Multilingual Live Transcription
Read incoming transmissions as text while they happen. You can use Apple's built-in speech AI or download one of four models that run entirely on your phone. That helps when the band is noisy or you're in a meeting.
v0.45.04ODTP for BrandMeister is here
Your iPhone. On the air. DroidStar DMR for iOS by VU3LVO
DroidStar DMR for iOS puts digital amateur radio in your pocket. Talk worldwide over DMR, read RX as live text, scan Talk Groups and follow every QSO from your Dynamic Island. It's built by VU3LVO and used by 10,000+ hams around the world.
- Free & open source (GPL-3.0)
- iPhone & iPad
- No radio needed. Just your licence.
DroidStarBM · ODTP
TALK GROUP
TG 91Worldwide
- GBGW4VXETG 235 · United Kingdom2m
- DEDG9MAQTG 262 · Germany5m
- USKC2ZMATG 91 · Worldwide8m
- CAVE2KJFTG 302 · Canada11m
Hold to talk · or hold Space
Live transcriptionApple AI + 4 on-device models
HD Voice TXNeural noise cancellation
- DMR
- BrandMeister
- ODTP
- YSF
- M17
- P25
- NXDN
- D-STAR REF · XRF · DCS
- AllStar · IAX
- ADIF export
- Dynamic Island
Project DroidStar
A radio shack that fits in your pocket.
DroidStar started as a fork of Doug McLain's excellent open-source DroidStar. Since then it has become a full iOS experience, built with feedback from hams around the world. You get the digital voice networks you already know, with the features of a modern iPhone app.
- Hams on the air worldwide
- 10,000+
- Of extra pre-amp gain
- 24 dB
- Transcription engines, 4 running on-device
- 5
- Free and open source, always
- $0
Just shipped · v0.45.04
Open DMR Terminal Protocol comes to the iPhone.
- ODTP for BrandMeister hosts. If ODTP isn't available, the app falls back to the standard protocol, so you never lose your link.
- Clearer transmissions. The TX audio was rebuilt from the ground up with better sampling.
- AllStar password and IAX WT support, plus fixes for IAX connections.
- Fewer artifacts. The vocoders and audio routing have been tuned further.
Your iPhone
DroidStar 0.45.04TX / RX
DroidStar 0.45.04TX / RX
ODTP
BrandMeister hostPreferred
BrandMeister hostPreferred
Standard protocol
Automatic fallbackFallback
Automatic fallbackFallback
Features
Every feature built for being on the air.
Most of these were asked for by the people who use the app. Try the cards below. They're interactive.
Dynamic Island & Lock Screen
See TX/RX status, the callsign and the Talk Group without opening the app, from the Dynamic Island, Notification Center and Lock Screen.
HD Voice audio suite
Three TX enhancements, each switched on or off from the home page, plus a pre-amp boost of up to 24 dB. Play the noisy sample, or record your own voice, then flip the switches and hear each one work live.
Headphones recommended. Your recording never leaves your device.
Talk Group scanner & favourites
Star your favourite Talk Groups. Scan them along with global BrandMeister TGs, then tap once to tune in when you hear a conversation you want to join.
Net Reminders
Save the schedules of your favourite nets and get a push notification when it's time to check in.
QSO log that exports anywhere
Every station you hear is logged automatically with callsign, DMR ID, TG, name and country, and the log stays after you restart the app. You choose how long it is and whether your own TX is logged. Export selected entries as ADIF or CSV and share them by AirDrop, email or WhatsApp.
| CALL | DMR ID | TG | NAME | CTRY | LOCAL |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| VK3TV | 5053241 | 91 | Mal | AU | 21:42 |
| GW4VXE | 2350912 | 235 | Tim | GB | 21:35 |
| K7RAN | 3153318 | 3100 | — | US | 21:28 |
| DG9MAQ | 2624456 | 262 | — | DE | 21:21 |
| ZL2BEZ | 5302019 | 91 | — | NZ | 21:14 |
ADIFCSVQRZBrandMeisterAPRS
Know who's calling
The operator's name and country appear under every callsign, looked up from their DMR ID. One tap opens their QRZ, BrandMeister or APRS page.
