Author: Marcus

The Tokyo HAM Fair once again delivered exciting news for radio enthusiasts — but also some disappointments. Here are the biggest takeaways.

Icom Surprises with the IC-7300 MkII

The show’s biggest announcement came from Icom with the unveiling of the IC-7300 MkII. Standing in line to enter, I immediately noticed the buzz around it — and for good reason. The IC-7300 MkII is the long-awaited successor to Icom’s most successful transceiver.

As hoped, it now features a network interface and an improved receiver, making it a strong contender for the next must-have rig. Ray Novak, N9JA, confirmed at the booth that it will launch in Japan later this year and in the U.S. early next year. Hopefully, Europe won’t have to wait much longer. For developers like me, it’s almost a no-brainer to support in apps.

AOR Announces the DV3

AOR introduced the AOR-DV3, successor to the popular DV1. While specs remain similar, the DV3 boasts significantly faster performance, paving the way for more features via software updates. Considering the DV1 has been on the market for nearly a decade, this is a major step forward.

Currently, I only have a Windows app for the DV1, but I’m curious if there’s interest in a macOS app for either the DV1 or DV3. Let me know if that’s something you’d like to see.

FlexRadio Pushes for Japanese Certification

At the FlexRadio booth (represented by System Inc.), I learned that the new Aurora series and other FlexRadio transceivers are undergoing the complex Japanese certification process. John Furuya, JE1PTZ, explained it’s a bureaucratic hurdle, but once approved, FlexRadio fans in Japan will finally have official access.

Kenwood Shows Familiar Gear

Kenwood didn’t bring new products this year but showcased the TM-D750, TS-890, and TS-990. I tried to raise an issue some users face with remote connectivity on the TS-890 (both with my app and Kenwood’s own software). Unfortunately, the booth staff couldn’t give an answer — whether due to the language barrier or simply lack of information remains unclear.

YAESU Misses the Mark

Sadly, YAESU left many operators disappointed. Their booth centered on the FTX-1, rebranded in multiple confusing ways (Field, Optima), much like the FT-710/AES variation. But the real letdown: the FTX-1 lacks a network interface.

At the very least, support for their quite expensive SCU-LAN interface would have been appropriate.

When I asked about remote access plans, the staff had no answers — suggesting it isn’t a priority for YAESU at all. This stance runs completely against the industry trend, especially now that Icom has raised the bar with the IC-7300 MkII.

At this point, I struggle to see a compelling reason to buy the FTX-1. If you know of one, I’d love to hear it — but based on the buzz at the booth, I wasn’t alone in my skepticism.

To gain more clarity, I also tried to establish direct contact with YAESU about their strategy and future goals. Karl Brazier from YAESU UK told me they would get back to me. However, as of now, YAESU has remained silent — perhaps for a reason, though it leaves their direction even more uncertain.

At this point, I struggle to see a compelling reason to buy the FTX-1. If you know of one, I’d love to hear it — but based on the buzz at the booth, I wasn’t alone in my skepticism.

The recent SSTV pictures received from the ISS were fascinating and inspired me to take a closer look at satellite communication again.

QO-100 – Easy to Use, But Predictable

Some time ago, I spent quite a bit of time operating the QO-100 satellite. With just a small 80cm dish, it’s possible to work the geostationary satellite from most of Europe (but not from the US). It works reliably, and you can make QSOs in SSB, CW, FT8, and FT4.

At first, it was great fun. But over time, it became a little boring—mainly because you hear the same stations again and again, with the exception of some rare DX-peditions. Since the effort to get on QO-100 is fairly low and the conditions are always predictable (no DX-style challenges with propagation or weather), I eventually stopped using it.

LEO Satellite Operation – A Real Challenge

Operating via LEO satellites is much more demanding—and that makes it more interesting. Since these satellites are constantly moving across the sky, you need both elevation and azimuth rotators. On top of that, the Doppler effect means you have to continuously adjust RX and TX frequencies as the satellite approaches or moves away.

