Comparison

HamBand vs CallSign Check

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

Head to head
About

HamBand

This app provides amateur radio operators with real-time HF band condition assessments using live solar weather data. It offers band ratings, a greyline visualizer, and trend charts to help predict propagation. An Apple Watch companion app is also available for quick access to information.

Highlights
  • Real-time HF band condition ratings
  • Greyline visualizer for propagation
  • 7-day trend charts for solar data
  • Live Solar Flux Index and K-Index
  • Apple Watch companion app and complication
  • No subscriptions, accounts, or ads
Features
Read full description

HamBand - HF Band Conditions HamBand gives amateur radio operators instant, real-time HF band condition assessments based on live solar weather data from NOAA's Space Weather Prediction Center. Whether you're heading out for a Parks on the Air (POTA) activation, setting up for Field Day, or just checking conditions from the shack, HamBand tells you what the bands are doing right now - no account, no setup, no clutter. Band Conditions Get instant Good, Fair, or Poor ratings for the five primary HF bands - 10m, 15m, 20m, 40m, and 80m - based on real solar physics. Ratings are calculated from the Solar Flux Index (SFI) and K-Index using band-specific propagation thresholds. Greyline Visualizer Watch the day/night terminator move across a live world map in real time. When your QTH sits on the greyline, low-band DX on 160m, 80m, and 40m lights up — so instead of guessing when that sweet spot rolls through, you can see it coming. 7-Day Trend Charts Track how solar conditions have evolved over the past week with interactive K-Index and SFI trend charts. Spot incoming geomagnetic storms before they kill your signal. Live Solar Data See the current Solar Flux Index, K-Index, and last updated time at a glance. Tap either metric for a plain-English explanation of what it means for your operating. Apple Watch Companion Check band conditions right from your wrist. The Apple Watch app and complication keep key solar indices and band ratings accessible without touching your phone - perfect when both hands are on the antenna. Pull to Refresh Always fetching fresh data directly from NOAA. No subscriptions, no accounts, no ads. HamBand is built by KD3CLW, a licensed amateur radio operator in western Pennsylvania. 73 de KD3CLW

About

CallSign Check

Instantly look up amateur radio callsigns from the US and worldwide. Get detailed license information, station locations, and beam headings. Also features vanity callsign hunting and real-time band conditions.

Highlights
  • US FCC license lookup
  • Worldwide DX lookup
  • Vanity callsign hunting
  • Live HF propagation strip
  • Station location on map
  • Distance and beam heading
  • Phonetic callsign readout
Features
Read full description

CallSign Check is the fast way to look up any amateur radio callsign. Type a call, get the full picture — no account, no clutter, no waiting. US LOOKUPS (FCC) • Full license dossier from the FCC ULS database: name, license class, address, grant and expiration dates, FRN, and previous callsign • Live prefix suggestions as you type — start with "W1A" and watch the matches roll in • Station location on a map, with grid square • Distance and beam heading from your location to the station — point your antenna with confidence (your position never leaves your device) • Phonetic readout of every callsign, ready for the air DX LOOKUPS (WORLDWIDE) • Flip to VFO B and look up operators worldwide: name, country, DXCC entity, CQ and ITU zones, grid square, and QSL manager VANITY CALLSIGN HUNTING • Check whether a callsign is currently assigned before you file a vanity application • Search the FCC database by name, city, state, ZIP, or license class with Advanced Search BAND CONDITIONS AT A GLANCE • Live HF propagation strip on the home screen: solar flux, A and K indices, and band-by-band day/night conditions BUILT FOR OPERATORS • Favorites and lookup history, stored on your device • Share any station dossier with one tap • Miles or kilometers, your choice • A focused, dark, radio-room interface that does one thing well CallSign Check is not a logger or a contest tool — it's the lookup app you reach for when a call comes back to you and you want to know who's on the other end. 73! US license data comes from the FCC Universal Licensing System via callook.info. DX data provided via callsigncheck.com. Band conditions courtesy of N0NBH (hamqsl.com).

Screenshots

HamBand4 screens
CallSign Check4 screens

Verdict

The call

The clearest difference is ads: HamBand at none against CallSign Check's shown. HamBand also leads on monetization model (free vs ad-supported). CallSign Check's advantage is iOS requirement (15.1 vs 26.0). On price, rating, ratings volume and update cadence 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. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

ReceptionRating · Positive reviews · Number of ratings

On the App Store both sit at effectively the same score — 5.0 for HamBand against 5.0 for CallSign Check. Both are backed by a comparable volume of ratings — 2 and 4 respectively.

UpkeepUpdate frequency

HamBand ships an update every 10 days, CallSign Check every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on October 2, 2026 and October 11, 2026 respectively.

Scorecard3 real differences · 7 level
HamBand versus CallSign Check: the parameters behind the verdict, then further details
ParameterHamBandCallSign Check
PriceFreeFree
Rating5.0 (2 ratings)5.0 (4 ratings)
Positive reviews—100.0% of reviews
Number of ratings24 — better
Update frequencyEvery 10 days — betterEvery 2 weeks
AdsNo — betterYes
In-app purchasesNoNo
MonetizationFree — betterAd-supported
DevicesiPhone, iPad, Apple Watch — betteriPhone, iPod
Requires iOS26.015.1 — better
Further details — not scored
Size2 MB36 MB
Age rating4+12+
DeveloperTAYLOR JOHN TRANSUEAndrew Murphy

Customer experience

HamBand

All ratings2 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

CallSign Check

All ratings4 ratings
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%
Written reviews1 reviews
Positive100.0%
Neutral0.0%
Negative0.0%

In-app purchases

None

HamBand

No in-app purchases

None

CallSign Check

No in-app purchases

Questions

Is HamBand free?
HamBand is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Is CallSign Check free?
CallSign Check is free to download, with no in-app purchases.
Which has better reviews, HamBand or CallSign Check?
HamBand and CallSign Check are both rated 5.0 out of 5 on the App Store, from 2 and 4 ratings respectively.
Do HamBand or CallSign Check have ads?
CallSign Check shows ads; HamBand does not.
Which is updated more often, HamBand or CallSign Check?
HamBand ships an update every 10 days, and CallSign Check every 2 weeks. Most recently, HamBand was updated on October 2, 2026 and CallSign Check on October 11, 2026.

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