Bluetooth, wired, background
Bluetooth and wired headsets route TX through their own mic. RX keeps playing in the background and when the phone is in silent mode.
Many modes, one app
DMR on BrandMeister with ODTP, YSF, M17, P25, NXDN, D-STAR reflectors (REF/XRF/DCS) and AllStar over IAX. All inherited from DroidStar's open-source core.
How it works
From your mic to the whole world, in under a second.
You don't need a radio, a hotspot or an antenna. DroidStar does what a digital radio does, entirely in software on your iPhone, and uses the internet as its RF path.
- 01
You press PTT
DroidStar records your voice through the iPhone or headset mic and cleans it up with noise cancellation, HD Voice and the mic leveler.
- 02
Encoded on-device
The built-in vocoder turns your voice into a compact digital stream, the same format radios use.
- 03
Sent over the internet
The stream goes over Wi-Fi or cellular to a BrandMeister server using ODTP, or to a YSF, M17, D-STAR or AllStar reflector.
- 04
Heard worldwide
The network sends you out on the Talk Group to repeaters, hotspots and apps around the world. Replies come back the same way, live.
Changelog
Shipping fast.
Four releases in a row, each shaped by testers and the community.
v0.45.04
ODTP for BrandMeister, IAX WT, a new TX audio pipeline
Added
- Open DMR Terminal Protocol (ODTP) for BrandMeister hosts, falling back to the standard protocol.
- A toggle in Settings to turn ODTP on or off.
- An AllStar password option in Settings.
- IAX WT support.
Improved
- Vocoders and audio routing tuned further to reduce artifacts and improve audio quality.
- TX audio rebuilt with better sampling for clearer transmissions.
Fixed
- IAX connection issues.
Thanks to our tester for suggesting ODTP support.
v0.45.03
Pre-Amp Volume Boost, up to +24 dB
Added
- Pre-Amp Volume Boost, adding up to 24 dB of extra audio gain.
Fixed
- Minor bugs.
The journey
From weekend fork to global app.
Swipe or scroll →73
Worldwide
10,000+
licensed amateurs use DroidStar to make contacts every day.
They're in every ITU region and on every continent. Many of them don't have the space, money or antenna for a full station, and DroidStar gets them on the air from wherever they are.
Every one of them uses DroidStar free, thanks to supporters.Buy me a coffeePayPal
- VU
- W/K/N
- VE
- G/GW
- DL/DG
- VK
- ZL
- BD
- JA
- EA
- I
- PY
- + many more
QSL · CONFIRMING OUR QSO
INDIA · ITU 41 · CQ 22DROID
STAR
DEV
INDIA · ITU 41 · CQ 22DROID
STAR
DEV
VICTOR · UNIFORM · THREE · LIMA · VICTOR · OSCAR
- OP
- ROHITH
- QTH
- BANGALORE
- MODE
- DMR
About the operator
Hi, I'm Rohith. 73!
By day I'm an AI Product Architect and product leader in AI & innovation, based in Bengaluru, India. I've founded several companies, I research trustworthy AI (ACL TrustNLP 2026) and I'm writing a book.
After hours I'm VU3LVO. I love digital voice, and I wanted it to feel as good on an iPhone as everything else does. DroidStar is how I give back to the hobby. It's free and open source, and it's built with the help of the hams who use it.
- Ham radio operator
- iOS & C++ developer
- AI researcher
- Founder
- Author
TestFlight
Get on the air with DroidStar.
DroidStar for iOS is distributed through Apple TestFlight. TestFlight allows only 10,000 testers, so invites are sent one by one instead of through a public link.
