Awhile back, I posted an article on this MailList (reflector) about two (2) new, exciting software products called “SDR-Control-for-Icom” (one for Apple computers running Mac OS and a separate one for Apple iPads running iPadOS). For your reference, I’ve embedded this earlier posting below. Today, in this posting, I wanted to provide you an addendum (an update) on my experience with these products. In a nutshell, my recent experience with these products came be summed up in one word: FANTASTIC!

Initially, I purchased the “SDR-Control for Icom” (iPadOS flavor) software and installed it on my Apple iPad. Shortly thereafter, I also purchased the “SDR-Control for Icom” (MacOS flavor). Luckily, I started working with this latter one first. Although both products are excellent and the documentation is superb, I found it easier to start with the MacOS flavor one as it provides a lot more detail about what’s “going on under the hood” and how your ICOM rig’s network settings need to be tweaked to work with the SDR-Control software. So, my first bit of advice is that if you bite the bullet to invest in this software, then START with the MacOS flavor first. You get a much better understanding of what’s going on than if you start with the iPad flavor.

After doing those network setting tweaks to my ICOM IC-7610 radio, it was INCREDIBLE that the SDR-Control (Mac OS flavor) software WORKED the very first time I ran it! It successfully connected to my radio and basically displayed nearly all this radio’s buttons, knobs, functions, SCOPE, etc. as a GUI (window) on my Apple laptop computer. So, on the very first try, I was up and running my IC-7610 over my home local area network (LAN). IMHO, the developer (DL8MRE) really knows how to develop quality software and it shows in his SDR-Control applications.

Another nice feature is that SDR-Control does allow you to easily integrate other, third-party products with it. So, for an example, if you prefer using Joe Taylor’s (callsign K1JT) "WSJT-X" software to do your FT8, then you can easily use it with SDR-Control. Other apps like DogPark Software’s “MacLoggerDX” (the premier general purpose logging software for Mac computers) and SM0THU’s “JT-Bridge” (like JT-Alert but JT-Bridge works on Apple Mac computers) should also easily integrate with SDR-Control. Also, the “RUMlogNG” software (general and contest logging) should also be compatible with SDR-Control.

For your reference, here’s a copy of my earlier posting (dated April 22, 2022 @ 23:31 EDT) to TVARC’s MailList regarding the “SDR-Control-for-Icom” software products by Marcus Roskosch (callsign DL8MRE):

While casually browsing the Internet tonight (4/22/2022), I discovered two applications to allow you (hams using Apple products) to remotely control certain ICOM transceivers. It’s always exciting to find new software products catering to amateur radio operators who live in the Apple world instead of the Microsoft Windows world. So, I thought I’d share my discovery via this posting to our ham club’s reflector.

The first app is called “SDR-Control for ICOM” and it’s available online at the Apple App Store. It ONLY runs on Apple iPads (iPadOS 15.x or higher). It allows you to control/operate certain ICOM rigs over the internet (your local LAN or wider). More details about this app can be found at this link:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sdr-control-for-icom/id1614141094

Imagine sitting on your couch watching your favorite TV show/movie, while being able to operate your station remotely on your mobile device (Apple iPad)!

The second app is named “SDR-Control for ICOM.” Yes, it’s named the same as the one above. It is available online at the Apple MAC App Store. It ONLY runs on Apple Mac computers (running MacOS). It also allows you to control/operate certain ICOM rigs over the internet (your local LAN or wider). More information about this app is available at this link:

https://apps.apple.com/us/app/sdr-control-for-icom/id1592313285

Both of those apps are NOT free. They are both developed by Markus Roskosch. Currently they ONLY support a subset of ICOM’s product line (i.e. ICOM’s recent, modern transceivers — IC-705, IC-7610, & IC-9700).

For even more details about the above apps, see the developer’s webpage at this link:

https://roskosch.de/

As yet, I have not purchased either of the SDR-Control apps. However, based on the reviews & pricing, especially compared to ICOM’s “RS-BA1” (version 2) software (for Windows only), I probably will bite the bullet and try one, or both, of the SDR-Control apps.

DISCLAIMER. I am not connected in any way with these products or their developer. I am simply posting this to give hams, using Apple & ICOM products, a heads-up that there’s a new kid in town (another software product) to consider if you want to remotely operate your station across the Internet.