Comparison

HAMSignal vs FT8 Hero Remote

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

Head to head
About

HAMSignal

This app provides real-time solar weather data and forecasts specifically for amateur radio operators. It alerts users to improving band conditions, offers propagation tools, and includes a QSO logbook with solar data. Designed to help operators maximize their on-air time.

Highlights
  • Real-time K-index, SFI, and A-index updates
  • Band opening push notifications
  • 27-day solar forecast
  • Grey zone and terminator overlay
  • PSK Reporter live data
  • QSO logbook with solar conditions
  • Contest mode dashboard
Features
Read full description

Get an alert when your HF band is likely open at your QTH. HAMSignal rates each band, day and night, from live NOAA solar data. Made for licensed amateur radio operators. ALERTS • Band alerts (80m to 10m) follow the solar forecast by default: SFI and K-index, day and night, with thresholds you can adjust. • Or choose measured: it counts stations that receivers near you decode on PSK Reporter, so it needs active receivers in your area. • Four free space-weather alerts (M-class flares and up, G1 storms and up, strong aurora, proton events), plus custom alerts on SFI, K, solar wind, X-ray and more • Background checks run when iOS allows, so an alert can arrive late. Settings > Alert timing shows how late. CONDITIONS • Every HF band rated open, fair or closed at your location, from NOAA SWPC data • What can I work right now (US): open bands legal for your license class, with FCC Part 97 limits • Am I being heard: who decoded your signal in the last hour, from PSK Reporter • A VHF card for 6m, 2m, aurora and the sporadic E season • 27-day forecast, history, grey line map, solar imagery and a path predictor OPERATE • DX cluster and POTA spots, and PSK Reporter activity for your grid • POTA self-spotting that queues offline, POTA and SOTA lookup, Activator Mode, satellite passes, APRS and your repeaters • Offline logbook with unlimited QSOs, iCloud sync, ADIF import and CSV export, plus pocket tools from antenna length to Morse HAMSIGNAL PRO $9.99 per year with a 14-day free trial for new subscribers, or buy Lifetime once. You get a reminder on day 12. • Alerts for every band, unlimited custom alerts, and measured openings to the continents or DXCC entities you pick (free: one band alert, one custom alert) • 6m, 2m and aurora-on-VHF alerts, tagged sporadic E, aurora, TEP or meteor scatter • Heads-up alerts for storms (forecast, or likely within hours), HF radio blackouts and a good 10m day tomorrow • DX spot alerts, and POTA hunter alerts with spots you logged today crossed out • Heard map with up to 30 days of history, and an alert when a new continent or DXCC entity hears you • Greyline sked alerts, a morning briefing, and alert controls such as quiet hours • Path planner: likely openings over the next 48 hours, with an alert 30 minutes before (a model estimate) • Saved locations, and Rover mode, which can switch when you arrive at one • LoTW confirmations, and DXCC, WAS and VUCC lists (free shows your counts) • Contest Mode, and ADIF, Cabrillo and Field Day export • Live Activities for an operating session and a greyline countdown • A full-screen shack display for a phone on a stand or an iPad • Home Screen, Lock Screen and StandBy widgets, and the Apple Watch app With the app closed, live-data alerts rely on background refreshes, so they are likely, not guaranteed, and show their data's age. ALREADY A HAMSIGNAL USER? Bought Pro, or HAMSignal when it was a paid app? You keep Pro, new features included. Installed HAMSignal before version 3.9? Widgets and the Apple Watch app stay free for you. Your alerts keep working as before. Missing something? Tap Restore Purchases. No sign-up, no ads and no server: your log stays on your devices and in your own iCloud. ABOUT THE SUBSCRIPTION HAMSignal Pro Yearly is $9.99 per year (US price; local prices vary), with a 14-day free trial for new subscribers. It renews automatically unless cancelled at least 24 hours before the end of the trial or period. Payment is charged to your Apple Account when you confirm, or when the free trial ends. Cancel anytime in Settings > your name > Subscriptions. HAMSignal Pro Lifetime is one payment, no subscription. Terms of Use: https://www.apple.com/legal/internet-services/itunes/dev/stdeula/ Privacy Policy: https://stephenlthorn.github.io/app-legal/ham-signal/privacy.html Requires iOS 17 or later; the Control Center control needs iOS 18, and the Apple Watch app watchOS 10.

