Frequently Asked Questions

Yes. The SmartScreen warning appears because ShackDesk apps are independently developed software that is new to Microsoft's reputation system. It is not an indication of a virus or malware. To proceed, click More info then Run anyway.

ShackDesk is preparing code signing for PortPane, starting with alpha releases. See the PortPane code signing policy for current status. In the meantime, you can verify the integrity of any download by checking the SHA-256 hash posted alongside each release on GitHub. PortPane source code is publicly available for anyone who wants to inspect it: github.com/Computer-Tsu/ShackDesk-PortPane.

ShackDesk apps are designed to work fully offline. No internet connection is required for any core feature. Apps will never silently connect to any server without your knowledge.

The only optional network activity is anonymous diagnostics. Each app asks on first launch, and nothing is sent until you confirm; on test builds the option is pre-selected in that dialog, on stable releases it is not. You can change the choice in Settings and review every report under Help → View Collected Data. RigCheck also checks for a newer version only when you ask it to.

No. ShackDesk apps do not collect your callsign, name, email address, IP address, hostname, or any personally identifiable information. Ever.

Optional diagnostics (opt-in only) collect anonymous hardware identifiers to improve compatibility: for PortPane, audio device and COM port names; for RigCheck, the radio model, serial settings, USB cable identifiers, and test results. Each app lets you view every report it has sent. See the Privacy page for full details.

Yes. ShackDesk apps are built specifically with EMCOMM deployments in mind. They are offline-first, lightweight, and do not require installation of additional runtimes beyond what ships with Windows. No background services, no startup delays, no internet dependency.

PortPane and RigCheck both run on Windows 10 (version 21H2 or later) and Windows 11, 64-bit. Windows 11 on ARM runs them through its built-in x64 emulation. Windows 7 and 8.1 are not supported. MarkMySpot is a web app and runs in any modern browser.

No. PortPane and RigCheck each carry the .NET runtime inside their own exe, so there is nothing to install first — no .NET download, no Visual C++ package. The one thing RigCheck needs that it does not bring along is Hamlib, which most digital-mode operators already have from WSJT-X or Fldigi.

COM port access is required to display active port assignments and switch between profiles. ShackDesk apps only read port information and switch assignments — they do not modify your radio's configuration or transmit anything over the air.

PortPane displays your current audio device and COM port assignments in one place and lets you switch between saved profiles with a single click. It is designed for digital mode operators who regularly switch between modes, software, or radios and need a fast, reliable way to get the right configuration loaded without hunting through Windows settings.

PortPane manages Windows audio device and COM port assignments at the system level — it works alongside any digital mode software. It does not integrate directly with any specific application; it simply ensures the right devices are assigned before you launch your software.

Open Help → View Collected Data. If you have opted into telemetry, you can send a report that includes your device identifiers to help us add it to the recognition database. You can also open a discussion on GitHub Discussions with your device's name and we will look into adding it.

RigCheck is a CAT communication diagnostic tool. It uses Hamlib — the same rig-control library behind WSJT-X, Fldigi, JS8Call, and Winlink — to test the serial connection to your radio and explain in plain English what is working and what is not. It is for the moment when digital-mode software says it cannot talk to your rig and you do not know why.

Alpha builds are available now from the RigCheck download page. They are for testing and feedback; there is no stable release yet. The connection tests and diagnosis are in place, and automatic radio discovery and environment checks are still being built. New alpha builds are published as the code changes.

Every alpha build stops running 30 days after it was built. This keeps testers on current code, so bug reports are about the latest version, and it steers everyday operators toward stable releases once they exist. The expiry date is in the window title and in Help › About. Once an alpha has expired, starting it shows a notice with a link to the download page — just get the current build. Beta builds will warn but keep running; stable releases never expire.

Usually not. RigCheck finds the rigctl program that comes with WSJT-X or Fldigi, or a standalone Hamlib install, automatically. If you have none of those, install WSJT-X (which most digital-mode operators want anyway) or the standalone Hamlib for Windows, then restart RigCheck.

If RigCheck says Hamlib was not found but you know it is installed, it may be in a location RigCheck does not check yet. Open an issue with the path and it will be added.

Any radio Hamlib supports — several hundred models from Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood, Elecraft, FlexRadio, and others. RigCheck ships quick-start presets for the most common rigs so the right settings are one click away. If yours is missing and you know the settings that work, a preset contribution takes five minutes and helps the next operator with the same radio.

No. The standard tests only read from the radio — frequency, mode, VFO, S-meter, and whether PTT is currently keyed. RigCheck never keys the transmitter. One optional test briefly changes the VFO frequency by 1 kHz to confirm the radio accepts commands, then restores the original frequency; it is off by default and asks for confirmation before running. Find my radio is read-only too: it sends only identify and read-frequency requests, and never raises the RTS or DTR lines that many interfaces use for PTT.

Hamlib includes a built-in Dummy radio (model number 1) that answers every command with made-up but plausible values. It exists so developers can test without hardware. If it is selected — for example by following an online example that uses rigctl -m 1 — everything looks perfect and nothing is ever sent to your real radio. RigCheck will not run its tests against the Dummy radio; make sure the model shown at the top of the results is your actual rig.

Only one program can hold a serial port at a time. If WSJT-X, Fldigi, JS8Call, Winlink, or a rig-control server such as rigctld or Flrig is running, it owns the port and RigCheck cannot open it. Close the other program, or disconnect rig control inside it, then try again. That is usually not a fault — it means your rig control already works through that program.

