Can you program a ham radio from an Android phone or tablet? PocketCHIRP is designed to make that possible, bringing CHIRP-style radio programming to Android without requiring a traditional desktop computer.
The application provides tools for reading, editing, and writing radio memories, while its companion PocketCHIRP CHIRP Engine handles the underlying radio drivers and communication protocols. For operators who want to update a radio in the field, organize channel groups, or work with supported radios away from the shack, that makes PocketCHIRP an interesting alternative to the conventional laptop-based workflow.
PocketCHIRP supports several connection methods, including USB OTG, Bluetooth programming interfaces, and direct Bluetooth Low Energy on supported radios. Its feature set also extends beyond basic memory programming to include location-based repeater searches, satellite Doppler channel generation, custom channel groups, cloud backup, and support for custom CHIRP drivers.
The important question, however, is not simply what PocketCHIRP can do. The real question is whether it works with your radio and the connection hardware you already have.
What Is PocketCHIRP?
PocketCHIRP brings CHIRP-style radio programming to Android phones and tablets. Here’s what it can do, which radios it supports, and how USB and Bluetooth programming work.
PocketCHIRP is an Android-based radio programming platform built around a two-application architecture. The main PocketCHIRP application provides the user interface, channel and group management, and field-oriented tools, while the PocketCHIRP CHIRP Engine provides the radio-driver and low-level communication functions.
Both applications are required when reading or writing configurations to supported radios.
The workflow is familiar to anyone who has used CHIRP on a computer. You connect the Android device to the radio, select the appropriate vendor and model, read the existing configuration from the radio, make the required changes, and then write the updated configuration back.
Supported channel parameters can include receive and transmit frequencies, CTCSS and DCS tones, power levels, bandwidth, duplex offsets, and memory names. Global radio settings can also be modified where the underlying radio driver supports them.
For an operator already familiar with CHIRP, the basic concept should therefore be straightforward. The major difference is that the programming environment moves from a conventional computer to an Android device.
What You Need to Use PocketCHIRP
A typical PocketCHIRP setup requires an Android phone or tablet, the PocketCHIRP application, and the companion PocketCHIRP CHIRP Engine. You also need a supported radio and an appropriate connection between the Android device and the radio.
Depending on the radio and programming method, that connection can use a conventional USB programming cable, an AIOC interface, a direct Bluetooth connection, or an external Bluetooth programming adapter.
The exact combination matters because radio compatibility and connection compatibility are not necessarily the same thing. A radio may work through one interface while requiring a different connection method for another device.
Which Radios Does PocketCHIRP Support?
PocketCHIRP currently covers a range of popular handheld and mobile radios, including models from Baofeng, Quansheng, TIDRADIO, Radtel, Radioddity, AnyTone, TYT, and Yaesu.
The compatibility information is particularly useful because it distinguishes between different connection methods rather than simply listing radios as “supported.” The following table summarizes the confirmed combinations presented in the source material.
Radio / Transceiver Family | Direct USB / OTG | Direct BLE | Baofeng Writer BT | TIDRADIO Kit BT | Baofeng Abbree BT |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Baofeng UV-5R Family | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Baofeng 5RM / AR-5RM | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Quansheng UV-K5 / K1 Family | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
Quansheng UV-K5 with IJV / VUURWERK firmware | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | No |
TIDRADIO TD-H3 / TD-H9 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Radtel RT-900_BT / RT-920 | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
Radioddity GM-30 / UV-82X3 | Yes | No | Yes | Yes | Yes |
AnyTone 779UV / Anysecu WP-9900 | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
TYT MD-UV390 / TH-7800 / TH-7900 | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
Yaesu FT-70D | Yes | N/A | N/A | N/A | N/A |
The source material states that compatibility is based on direct read/write testing rather than simply assuming that a compiled driver means a radio will work. That distinction is important because successful programming depends on the complete combination of radio, driver, and connection hardware.
Connecting PocketCHIRP to Your Radio
PocketCHIRP supports several different ways of connecting an Android device to a radio.
USB Programming Cables
A conventional programming cable can be used with an Android device through USB OTG. This generally requires a USB-C-to-USB-A OTG adapter when the programming cable uses a conventional USB connector.
The source material specifically identifies FTDI, Prolific, and CH340-based serial cables among the supported hardware types. The advantage of this approach is that it uses the familiar wired programming connection, although the Android device must support the required USB host functionality.
AIOC Interfaces
An AIOC, or All-In-One Cable, combines a USB sound interface and virtual COM-port functionality in a single interface.
This type of hardware can be useful for operators who also work with digital modes, because the same interface can provide functions beyond conventional radio programming.
Direct Bluetooth Low Energy
Some supported radios and transceivers can communicate directly through Bluetooth Low Energy without requiring an external programming dongle.
This is potentially the simplest setup when the radio itself provides the required Bluetooth functionality. The compatibility table above shows that direct BLE support is limited to particular radios rather than being a universal PocketCHIRP feature.
Bluetooth Programming Adapters
PocketCHIRP can also work with external Bluetooth programming interfaces, including the Baofeng Writer, TIDRADIO Kit, and Baofeng Abbree interfaces identified in the compatibility information.
The Bluetooth connection method can automatically probe supported baud rates between 9,600 and 115,200 baud, depending on the connected hardware.
For anyone who wants to leave the laptop at home, this is one of the more interesting aspects of the PocketCHIRP approach.
Custom Firmware and Advanced CHIRP Drivers
PocketCHIRP isn’t limited to standard factory radio configurations.
The platform includes specific driver support for several custom firmware projects associated with the Quansheng UV-K5, including F4HWN, IJV_V3, and VUURWERK. This is significant for operators who have modified their radios and need programming tools that understand configurations beyond the factory memory structure.
