RadarPlot vs Flashing Light
Price, ratings, monetisation and update history for both apps, side by side β with what reviewers say about each.
RadarPlot
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Master radar plotting through practical, interactive exercises. RadarPlot is a professional training tool for maritime cadets, deck officers and navigators learning the 6-minute plotting method, relative motion, CPA calculations and collision-avoidance maneuvers. PRACTICE RADAR PLOTTING β’ Record target range and bearing observations β’ Plot multiple radar targets β’ Use a North-Up stabilized radar display β’ Adjust plotting intervals and range scales β’ Zoom and pan without affecting calculations CALCULATE CPA AND TARGET MOTION β’ Automatically construct the Relative Motion Line β’ Calculate CPA, TCPA and relative speed β’ Determine the targetβs true course and speed β’ Visualize own-ship and target-motion vectors β’ Practice the standard 6-minute plotting method PLAN COLLISION-AVOIDANCE MANEUVERS β’ Set a required minimum passing distance β’ Calculate course-only and speed-only solutions β’ Select the maneuver execution point β’ Display the Advanced Relative Motion Line β’ Compare alternative maneuvering decisions BUILT FOR MARITIME TRAINING Use built-in scenarios and answer-reveal tools to learn step by step or practise independently. Ideal for maritime academy students, deck officers preparing for examinations, navigators refreshing manual plotting skills and instructors demonstrating relative-motion geometry. Train smarter. Understand the plot. Make safer decisions.
Flashing Light
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Walk into your U.S. Coast Guard flashing-light check able to read the lamp, send clean timing, and call ICS code groups without hesitation. Train receive, transmit, and ICS signal work at the real 4-8 WPM exam range. This is a chartroom instrument, not a gamified Morse toy: a single high-contrast lamp on a dark, low-glare screen, with instrument-grade typography. It trains the three things a real check demands, and measures readiness by actual accuracy, not streaks or confetti. Purpose-built for USCG deck-license candidates, maritime academy cadets, and renewing or upgrading officers. CW and signaling hobbyists who want disciplined visual Morse practice will feel at home too. WHAT IT TRAINS - Receive: decode characters, code groups, and signals flashed by the on-screen lamp, then answer for immediate scoring. - Transmit: send Morse back with a press-and-hold lamp key. A timing strip grades every dot, dash, and gap to the millisecond against tolerance, with optional haptics. - ICS: decode the International Code of Signals group, then choose its PUB 102 meaning - both graded. A REAL COURSE, NOT FLASHCARDS - Two progressive tracks: Characters (maritime-tuned Koch order) and Signals & phrases (single-letter signals, prosigns, SOS, ICS groups). - Leitner 5-box spaced repetition schedules your weak items and shifts you from multiple-choice to recall as items mature. - Farnsworth spacing tightens from wide to exam cadence automatically. - A quick Daily session and a tap-to-preview Reference grid of every letter, number, and code. HONEST READINESS, NO CONFETTI - Mock Exam runs a realistic USCG-style sequence: single and grouped receive, SOS and single-letter signals, timed items, transmit prompts, and ICS decode/meaning. - A Readiness estimate across Receive, Transmit, and ICS - with replay dependence tracked as its own signal. - Ranked weakest-symbol and confusion-pair tables, accuracy by speed, and recent-session history. DESIGNED FOR THE EYES - First-launch photosensitivity warning; honors Reduce Motion. - Symbolic-only mode replaces flashes with an on-screen dot/dash indicator. - Adjustable lamp brightness, optional haptics, high-contrast controls, large touch targets, VoiceOver throughout. FREE TO START - The complete Learn course (both tracks, spaced repetition, Farnsworth spacing, Daily session, Reference grid). - Receive drills at 4 WPM, the full progress dashboard, and review tables. ONE-TIME FULL ACCESS ($9.99, lifetime - not a subscription) unlocks: - Transmit drills with per-pulse millisecond timing. - ICS code-group decode plus PUB 102 meaning grading. - The full Mock Exam. - Receive drills at every speed, 5-8 WPM. - Progress export to JSON. Works fully offline and on-device - no account required, no tracking, and your progress stays on your device. Built on public-domain maritime standards: Morse, the International Code of Signals, and PUB 102. From Osprey Applications LLC, maker of Coast Guard Exams and Mariner Studio.
Screenshots
Verdict
The clearest difference is update cadence: Flashing Light at every 6 weeks against RadarPlot's every 4 months. RadarPlot's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 18.4). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.
Scored on Price Β· Rating Β· Positive reviews Β· Number of ratings Β· Update frequency Β· Ads Β· In-app purchases Β· Monetization Β· Best chart rank Β· Devices Β· Requires iOS
Both are free to download. RadarPlot sells 1 one-off in-app purchase and Flashing Light sells 1 one-off in-app purchase. Whichever you choose, the download price is not the number that matters.
RadarPlot ships an update every 4 months, Flashing Light every 6 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 5, 2026 and September 28, 2026 respectively.
| Parameter | RadarPlot | Flashing Light |
|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free |
| Update frequency | Every 4 months | Every 6 weeks β better |
| Ads | No | No |
| In-app purchases | Yes | Yes |
| Devices | iPhone, iPod | iPhone, iPad |
| Requires iOS | 15.1 β better | 18.4 |
| Further details β not scored | ||
| Size | 58 MB | 25 MB |
| Age rating | 4+ | 4+ |
| Developer | Paulina Praciak | Osprey Applications LLC |
In-app purchases
RadarPlot
- Lifetime Access$14.99
Flashing Light
- Full Access$9.99
Questions
Is RadarPlot free?
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Which is updated more often, RadarPlot or Flashing Light?
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