Here’s a list of useful apps for amateur radio, emergency preparedness, and other applications. A thank you goes to Roger, KK4UDU for compiling the list to get us started.
Please be aware, these links all lead to an off-site page. As such, we cannot control or be responsible for their content, and we provide no warranty. Please be sure to run up-to-date PC security/antivirus software for best results.
| Amateur Radio Apps | |||||
| App Name | Cost | App Description | iPhone | Android | Other |
| RepeaterBook | Free | User-collaborated repeater directory for US, Canada and more. Highly comprehensive list. | App Store | Google Play | Chirp |
| EchoLink | Free | Software for amateur radio operators worldwide. Allows for operating radio via the internet, with or without a transceiver, through nodes, direct with users, repeaters, smartphones, and PC’s. An example of an Echolink-enabled repeater in the Central Alabama area would be KK4BSK-R. *Registration required, as well as verification of address/cross checks. Please check the EchoLink site for more info on initial setup. | App Store | Google Play | PC* |
| General Purpose Apps | |||||
| App Name | Cost | App Description | iPhone | Android | Other |
| Adobe Reader | Free | Allows for storage, recall, reading, and markup of PDF files on a device. With iTunes, it can move PDF files to and from the PC. A must have for any platform. | App Store | Google Play | Mac Windows |
| Smart Office 2 | $9.99 | Can allow iPhone to create and modify Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint files. Use iTunes to move documents between PC and phone. | App Store | Google Play | |
| Sketch Pad 3 | Free | Used to create sketches on iPhone and can be exported to PC. | App Store | Google Play | |
| iTalk Recorder | Free | Voice recording app. Used to record notes and then have the program transcribe them into a Word document, then use iTunes to copy to a PC. | App Store | Google Play Search | |
| Angle Meter | Free | App to get an angle of an object on the screen. (Can be used to get the takeoff angle of an antenna.) | App Store | Google Play Search | |
| Weather Apps | |||||
| App Name | Cost | App Description | iPhone | Android | Other |
| GRLevel3/GR2Analyst | Varies | Radar for PC users, Analyst edition for more advanced users/high resolution | N/A | N/A | PC |
| Radarscope | $10 | Considered the gold standard for mobile radar | App Store | Google Play | |
| My Radar | Free | Quick, easy weather radar data on iPhone, based on current location. Can zoom/pan the data. | App Store | Google Play | |
| WunderMap | Free | Weather Underground’s app. | App Store | ||
| Link to NWS BMX | Free | It’s useful to drop a link to the NWS site on your phone as an icon. 🙂 Most phones have this capability. | |||
| Preparedness/Disaster Education/Assist Apps | |||||
| App Name | Cost | App Description | iPhone | Android | Other |
| Red Cross – First Aid | Free | This is a ‘dual purpose’ app. It functions as a step by step guide in a first aid emergency and it is a training guide when there is not an emergency. | |||
| Red Cross – Tornado | Free | App to have weather warnings reported to your iPhone. Uses current location as well as allows you to monitor any other county. (Does not work on polygon data.) | |||
| Red Cross – Hurricane | Free | App to have hurricane warnings reported to your iPhone. Uses current location as well as allows you to monitor any other county. (Does not work on polygon data.) | |||
| Red Cross – Earthquake | Free | App to have earthquake warnings reported to your iPhone. Uses current location as well as allows you to monitor any other county. (Does not work on polygon data.) | |||
| Red Cross – Wildfire | Free | App to have wildfire warnings reported to your iPhone. Uses current location as well as allows you to monitor any other county. (Does not work on polygon data.) | |||
| Red Cross – Flood | Free | App to have flood warnings reported to your iPhone. Uses current location as well as allows you to monitor any other county. (Does not work on polygon data.) | |||
| VisionLink (Previously Red Cross – Shelters) | Free | This started out as a Red Cross shelter app. | |||
| iTriage | Free | Very similar to a Physician’s Desk Reference. Also has locations of nearest hospital, clinic, etc. to your current location. | |||
| What Knot | Free | Handbook of what knots to use and how to tie them. | |||
| SAS Survival Guide | Free | The British SAS Survival Handbook by John “Lofty” Wiseman. | |||
| Take Ten | Free | Colombia Sports’ checklist for various outdoor activities. | |||
| Misc Communication | |||||
| App Name | Cost | App Description | iPhone | Android | Other |
| Zello | Free | Single or Multi-Person Push-to-talk app. Use your phone as a walkie talkie. | |||
| GPS/Navigation/GIS Apps | |||||
| App Name | Cost | App Description | iPhone | Android | Other |
| Waze | Free | Navigation program which uses “social media” approaches to warn of traffic issues. | |||
| Google Earth | Free | Access maps, aerial imagery, etc, with 3D rendering from Google Maps Engine | |||
| Flight Aware | Free | Track private and commercial flights and airport information by the FAA airport abbreviations | |||
| Friend Finder | Free | “Big Brother” tracking app. Lets you share your location with other people. | |||
