Ham radio loggers are essential tools for amateur radio enthusiasts who want to keep track of their contacts and organize their communication logs. With the increasing popularity of mobile devices, many ham radio operators are looking for a reliable and user-friendly logger app for their Android smartphones and tablets. In this article, we will explore the best options available in the market and compare their features, usability, and performance.
The ideal ham radio logger for Android should offer a wide range of functionalities, including support for multiple modes, bands, and logging formats, as well as customizable fields for callsigns, contacts, and QSO details. It should also provide seamless integration with other ham radio applications and online databases, such as QRZ, eQSL, and LoTW, and allow for easy data synchronization and backup.
Moreover, a good ham radio logger should have an intuitive and visually appealing interface, with clear and concise menus, buttons, and icons, and efficient sorting, filtering, and searching capabilities.
We have compiled a list of 8 Best Ham Radio Logger For Android for your consideration, which have undergone rigorous testing and evaluation by our team of experts.
Table of Contents
8 Best Ham Radio Logger For Android
1. HamStudy.org
HamStudy.org has launched an offline-enabled mobile app that offers all the features of its website to assist learners in studying for the US Amateur Radio License. The app is different from typical study apps, as it focuses on providing study tools to help users learn the parts of the question pool that they most need to see instead of just practice exams. The app offers an intelligent Study Mode that tracks users’ progress through the pool, provides full statistics on what they’ve seen, and automatically repeats questions as needed. It also offers a Practice Exam feature, which makes it easy to see how close users are to passing and what areas they need to focus on in Study Mode.
The app allows users to study all current US Amateur Radio question pools, including Technician, General, and Amateur Extra. Updates can be downloaded for free when they become available. Additionally, users can download other pools such as the FCC commercial pools and Canadian pools. While the app does have explanations contributed by users for most pools that help in learning, it is not a study guide but rather a directed study tool centered around the questions. Some users may want to pair the app with a study manual to get the most out of both.
HamStudy’s revolutionary Study Modes work with users to ensure they learn the questions. The app automatically tracks progress and adjusts the pace to keep users challenged but not frustrated. User-submitted explanations help users avoid the pitfall of just memorizing answers. Users can synchronize with their online HamStudy.
2. Scanner Radio – Fire and Police Scanner
Scanner Radio is an app that allows users to listen to live audio from various fire and police scanners, amateur radio repeaters, weather radios, air traffic, and marine radios located around the world. The app notifies users when a scanner has more than 2000 listeners to inform them of major events as they occur. Users can view scanners located closest to them, the top 50 scanners with the most listeners, and recently added scanners. They can also add their favorite scanners to a list for quick access and browse the directory by location or genre. The app supports Android Auto and offers notification features that can be customized, including receiving notifications when a scanner near the user’s location has a particular number of listeners or when a Broadcastify alert is posted for one of their favorites.
The free version of the app provides access to all its features, but users can purchase the Pro version for $2.99 for added benefits, such as no ads, access to all six theme colors, and the ability to record audio. The audio available on the app is provided by volunteers and police and fire departments themselves, using real police scanners. The app requests certain permissions, such as access to the user’s location and files, in order to function properly, such as determining which scanners are located near the user or allowing them to record audio and save it to their computer. Users can seek assistance by visiting the app’s support website.
3. Ham Radio Logger
Ham Logger is a new mobile application that provides amateur radio enthusiasts with a modern and user-friendly way of logging their contacts while away from their computer. It is particularly useful for events such as Field Day or even casual days of conducting QSOs. The app is free of charge but comes with ads that can be removed with an in-app-purchase. The revenue generated from the ads goes towards improving and maintaining the app.
The app comes with a sleek and modern material layout that is easily configurable, allowing users to personalize their logbook sections. Additionally, it supports club callsigns and operator details, signal and power reports, gridsquares, and comments. The app also supports many modes and allows users to export their logs in ADIF format. The search and sorting features make it easy to find specific entries.
Upcoming features in the app include ADIF import, CSV export, logbook statistics, P2P logging between Android phones running Ham Logger via WiFi Direct, optional callsign dupe checking, and automatic callsign lookup. Other features on the horizon include distance estimates, more configurable logbook sections, and generic contest reports. Users are encouraged to provide feedback and suggestions to the developer via email.
4. QSO secretary
The QSO secretary is a logging software designed for radio amateurs, which is particularly useful for mobile, portable, and field operations. The program facilitates the quick entry of vital information related to QSOs.
It exports data in the Amateur Data Interchange Format (ADIF), which can be imported into a general logging software. The software includes a call sign lookup service, allowing updates of name and QTH fields with online database information each time a new call sign is logged.
The software also allows for direct data upload to the eQSL service from the QSO details page. Additionally, users can send Dx spots to more than 40 Dx Spider servers directly from the logger.
5. Ham Log | QTH Locator | My UTC
Ham Log is an amateur radio communication app that offers users the ability to log, edit, and delete their communication. The app features a user-friendly interface and requests that users make donations via email if they enjoy using it. Some notable features of the app include a Find Grid option to find latitude and longitude, an Auto Time Sequence feature to automatically save logs, and a Contest option for exporting logs in Cabrillo format. Users can also find specific QSO logs using the Set Database feature and prevent lost QSOs with the Pending feature. The app includes numerous other features such as a Pop-Up List for radio mode, a Find QSO feature, and the ability to export logs in CSV and ADIF formats. Users can also search for logs using specific keywords and export ADIF files after setting their local UTC and start and end log numbers. Ham Log was created using MIT App Inventor 2 by 9W2ZOW.
6. Ham Radio Log
The ham radio logbook is a user-friendly tool that simplifies the process of logging your radio contacts. This tool automatically records date, time, and the last frequency, power, and mode used. This feature is particularly useful during contests when quick entry is required. Additionally, users can easily search for specific stations or export logs in ADIF format. The tool is also capable of importing and exporting logs between Android devices.
Some users have reported issues with the keyboard not displaying necessary characters, which results in incomplete data entry. In such cases, it is recommended to replace the stock keyboard with a more versatile option like SwiftKey Keyboard.
7. VLS Logger
The HAM radio logbook is a user-friendly tool designed for logging QSO (contacts). It features several functionalities including the ability to export QSO data as a CSV or ADIF format, and send ADIF via the internet. Additionally, it allows users to import QSO data from an ADIF file. The logbook displays UTC time, current gridsquare for the user’s location, and the distance between gridsquares.
The tool also offers support for activations such as SOTA, POTA, WWFF, IOTA and contests. It includes an SWL (Shortwave Listening) mode and offers callsign lookup on HamQTH. The logbook maintains a list of previous QSOs, and also detects possible duplicates. Furthermore, it features a map of QSO with gridsquare to help users visualize their contacts.
In summary, the HAM radio logbook is a versatile and easy-to-use tool for logging QSOs. It offers a range of functionalities and features to assist users in managing their contacts, including support for activations and contests, callsign lookup, and duplicate detection. The tool’s ability to export and import data in different formats, and display QSO maps make it a valuable resource for users in the amateur radio community.
8. HAMRS Logger
HAMRS is a user-friendly and uncomplicated amateur radio logger, designed with customized templates to cater to portable activities such as Field Day, Parks on the Air, and other related events. The software interface allows for easy navigation and input of contact data, with the option to view operator QTH information provided there is an internet connection. Additionally, the application supports easy exportation of ADI files for convenient data retrieval and analysis.