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Development updates from Radio Bench. Follow via RSS.

Radio Bench 1.0 is out of beta

Radio Bench 1.0 is available for macOS, Windows and Linux. It is the first release out of beta. 1.0 brings an easier-to-read map with a legend and custom band colours, callsign lookup passwords stored in the operating system credential store, and a buy button right in the trial banner. Install it over any 0.8 or 0.9 beta and your settings, profiles, logbooks and recordings carry over. A paid beta license remains valid, and every future update is still included.

30-day trials and a clearer Settings window

The free trial is now 30 days instead of 14, with every feature included and still no account or signup. Two weeks wasn’t always enough to wait for the bands to open and give the app a fair try. Radio Bench 0.9.3 beta also brings a redesigned Settings window. Pages are grouped more clearly, every setting has a short explanation beside it, and a new search field finds any setting by name.

FT8 and FT4 join Radio Bench

Radio Bench 0.9.1 beta is available for macOS, Windows and Linux. The new FSK workspace brings FT8 and FT4 local decoding, supervised exchanges and contact logging into the app. Keep your computer clock synchronised, check the radio audio and CAT setup, and remain present throughout each exchange. Radio Bench is now US$19 once for two computers, with all future updates included. There is no subscription or annual update fee. The 14-day free trial includes every feature.

What’s next: FSK

With the public beta now out, the next mode being built is FSK. The current focus is the transmit-and-receive UI: taking a fresh look at how operators tune, decode, compose, and transmit, with an experience that feels simple, direct, and enjoyable. The goal is to keep the mode capable without making it feel like work.

Radio Bench is now in public beta

Radio Bench is now available in public beta for macOS, Windows, and Linux. Download it and start the built-in 14-day trial — no account, no signup. This is still beta software, so feedback, rough edges, and reports from real stations are welcome. If 14 days isn’t enough, send us some meaningful feedback about your experience and get in touch — we can work out a trial extension.

The last mile to public beta

Radio Bench is nearly ready for public beta. Installer signing and final testing across macOS, Windows, and Linux are the remaining jobs. Once those checks are complete, signed native installers will appear on the download page with the built-in 14-day trial ready to go.

Omakase for the HF bench

The design idea is omakase: a curated bench where the important modes and controls are already in reach. Radio Bench is intentionally opinionated about layout, defaults, and flow so the app opens to a coherent working surface instead of a setup checklist. You bring the radio; the bench should already feel setup.

For operators who want the shack computer to disappear

Radio Bench is for HF operators who want the computer to help without becoming the hobby. Power on the radio gear, open the app, see the band, control the rig, log the contact, and try the next mode without rebuilding a desktop of separate tools. It is for people who understand components, wires, antennas, and propagation, and would rather spend their attention there.

Why build Radio Bench

Radio Bench started as a personal experiment: could the HF radio modes and tools I use live in one unified native desktop app, with sensible defaults and no window-juggling ritual? The idea kept proving useful enough to push beyond a weekend utility. The result became something I wanted to use every time I sat down at the radio, and eventually something I thought could be good enough to pay for.