- Send your requestFill in the form with your callsign and the email address of your Apple ID.
- Install TestFlightGet Apple's free TestFlight app from the App Store on your iPhone or iPad.
- Accept your inviteOpen the invite email, tap Start Testing and install DroidStar. You're on the air.
Built for the community
Made by a ham, for hams. Kept free by you.
DroidStar DMR is built for the amateur radio community. Your support keeps it free and on the air for everyone.
Keep DroidStar DMR free and on the air
Apple developer fees, test devices and many late nights. Your support covers them and keeps DroidStar free for every ham. Every supporter is thanked on the contributors wall.
Thank you to everyone who keeps it going
Thanks to Doug McLain for the original DroidStar, to BD4VHI for the Chinese translation, and to the 157 hams whose 183 contributions keep DroidStar DMR on the air, starting with the day-one supporters:
- Ian R.
- GW4VXE
- Joe
- Ben
- Impossible_Duty_8935
- TXDMR
- Ray
- KC2ZMA
- Mark F.
- Steff
- N2HT
- ZL2BEZ
- K7RAN
- WA3ADI
- VK4SM
- G0BJW
- DG9MAQ
- VE2KJF
- William G.
- Michael K.
- W2KDC
- VK3TV
- AC1SM
- HP3ICC
- DO5XO
- HK5LFV
- KQ4HJH
- W2GGI
- Mattias
- Charles B.
- sjdmd
- Garon S.
- and more+
Meet all 157 contributors
Want to see your callsign here?Buy me a coffeePayPal
Ham radio glossary
New to digital voice? Start here.
These are the terms you'll see in DroidStar and on the air, in plain English.
- DMR
- Digital Mobile Radio, an open digital voice standard (ETSI TS 102 361) widely used by amateur radio operators to talk locally and worldwide through linked networks.
- BrandMeister
- The largest worldwide amateur DMR network. It links repeaters, hotspots and apps such as DroidStar so that hams can talk across continents.
- Talk Group (TG)
- A numbered channel on a DMR network. For example, TG 91 is BrandMeister Worldwide, TG 3100 is USA Nationwide and TG 404 is India.
- ODTP
- Open DMR Terminal Protocol, a modern protocol for connecting DMR terminals and apps to BrandMeister. DroidStar 0.45.04 uses it and falls back to the standard protocol.
- DMR ID
- A unique 7-digit number that identifies a licensed operator on DMR networks. It's issued free by RadioID.net.
- Hotspot
- A small device that bridges a radio to a DMR network over the internet. DroidStar doesn't need one, because the iPhone connects directly.
- QSO
- Ham radio shorthand for a contact or conversation between two stations.
- ADIF
- Amateur Data Interchange Format, the standard file format for exchanging ham radio logs between logging programs.
- YSF, M17, P25, NXDN, D-STAR
- Other digital voice modes and networks used by amateurs. DroidStar can connect to their reflectors over the internet.
- AllStar / IAX
- AllStar Link connects analog repeaters and nodes over the internet using the IAX protocol. DroidStar supports IAX, including IAX WT.
- 73
- Ham radio shorthand for best regards.
FAQ
Questions, answered.
What is DroidStar DMR for iOS?
DroidStar DMR for iOS is a free, open-source digital amateur radio app for iPhone and iPad by Rohith Namboothiri (VU3LVO). Licensed hams can use it to talk worldwide over DMR on BrandMeister (including ODTP), YSF, M17, P25, NXDN, D-STAR reflectors and AllStar/IAX without a radio. Features include multilingual live transcription, a Talk Group scanner, HD Voice TX audio, Dynamic Island and Lock Screen activities, net reminders and ADIF/CSV QSO logging.
Is this the same app as DroidStar by Doug McLain (nostar)?