There are plenty of solutions for this, but most of them require a lot of cabling between the radio, PC or Mac, and the controller. To me, that felt like HAM radio from the stone age—and I really didn’t like the idea of being tied down to wires.

That’s when I discovered the S.A.T. device from CSN Technology.

The S.A.T. Device – Modern Satellite Control

The S.A.T. device turned out to be exactly the solution I was looking for.

What It Offers

• Direct connection to the rotator controller
• WiFi connection to the local network
• A web interface with an easy-to-use satellite selector
• Automatic rotator control and Doppler correction
• A developer API for seamless integration

That last point, the API, made it possible for me to integrate the S.A.T. device directly into my apps. Setting it up is surprisingly simple: connect it to your rotator controller with the included cable, add it to your WiFi network, and that’s it. From then on, the app connects to it automatically, tunes the correct RX and TX frequencies, and even handles Doppler shift corrections—without the need for a CAT cable.

For satellite selection and general information, the web interface is still very convenient. Once you’re on the air, the S.A.T. device keeps the antenna pointing at the right satellite, while the app manages all the frequency adjustments in the background.

Integrated Control in the App

With the upcoming integration, the S.A.T. device interfaces directly with the app. Below are two screenshots of SDR-Control that demonstrate how S.A.T. device interface with Doppler correction and transponder selection options.

This is the Rotator interface of SDR-Control for the S.A.T.

More Than Just Satellites

Even if you’re not into satellites, the S.A.T. device is still useful. For example, it can act as a network-based rotator controller for a HF Yagi antenna, which is a nice bonus.

Coming Soon in HAM-Radio-Apps

Support for the S.A.T. device is coming to the HAM-Radio-Apps, starting with SDR-Control for Icom. This will make operating satellites (and rotators in general) much easier and far more modern.

Stay tuned—this feature is on the way!

The latest updates to SmartSDR (FlexRadio), SDR-Control (Icom), FT-Control (Yaesu), TS-Control (Kenwood), and K4-Control (Elecraft) for macOS now support sending SSTV (Slow Scan Television) pictures in various formats—building on the recently introduced SSTV receiving functionality.

This enhancement allows operators to transmit CQ picture calls globally, directly from their Mac, adding a new visual nice feature to ham radio communication via the HAM-Radio-Apps.

Key features of the latest update include:

• SSTV Picture Transmission: SSTV Images can now also be sent worldwide.
• Enhanced SSTV Reception: Automatic slant correction has been improved for more accurate image rendering.
• Image Adjustment Tools: Additional controls allow further refinement of received pictures.
• Progress Indicator: A new transmission/reception progress bar displays remaining time for SSTV operations.
• FSK-ID Integration: Call signs are now transmitted as FSK-ID after each image and can also be extracted from received images for automatic QSO logging, a feature now fully integrated into the SSTV tool.

Coming Soon: These SSTV features are also planned for the iOS versions of the respective apps, bringing the same powerful functionality to mobile operators using iPhone and iPad devices.

These improvements make it easier than ever to participate in visual QSOs and log them accurately and efficiently using the latest HAM-Radio-Apps.

Philippe (F4IQP) successfully received an SSTV (Slow Scan Television) image transmitted by the International Space Station (ISS) using the SDR-Control app and its newly added SSTV decoding feature. Remarkably, the image was captured overnight while the station passed overhead — without any manual intervention. Philippe commented:
“SDR-Control rocks, I was sleeping! 😜”

My personal attempt during the day resulted in partial reception — only the header was captured. The ISS had already passed over my location by several thousand kilometers by the time the transmission began, making full reception impossible as it moved beyond range.

For radio enthusiasts interested in decoding SSTV transmissions from the ISS, a simple setup is all that’s needed. A standard ground plane (GP) antenna suffices — no need for specialized equipment. To know when the ISS will be within range, the ISS Detector app is highly recommended:
👉 ISS Detector on the App Store

Once the ISS is overhead, tune your radio to 145.800 MHz, launch the SSTV decoder in SDR-Control (available for Mac, iPad, and iPhone), and listen in. Set it to run automatically and you might wake up to an image from space — just like Philippe did.

