even AI-generated QSL cards. Receive alerts for International Space Station SSTV events.
- Encode images to SSTV audio
- Decode SSTV audio to images
- Live camera feed with trigger modes
- Support for 14 SSTV modes
- AI-generated QSL calling cards
- ISS SSTV event notifications
- Audio setup and troubleshooting tips
Read full descriptionHide full description
SimpleSSTV is a native iOS app for encoding, decoding, and live-transmitting slow-scan television (SSTV) signals — the method ham radio operators use to share images over audio frequencies. Slow-scan television converts images to audio tones. Each pixel's brightness becomes a specific frequency between 1500-2300 Hz. Sync pulses at 1200 Hz mark line boundaries. The result is an audio signal you can transmit over any voice-capable radio, or record for later playback. SSTV has been used by amateur radio operators since the 1950s. It's still actively used today on HF bands, VHF repeaters, and for receiving images from the International Space Station. ENCODING (Image → Audio) • Load any image from your photo library, camera, or Files • Automatic resize and crop to SSTV resolution • 21 supported modes covering all major SSTV formats • Real-time encoding with progress visualization • Play audio directly through speakers for VOX-triggered transmission • Export to WAV or M4A for later use • Optional FSK ID and CW ID (Morse code) callsign transmission • Test pattern generator for signal testing LIVE CAMERA MODE • Real-time camera feed with front/back camera switching • Three trigger modes: Continuous, Motion-triggered, or Periodic interval • Adjustable motion sensitivity with adaptive background model • Captures and encodes directly from camera to audio • Keep the app in the foreground while listening or transmitting DECODING (Audio → Image) • Load WAV, M4A, or MP3 audio files containing SSTV signals • Live microphone capture for real-time SSTV reception • Automatic mode detection via VIS code identification • Capture a transmission, then process it to see the decoded image • FSK callsign detection from received signals • Precision audio trimming with dual-view waveform editor • Re-decode saved images with different mode, sync offset, or slant correction • Handles real-world signal imperfections: timing drift, noise, sample rate variations • Decode watermark with an automatic stamp or custom Pro text • Waterfall spectrogram display shows signal frequency over time SUPPORTED MODES (21 total) • Martin M1, M2, M3, M4 • Scottie S1, S2, S3, S4, DX, DX2 • Robot 36, Robot 72, Robot BW8 • PD50, PD90, PD120, PD160, PD180, PD240, PD290 • Wraase SC2-180 ISS SSTV EVENTS • Get notified when the International Space Station transmits SSTV images • Automatic alerts before and during events, with frequency, mode, and callsign info • Info card on the decode tab with event details and countdown FAQ & SETUP TIPS • Practical advice on audio setup and USB adapters • Decode quality troubleshooting • Quick reference for all 21 SSTV modes IMAGE LIBRARY • Automatic saving of encoded and decoded images • Grid view with full preview, metadata, and sharing • Re-decode any saved image with different settings • Filter by encoded or decoded 10 LANGUAGES Available in Arabic, Chinese (Simplified), Dutch, English, French, German, Polish, Portuguese (BR), Spanish, and Turkish — with full right-to-left support. PRIVACY No accounts, no analytics, no tracking. Your images and audio stay on your device. Free to encode and decode. Optional one-time Pro purchase unlocks watermark customization and Listening Station Mode. We do not use, sell or share your data for advertising or marketing purposes. Be aware: Encoded images are audio signals — anyone receiving the audio can decode them! REQUIREMENTS • iOS 17.6 or later • Camera access for live mode • Microphone access for live decode Built by a ham radio operator for ham radio operators. 73!
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is rating: FT Ham at 4.8 against SimpleSSTV's 4.0. FT Ham also leads on review sentiment (100% vs 75%) and update cadence (every 6 days vs monthly). SimpleSSTV's advantage is monetization model (free vs free with in-app purchases). On price, ratings volume, ads 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
Both are free to download. FT Ham sells 4 one-off in-app purchases and SimpleSSTV sells 3 one-off in-app purchases. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
FT Ham holds the better App Store score, 4.8 against 4.0. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 4 and 4 respectively. Written reviews point the same way: 100% of FT Ham's written reviews are positive against 75% of SimpleSSTV's.
FT Ham ships an update every 6 days, SimpleSSTV monthly. Both last shipped on November 5, 2026.
| Parameter | FT Ham | SimpleSSTV |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | 4.8 (4 ratings) — better | 4.0 (4 ratings) |
| Positive reviews | 100.0% of reviews — better | 75.0% of reviews |
| Number of ratings | 4 | 4 |
| Update frequency | Every 6 days — better | Monthly |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Monetization | Free with in-app purchases | Free — better |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad, Mac — better |
| Requires iOS | 16.6 — better | 17.6 |
| Further details — not scored | ||
| Size | 26 MB | 5 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | PABLO TURRION SAN PEDRO | Jeroen Rombouts |
Customer experience
FT Ham
SimpleSSTV
In-app purchases
FT Ham
- Donation of 0.99 €$0.99
- FT Ham premium access$1.99
- Donation of 2,99 €$2.99
Show 1 moreShow fewer
- Donation of 4,99 €$3.99
SimpleSSTV
- Listening Station Mode$1.99
- Remove or change encoder watermark$2.99
- SimpleSSTV Pro$3.99








