SimpleFT8

SimpleFT8 is a native macOS and iOS app for FT8 and FT4, the weak-signal digital modes used by amateur radio operators worldwide.

WHAT IS FT8?

FT8 is a structured digital mode for ham radio. Stations alternate transmitting and receiving in synchronized 15-second slots, exchanging compact messages over a narrow audio bandwidth. The mode decodes successfully at signal levels well below the noise floor — operators routinely make contacts on a watt or two of power with stations on the other side of the planet.

SimpleFT8 puts a real digital station in your pocket. Decode signals using your device's microphone or a USB audio interface and send replies in the next slot. The manual station and local logbook work without an account.

WHAT YOU GET

• Live decode table per 15-second FT8 or 7.5-second FT4 slot
• Slot-aligned transmitter with a structured QSO composer
(CQ / reply / report / RR73 / 73)
• Tap any decode to start a QSO — the state machine handles the
rest of the handshake
• Built-in waterfall display with tap-to-set TX frequency
• Local QSO logbook with search, editing, ADIF import/export,
and complete native backup/restore
• Map of stations you've decoded with their Maidenhead grids

SIMPLEFT8 FREE

Free includes unlimited FT8/FT4 receive, waterfall and decode history; microphone and USB audio; manual CQ, reply and complete QSO exchanges; all TX safety controls; local logging and full portable ADIF import/export; and the basic community map.

SIMPLEFT8 PRO — ONE-TIME LIFETIME UNLOCK

Pro adds automatic replies, custom-message looping, advanced export scopes, direct QRZ Logbook transfer, and private iCloud log sync. On macOS, Pro also adds Icom CI-V CAT/PTT and VFO control over a serial connection, System Audio capture, and autonomous band hopping. CAT/PTT rig control and band hopping are not available on iPhone or iPad. No subscription.

Customers who bought SimpleFT8 before it became Free receive Pro automatically.

PSK REPORTER + PRESENCE (OPT-IN)

If you turn it on in Settings:

• Decode reports forwarded to PSK Reporter so you contribute to the
global propagation map (rate-limited server-side)
• See who heard you in the last 15 minutes, plotted on the map
• See other SimpleFT8 operators currently online, on the same map

Both toggles are off by default. QRZ transfer and private iCloud log sync are also separately configured and off by default.

WHAT MAKES IT DIFFERENT

• Native Swift/SwiftUI — no Electron, no Qt port. Looks and feels
like a Mac/iOS app should.
• Pro System Audio capture on macOS via ScreenCaptureKit — decode
straight from SDR software, WebSDR, or any audio your machine is
playing, without a virtual cable.
• Random caller selection rather than first-come — every station in
a pile-up has an equal shot at being picked.
• Opinionated QSO state machine handles slot parity, role
alternation, and protocol step transitions so you don't have to
fight the radio.

PRIVACY

The app is foreground-only on iOS — the mic stops when the app
goes to background. macOS keeps audio I/O alive (long FT8 sessions
are the norm). Optional community and logbook integrations are clearly opt-in.
No analytics, no tracking, no ads, and no subscription.

Built by a ham operator for ham operators. 73 de PD3BAL.