Apple has just released all three new updates for SDR-Control across macOS, iPadOS, and iOS platforms. These latest versions bring several minor enhancements, along with a major new feature: SSTV (Slow Scan Television) reception is now fully supported.

With SSTV now integrated, users can receive and decode SSTV transmissions directly on their Mac, iPad, or iPhone — making it easier than ever to capture images transmitted via amateur radio, including those from the International Space Station (ISS).

The app manuals have also been revised to reflect the new functionality and improvements, ensuring users have up-to-date guidance.

Work is now underway to bring SSTV to the other ham radio apps in the lineup. Looking further ahead, plans include support for SSTV image transmission, expanding the capabilities even further.

Radio enthusiasts who successfully receive SSTV images, particularly from the ISS, are encouraged to share their captures. Selected submissions may be featured on this site.

Slow Scan Television (SSTV) is making its way to the HAM-Radio-Apps. SSTV reception will first be introduced in the SDR-Control app for macOS and both iOS apps. Support for other platforms, including FlexRadio, YAESU, Kenwood, and Elecraft, will follow shortly thereafter. In a future update, SSTV transmission capabilities will also be added across all supported platforms.

SSTV remains an active and engaging mode in the amateur radio community, especially on 14.230 MHz. Additionally, through July 20, the International Space Station (ISS) is transmitting SSTV images on 145.800 MHz FM. These space-originated SSTV images are part of an ongoing initiative by ARISS. More details can be found at ARISS SSTV Events.

Stay tuned as HAM-Radio-Apps expands its feature set to include this popular and visually captivating mode.

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A significant wave of updates is on the way for the ham radio apps. Following a holiday break, development has resumed at full pace, resulting in 11 app updates currently pending release by Apple.

These updates primarily focus on user-requested improvements and fixes received via the app included Contact Support button while on holidays. Among the enhancements are continued refinements to FT8 functionality and upgrades to the POTA Tool, ensuring smoother and more accurate operation.

For macOS users, improvements have been made to RigCtr/HamLib integration and Cabrillo log export, offering greater compatibility and ease of use. In addition, all apps have received general performance optimizations and minor bug fixes to enhance overall reliability.

Stay tuned — once Apple completes its review, the updates will be available for download.

Meanwhile, additional features are already under development.

FlexRadio has joined other leading amateur radio manufacturers in integrating digital signal enhancement techniques to reduce unwanted intermodulation distortion (IMD). Following the innovations of Apache Labs (ANAN) with their adaptive PureSignal technology, and Icom’s static Digital Pre-Distortion (DPD) feature for the IC-7610 and IC-7760, FlexRadio now introduces Adaptive Pre-Distortion (APD), also branded as SmartSignal, for their 8000 Series and the upcoming Aurora radios.

While the 6000 Series is not currently supported, FlexRadio has hinted at the possibility of a future hardware add-on that could extend APD capabilities to these earlier models.

Comparing Signal Enhancement Technologies

Three major signal improvement technologies are now available across top-tier radios:

• PureSignal (ANAN) and SmartSignal/APD (FlexRadio) are adaptive systems, constantly recalibrating based on real-time TX conditions.
• DPD (Icom) is a static system, calibrated once either during manufacturing or manually by the operator.

Adaptive systems offer broader flexibility, especially in dynamic operating environments, as they adjust automatically when changing frequencies or external conditions. Static systems, while simpler, do not adapt after initial calibration. Notably, adaptive systems such as ANAN’s PureSignal also support feedback from external power amplifiers, a capability not currently available with FlexRadio’s APD.

How to Enable and Use APD or DPD

• Icom Radios (IC-7610, IC-7760): With firmware version 1.4x and the latest SDR-Control app, users can activate DPD via a simple toggle in the Radio Settings menu. The IC-7760 is factory-calibrated, while IC-7610 users may need to run a manual calibration if not previously completed.
• FlexRadio (8000 Series): APD requires firmware version 3.9.x and SDR-Control app version 7.0.70 (iOS) or 2.9.70 (macOS). If available, an APD button appears in the TX panel of the Radio Control screen. A blue button indicates that APD is active; gray means it is off. Tapping toggles the feature.