PocketCHIRP also allows users to load custom Python-based CHIRP drivers. That provides a way for experimental users and developers to work with niche radios, test custom memory maps, or modify existing channel parameters.
Integrated connection diagnostics are intended to help identify problems such as cable handshakes, driver timeouts, and baud-rate mismatches.
PocketCHIRP’s Field Programming Tools
PocketCHIRP goes beyond simply providing an Android version of a traditional channel editor. Several of its features are specifically aimed at operators who are away from the home shack.
Satellite Doppler Channel Generation
PocketCHIRP can use AMSAT satellite information to generate Doppler-corrected channel groups. The resulting configurations can include the required uplink and downlink frequencies across multiple tuning steps for satellite operation.
For operators using handheld radios for amateur satellite work, generating those channel configurations directly on an Android device could be particularly useful.
Location-Based Repeater Search
The application can use the Android device’s GPS coordinates to locate nearby repeaters and import regional frequency pairs, offset information, tones, and call signs into radio channel banks.
This is a natural fit for travel. Instead of preparing every channel before leaving home, an operator can use the Android device as part of the field programming workflow.
Custom Channel Groups
PocketCHIRP also allows frequencies to be organized into operational groups.
Examples include Skywarn operations, travel corridors, race support, and local simplex channels. These groups can then be used to organize configurations for different activities or locations.
Cloud Backup and Profile Migration
The application can back up radio images, custom driver files, and application preferences to supported Android cloud-storage providers.
That gives operators a way to preserve configurations and simplify migration when moving to another Android device.
Accessibility
PocketCHIRP also includes Android TalkBack integration, high-contrast visual themes, larger touch targets, and spoken status feedback during active read and write operations.
Those features extend the usefulness of the application beyond its core programming functions and make accessibility part of the overall design rather than an afterthought.
PocketCHIRP Development Roadmap
PocketCHIRP is still under active development, and the project is continuing to expand both radio-driver and USB support.
The development roadmap identified in the source material includes expanded Yaesu clone-mode USB transfers for the FT-70D and FT3D series, native USB programming support for the Kenwood TH-D75, and broader direct-USB support for additional Icom handhelds.
Other planned work includes enhanced memory mapping and trunked-channel support for Motorola MTX radios, along with expanded driver coverage for Baofeng 5RH variants and additional direct-BLE transceivers.
That roadmap is worth keeping in mind when evaluating compatibility. A radio that isn’t currently supported may become supported as development continues, but current compatibility should always be checked before buying additional hardware specifically for PocketCHIRP.
Is PocketCHIRP a Replacement for Desktop CHIRP?
PocketCHIRP is best understood as a mobile programming environment for supported radios, rather than simply a smaller version of desktop CHIRP.
For compatible radios, it provides the core read, edit, and write workflow while adding features that make particular sense on a mobile device, such as GPS-based repeater searches, field-oriented channel groups, and Bluetooth connectivity.
The important limitation is compatibility. PocketCHIRP’s usefulness depends on the radio, driver, and connection hardware working together. The compatibility table therefore matters more than a generic claim that PocketCHIRP “supports CHIRP radios.”
If your radio appears in the confirmed compatibility list and you have the appropriate programming interface, PocketCHIRP provides a way to perform many common programming tasks without taking a conventional computer into the field.
Our Take on PocketCHIRP
The most interesting thing about PocketCHIRP isn’t simply that it puts radio programming on an Android phone. The more significant development is the combination of mobile CHIRP-style programming, multiple connection methods, custom driver support, and field-specific tools.
For operators who routinely program handhelds while travelling, working events, operating portable, or experimenting with different radio configurations, that combination can solve a problem that desktop programming doesn’t address particularly well.
The compatibility details should remain the first consideration, however. Before buying a cable or Bluetooth adapter, check that the specific radio and connection method are supported. PocketCHIRP has a broad and expanding range of compatibility, but the support matrix is not identical across all radios.
For supported hardware, PocketCHIRP represents an interesting shift in how radio programming can be handled. Instead of treating the computer as an essential part of the programming chain, it puts the Android device directly into the field workflow.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can PocketCHIRP program a radio from an Android phone?
Yes. PocketCHIRP is designed to read, edit, and write supported radio configurations from Android phones and tablets. The specific connection method depends on the radio and available programming hardware.
Do I need both PocketCHIRP applications?
Yes. The PocketCHIRP application provides the primary interface and management functions, while the PocketCHIRP CHIRP Engine handles the radio drivers and low-level communication required for reading and writing supported radios.
Does PocketCHIRP work with Baofeng radios?
Yes, the supplied compatibility information lists several Baofeng models and families, including the UV-5R family and Baofeng 5RM/AR-5RM. These radios support direct USB/OTG and several external Bluetooth programming interfaces according to the compatibility table.
Does PocketCHIRP support the Quansheng UV-K5?
Yes. The supplied compatibility information lists the Quansheng UV-K5/K1 family as well as UV-K5 configurations using IJV and VUURWERK custom firmware.
Can PocketCHIRP use USB programming cables?
Yes. USB OTG is one of the supported connection methods, with the source material identifying common FTDI, Prolific, and CH340 serial interfaces.
Can PocketCHIRP work through Bluetooth?
Yes. Supported connection methods include direct BLE on compatible radios and external Bluetooth programming interfaces such as the Baofeng Writer, TIDRADIO Kit, and Baofeng Abbree adapters.
Does PocketCHIRP support custom CHIRP drivers?
Yes. Users can load custom Python-based CHIRP drivers into the application, providing a mechanism for working with experimental or niche radio configurations.