About

FT8 Hero Remote

Control your FT8 radio station remotely from your iPhone or iPad. See decoded stations, manage calls, and log contacts from anywhere, ensuring your radio stays safely in your shack. Requires a paired desktop application.

Highlights
  • Remote radio operation
  • Live decoded station display
  • Initiate CQ calls
  • Respond to CQ calls
  • Band and mode selection
  • Log QSO confirmation
  • Live waterfall display
Features
Read full description

FT8 Hero Remote is the iPhone and iPad remote for the FT8 Hero desktop app. Operate your own FT8 station from anywhere while the radio stays in the shack. The FT8 Hero desktop app runs beside WSJT-X on the shack computer and relays what the radio hears. This app shows it to you live: every decoded station, who is calling CQ, who is calling you, the band, the mode, the period clock — and takes back what you tap. • Tap a CQ to answer it. WSJT-X arms the transmitter and Auto Seq runs the contact. • CALL CQ presses WSJT-X's own Tx 6. STOP TX is never refused. • Band Activity and Rx Frequency lists, exactly as WSJT-X shows them. • Change band and mode, select any of the six messages, Monitor, Decode, Tune. • Confirm WSJT-X's Log QSO dialog from wherever you are. Contacts go to your QSL World logbook and, with a key, to QRZ Logbook. • A live picture of the waterfall. • Safety built in: a dropped connection halts the transmitter, only one operator at a time, and nothing keys the radio without a paired device. Pair once by scanning the QR code the desktop app shows. No account, no port forwarding, no dynamic DNS: the shack dials out, the phone dials in, and they meet at the relay. Requires the free FT8 Hero desktop app for Mac, Windows or Linux from ft8hero.com, running beside WSJT-X 2.5 or later (or JTDX). Five contacts are free; after that a licence from ft8hero.com keeps the station on the air.

Screenshots

HAMSignal4 screens
FT8 Hero Remote4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is in-app purchases: FT8 Hero Remote at none against HAMSignal's 2. FT8 Hero Remote also leads on update cadence (daily vs every 9 days). On price, rating, ratings volume and ads 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. HAMSignal sells 2 in-app purchases, starting at $9.99 per year. FT8 Hero Remote asks for nothing beyond the download.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for HAMSignal against 5.0 for FT8 Hero Remote. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 1 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HAMSignal ships an update every 9 days, FT8 Hero Remote daily. The most recent releases landed on October 25, 2026 and October 26, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
HAMSignal versus FT8 Hero Remote: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHAMSignalFT8 Hero Remote
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (1 ratings)
Positive reviews0.0% of reviews—
Number of ratings2 — better1
Update frequencyEvery 9 daysDaily — better
AdsNoNo
In-app purchasesYesNo — better
MonetizationPaidFree with in-app purchases — better
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPad
Requires iOS17.017.0
Further details — not scored
Size17 MB5 MB
Age rating4+4+
DeveloperStephen ThorniDream Interactive

In-app purchases

2 purchases

HAMSignal

Subscriptions1
  • HAMSignal Pro Yearly14 Days trial$9.991 Year
One-time1
  • HAMSignal Pro$4.99
None

FT8 Hero Remote

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HAMSignal free?
HAMSignal is free to download, with in-app purchases available.
Is FT8 Hero Remote free?
FT8 Hero Remote is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HAMSignal or FT8 Hero Remote?
HAMSignal and FT8 Hero Remote are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 1 ratings respectively.
Do HAMSignal or FT8 Hero Remote have ads?
Neither HAMSignal nor FT8 Hero Remote shows ads.
Which is updated more often, HAMSignal or FT8 Hero Remote?
HAMSignal ships an update every 9 days, and FT8 Hero Remote daily. Most recently, HAMSignal was updated on October 25, 2026 and FT8 Hero Remote on October 26, 2026.

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