Looking Ahead

FlexRadio’s move toward adaptive signal correction with APD marks a significant step in improving transmission quality. Future enhancements may include broader support and external PA feedback capabilities, aligning with the flexibility currently seen in ANAN’s PureSignal.

In any case, rest assured that the ham-radio-apps will continue to follow and support the latest technologies and features introduced by FlexRadio, Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood and Elecraft.

Dayton (Xenia) Hamvention is under way and the show floor has already delivered a series of notable transceiver launches.

FlexRadio: Aurora™ Series & Adaptive Predistortion

FlexRadio has unveiled new Aurora™ Series – HF/6 m radios offering 500 W output and up to 90 % efficiency. At the same time, Adaptive Predistortion (ADP) is slated for release on the Flex-8000 line soon. FlexRadio kept me informed well in advance, so both Aurora and ADP compatibility are already in the works for SmartSDR. Exact availability will be announced; please refrain from requesting specific dates.

Icom IC-7760 enters the lineup

Icom’s recently revealed IC-7760 adds another flagship to its HF portfolio and is already supported by all SDR-Control variants.

Yaesu debuts the FTX-1 Field & Optima

The brand-new FTX-1 arrives in two flavours – QRP portable and 100 W full-power – covering HF/50/144/430 MHz in all modes. Initial reactions point to robust on-air performance but also highlight a premium price tag, feature parity gaps versus the IC-705, and the absence of an integrated LAN server. Remote-operation prospects remain uncertain pending clarification on support for the optional (and separately priced) SCU-LAN interface. As long as Yaesu doesn’t enable SCU-LAN support on the FTX-1, the transceiver cannot be integrated into my FT-Control apps.

Quiet boards at Kenwood & Elecraft

Apart from Kenwood’s TM-D750, no major product disclosures have surfaced from Kenwood or Elecraft so far.

Introduction

Correct timing is essential for weak-signal digital modes such as FT8 and FT4, yet misunderstandings about how that timing is achieved persist. Wrong assumptions can lead operators to purchase unnecessary hardware or install superfluous software. The following clarifies the most common myths and explains why modern devices—particularly macOS and iOS—already provide all that is required.

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Myth 1 — The transceiver’s clock must be GPS-synchronized

Reality: FT8 and FT4 depend on the clock of the client device (computer, smartphone, or tablet), not the radio. The transceiver simply follows the audio stream provided by the software.

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Myth 2 — A computer must use an external GPS to stay accurate

Reality: For Apple operating systems, built-in Network Time Protocol (NTP) services keep the system clock well within the tolerance that FT8 decoding requires. Apple devices poll Apple’s NTP servers continuously and adjust for network latency automatically.

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Myth 3 — Third-party “clock fixer” utilities improve FT8 reliability

Reality: Additional software rarely improves upon the accuracy already achieved by the native NTP service. Extra background apps can, however, consume resources and complicate troubleshooting. On macOS and iOS, keeping “Set date and time automatically” enabled is sufficient.

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Myth 4 — Deviations of a few milliseconds break FT8

Reality: Modern FT8 implementations like in all of my apps decode in several phases, accepting offsets of ±1 s—and often more—without issues. Timing precision remains more critical for secure network authentication than for FT8 signal exchange.

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Practical Checks and Best Practices

Task	How to Verify	Action Needed
Confirm system time	Visit time.is in Safari	Expect “Your time is exact” or minimal offset
Enable automatic time	System Settings → General → Date & Time	Ensure “Set Automatically” is turned on
Diagnose large offsets	Check firewall/DNS restrictions	Allow access to time.apple.com NTP servers
Temporary offline use	Rely on the device’s crystal oscillator	Apple hardware remains accurate for several days