RigHelm for iPhone · Run your FTDX3000 from your phone

RigHelm for iPhone is still in testing. Receive and control have been checked against a real FTDX3000 running RigHelm, and the CW key on a real FTDX3000 at 5 W into a dummy load. Talking through the phone has only been checked against RigHelm's built-in radio simulator so far. You can try it through TestFlight. If something doesn't work, send feedback from the TestFlight app, tell me or open an issue.

What it does

The radio in the shack, the controls in your hand.

Finds your station

Open the app and RigHelm stations on your Wi-Fi are listed, with whether the radio is on and whether they accept a microphone. Or type an address.

Tune like a radio

Turn the helm wheel, drag across the frequency, step with the arrows or type a frequency in. Bands, modes, VFO A/B, split, lock and the tuner are one tap away.

Listen anywhere

The radio's receive audio plays on the phone, smoothed out for Wi-Fi, and keeps playing with the screen off or in another app.

Talk through the phone

Switch to PHONE MIC and hold the big button to talk. The radio's MIC SEL menus go to USB while you use it and back to what they were when you're done.

Send CW from the phone new in 1.1

Switch to PHONE KEY and the bottom of the screen becomes iambic paddles: left for dit, right for dah, both thumbs to squeeze. Straight key, iambic A or B, typed text and a sidetone on the phone.

Every control

AF/RF gain, squelch, AGC, preamp, attenuator, roofing, width, IF shift, noise blanker, DNR, notch, contour, power, mic gain, processor, VOX, monitor, clarifier and CW keyer.

Safe to carry around

Transmit stays locked until you allow it in Settings. The phone lets go of the radio when it goes in your pocket or after a time-out, and the CW key goes back to the radio's own key when it's not in use.

Screenshots

What it looks like.

Video, with sound. Finding a station on the Wi-Fi, tuning with the helm wheel, bands and modes, and the receiver controls. Recorded in the iPhone Simulator against RigHelm's built-in FTDX3000 simulator. Also on YouTube.

RigHelm for iPhone's Operate page: 14.230.000 USB on 20 m, the S-meter at S7, receive audio level, the helm-wheel tuning knob and step sizes — **Operate.** Frequency, S-meter, audio and the helm-wheel knob.

Transmitting: the frequency turns red, a TX badge shows, and power, SWR and ALC meters replace the S-meter — **Transmitting.** Power, SWR and ALC while you talk.

Band and mode buttons, VFO A/B, split, lock and ATU, and the transmit section with the RADIO MIC / PHONE MIC switch, MOX, TUNE and antenna — **Bands & modes.** VFOs, split, tuner, mic switch and antenna.

The Controls page: AF gain, RF gain, squelch, AGC, preamp, attenuator and roofing filter — **Controls.** Receiver, filter, DSP, transmitter and CW.

Screenshots from the iPhone Simulator, connected to RigHelm with its built-in FTDX3000 simulator.

How it connects

Phone, RigHelm, radio.

iPhone (Wi-Fi)→RigHelm on the radio's computer→FTDX3000

On the radio's computerRun RigHelm and open Remote (LAN) → Let other computers use this radio. Set a password so the phone may transmit, and turn on Accept microphone audio for transmit to talk through the phone.

On the phoneOpen the app and allow it to find devices on your local network. The station shows up under On your network; tap it and enter the password.

Shares the radioWSJT-X, your logger and other remote computers keep working while the phone is connected. RigHelm owns the radio and shares it with everyone.

At home, not across the internetIt's made for your home network, like RigHelm's own LAN remote. The password is never sent in clear, but the audio and control traffic isn't encrypted.

Get it · in testing

Not on the App Store yet. Test it with TestFlight.

Latest: RigHelm for iPhone v1.1.1 (testing) · receive audio without dropouts or crackle

TestFlight is Apple's free app for trying apps before they're in the App Store. Open the link on your iPhone, install TestFlight from the App Store if it asks, then tap Accept and Install. New test builds show up in TestFlight by themselves. It needs iOS 17 or later.

Join the TestFlight beta

To send feedback, take a screenshot in the app and tap Share Beta Feedback, or open RigHelm in TestFlight and tap Send Beta Feedback.

Or build it yourself

You can also build it with Xcode on a Mac (free) and run it on your own iPhone. Open the project, pick your phone, set your Apple ID under Signing & Capabilities and press Run.

git clone --branch v1.1.1 https://github.com/NR5P/righelm-ios.git
open righelm-ios/RigHelm.xcodeproj

Open source

All of the app's code is on GitHub at github.com/NR5P/righelm-ios. It's free software under the GNU GPL v3, like RigHelm.

Source code · README & setup · Report a problem · License (GPL v3) · RigHelm for Windows, Mac & Linux

Support on PayPal RigHelm is free and made in my spare time. If it's useful to you, a tip helps keep it going.

Your FTDX3000, in your pocket.