No, they're separate apps. DroidStar DMR by VU3LVO is a modified fork of Doug McLain's open-source DroidStar. It adds a redesigned iOS experience, live transcription, the HD Voice audio suite, Talk Group scanning, Dynamic Island support and much more. Both are licensed under GPL-3.0, and many thanks go to Doug for the foundation.
How do I get DroidStar on my iPhone?
DroidStar for iOS is distributed through Apple TestFlight. Request an invite at vu3lvo.com/droidstar/testflight with your callsign and Apple ID email. Then install Apple's free TestFlight app and accept the invite email. Invites are sent personally because Apple limits TestFlight to 10,000 testers.
Do I need an amateur radio licence or a radio?
You need a valid amateur radio licence. For DMR you also need a DMR ID, which you can get free from RadioID.net. You don't need a radio or a hotspot, because the app connects to networks such as BrandMeister over the internet. If you use BrandMeister hotspot security, enter your hotspot password in Settings.
Is DroidStar DMR free?
Yes. It's free, has no ads and is open source under the GNU GPL-3.0 licence. Development is supported by voluntary contributions through Buy Me a Coffee and PayPal.
Does Live Transcription send my audio to the cloud?
You choose the engine: Apple's built-in speech recognition or one of four downloadable models that run entirely on your iPhone or iPad. The feature is in beta, so expect the odd mistake on a noisy band.
Does DroidStar DMR collect or store my data?
No. DroidStar DMR has no cloud servers, accounts, analytics or tracking. Your QSO logs, settings, favourite Talk Groups, net reminders and transcripts stay only on your iPhone or iPad. The app connects directly to the amateur radio networks you choose, such as BrandMeister, which receive your callsign, DMR ID and transmissions, as every radio's would. The website vu3lvo.com uses no cookies or analytics. Full details are in the Privacy Policy at vu3lvo.com/droidstar/privacy.
What is ODTP and why does it matter?
ODTP (Open DMR Terminal Protocol) is a modern protocol for connecting DMR terminals to BrandMeister hosts. DroidStar 0.45.04 uses ODTP when it's available and falls back to the standard protocol otherwise, so your link stays up. You can turn ODTP on or off in Settings.
How can I support DroidStar DMR?
DroidStar DMR is built for the amateur radio community and stays free with no ads. Your support keeps it free and on the air for everyone. You can buy Rohith (VU3LVO) a coffee at buymeacoffee.com/rohithz or donate with PayPal. Donations cover Apple developer fees, test devices and development time. Supporters are thanked by callsign or first name on the contributors wall at vu3lvo.com/droidstar/contributors. You can also help by sending feedback, starring the GitHub repository and telling other hams.
What is the Parrot (TG 9990) echo test?
On BrandMeister, Talk Group 9990 is the Parrot: it records what you say and plays it back so you can check your audio. The DroidStar page at vu3lvo.com/droidstar has a Parrot demo. Switch the phone to TG 9990, hold PTT, speak, and release to hear yourself with a radio-style sound. The recording stays on your device and is never uploaded.
Is there a DroidStar for Android?
Not yet, but DroidStar for Android is in the works: the same experience rebuilt for Android phones and tablets. Today, development is focused on DroidStar DMR for iPhone and iPad. Follow the WhatsApp channel or vu3lvo.com/droidstar for news.
Is there a web version of DroidStar?
DroidStar for Web is an upcoming project by VU3LVO: digital voice from any modern browser, with nothing to install. Until it launches, iPhone and iPad users can get DroidStar DMR for iOS free through TestFlight at vu3lvo.com/droidstar/testflight.
How do I report a bug or suggest a feature?
Send feedback through TestFlight, open an issue on GitHub (rohithzmoi/Droidstar-DMR) or email hi@vu3lvo.com. Many features, including ODTP support, started as suggestions from testers.
CQ CQ CQ
The band is open. Come join us.
Join more than 10,000 hams who already carry their shack in their pocket.
Free for every ham, kept on the air by supporters.Buy me a coffeePayPal