RigCheck itself never opens a network port, so Windows Firewall will not ask about RigCheck. If RigCheck suggested starting rigctld (Hamlib's rig-control server) and Windows then asks about rigctld.exe, that is expected: rigctld listens for connections. Tick Private networks and click Allow access. You do not need to allow it on public networks. If you clicked Cancel in the past, Windows created a Block rule and rigctld will silently fail until that rule is removed in Windows Firewall settings.

Scan PC checks the computer side before any radio is involved: the Windows version, every copy of Hamlib it can find and which one it uses, whether rigctl runs and is on the PATH, which radio model is selected (with a warning if it is Hamlib's dummy rig), serial port drivers and any Plug and Play problem codes, whether rigctld or Flrig is already listening, rigctld startup entries, Windows Firewall rules for rigctld, and which radio programs are installed.

It changes nothing. Where a fix is needed — adding Hamlib's folder to the PATH, allowing rigctld through the firewall — RigCheck shows you the command or the setting and leaves the change to you. The scan only runs when you click the button; RigCheck never looks at running programs or open ports on its own at startup.

Only read requests: identify yourself (ID; for Kenwood, Elecraft, and Yaesu; a CI-V read-ID for Icom) and what frequency are you on. It tries each protocol family at the speeds that family normally uses, stops at the first radio that answers on a port, then runs the ordinary Hamlib tests to confirm, and fills in the Connection panel for you.

Two rules have no setting: the RTS and DTR lines are never raised (on many interfaces they are the PTT line), and the only requests it can send are the handful built into the program — the radio data files can choose which one, but cannot add their own. Every byte sent and received is shown in the results and goes into the exported log, so a technical helper can repeat the exchange with a terminal program.

Its name matched something that is not a radio: a rotator controller, an amplifier, an antenna controller, a GPS receiver, or a Bluetooth link. Sending even a harmless query to a rotator or amplifier is not something RigCheck will do without being told, so those ports start unticked and the reason is shown beside them. If you are sure the port is your radio's CAT connection, tick it and Find my radio will include it.

Not for RigCheck itself — it finds rigctl.exe inside your WSJT-X, Fldigi, or Hamlib folder without any help. It matters when you copy one of the commands RigCheck shows and paste it into a command window: those start with just rigctl, and Windows needs to know where that is. Scan PC shows the exact setx line to add the folder; run it in a command prompt opened as Administrator, then open a new window. RigCheck never edits the PATH for you.

Nothing unless you say yes. On first launch RigCheck asks whether it may send anonymous diagnostic reports, and you can change the answer in Settings at any time. If enabled, it sends the RigCheck and Windows versions, whether Hamlib was found, and after each test run the radio model, serial settings, USB cable identifiers, and which tests passed or failed. That is exactly the data that improves the radio and cable database for everyone.

Never sent: your callsign, computer name, file paths, serial numbers, or IP address. The only identifier is a random ID created on first run, shown as a Support ID in Help › About. Every report is also kept on your PC and can be read under Help › View collected data. See the Privacy page.

Yes, and you do not need to be a programmer. RigCheck keeps all of its text in one file, Strings.resx. To translate, copy that file, name it for your language (for example Strings.de.resx), translate the text between the <value> tags, and open a pull request — or attach the file to a GitHub issue if you prefer. Machine translation is a fine starting point; a native-speaking ham correcting the radio terms is what makes it good.

Translators are credited by name and callsign in Help › About and in the repository. Product names like ShackDesk, RigCheck, and Hamlib stay in English, and ham terms like CAT, PTT, and VFO are usually left as your local club says them. The full guide and glossary are in TRANSLATING.md.

MarkMySpot is a free web app that reads your GPS location and displays it in formats amateur radio operators use — Maidenhead grid square, decimal degrees, and DMS. One tap copies all three formats to your clipboard. It runs in any browser on Android or iPhone, works offline after the first load, and can be installed to your home screen as a PWA.

Learn more about MarkMySpot  ·  MarkMySpot FAQ & help

MarkMySpot needs your GPS coordinates to calculate your grid square and display your location. Your location is used only on your device — it is never sent to any server, never stored, and never shared. All calculations happen locally in your browser. There is no backend.

When the app first opens, tap Allow when your browser asks for location permission. If you need to re-enable permission later, see the location troubleshooting guide.

iPhone: You must use Safari — Chrome and other iOS browsers cannot install apps to the home screen. In Safari, tap the Share button (rectangle with arrow) → Add to Home Screen. Also make sure Safari has iOS location permission: Settings → Privacy & Security → Location Services → Safari → While Using the App.

Android: Open MarkMySpot in Chrome, tap the three-dot menu (⋮) → Add to Home screen or Install app.

See the full installation guide for step-by-step instructions including Samsung Internet.

Yes. PortPane source code is publicly available on GitHub under the MIT License, and RigCheck under the GNU General Public License v3. You are free to inspect, build, and contribute to either. See each app's repository for current licensing details.

Contributions are welcome, and most do not require programming. Translations, radio presets, and USB device database entries are the most valuable, and each app's CONTRIBUTING.md and TRANSLATING.md explain how. Contributors are credited in the app and the repository.

Yes. ShackDesk apps can be used by individual operators, clubs, and EMCOMM groups. RigCheck's exported test log is written for exactly that setting: a plain-text file a member can hand to the club's Elmer or post to a forum. ShackDesk also offers optional registration, personalization, and support for official PortPane builds.