ShackPilot and Blue Parrot Review

Full disclosure: I have absolutely no financial interest or monetary gain from this software. I’m sharing this simply because, in my opinion, it is some of the most impressive amateur radio software I’ve ever used.
The software is called ShackPilot, and the developer has specifically designed it with Yaesu radios in mind, although there is also a generic connection option that can be used with many other radios capable of remote operation.
The software is free to try. I ended up purchasing the lifetime license about 24 hours after installing it because I was immediately impressed.
The Setup
One of the things that impressed me most was how incredibly simple it was to get everything connected.
I’ve used plenty of computer/radio software where getting the computer, radio, USB connection, audio, ports, drivers, CAT control, etc. all working together can become an adventure. ShackPilot was completely different.
It appeared to automatically identify the necessary connections and configure much of what was required. I basically clicked a button and it connected on the first attempt.
I actually sat there thinking, “There’s no way that just worked that easily.”
But it did.
The other thing that immediately stood out was the quality of the connection and audio.
After letting other operators listen to me remotely, one of the most common comments I received was essentially:
“I would never have known you were remote. Had you not told me, I would have thought you were sitting right there.”
The audio quality has been excellent.
And yes, there is also a waterfall display.
I’m using ShackPilot with my Yaesu FT-991A, and I’ll include screenshots from both the iPhone and MacBook Air versions.
The Software Keeps Getting Better
I believe ShackPilot was still relatively new when I first downloaded it, and there have already been several updates with some very significant improvements and new features.
The newest version added several things that I was particularly excited about.
I can now use the function button on my BlueParrott Bluetooth headset as PTT, which is something I specifically wanted.
The new version also gives me the ability to turn the FT-991A’s tuner on and off remotely and initiate the tuner operation remotely.
There may be additional improvements in the latest version that I haven’t discovered yet, but I’m still exploring everything.
That’s one of the things I like about this software: the developer is actively improving it.
Remote Operation
So what can you actually do with it?
Quite a lot.
You can remotely operate modes including:
• SSB
• CW
• AM
• FM
• FT8
• And other digital/operating modes depending on the radio and configuration
You can control things such as microphone/audio levels and transmit power, operate the VFOs, access memories, and remotely control other radio functions.
With the FT-991A specifically, you can also remotely control the antenna tuner, monitor SWR, and see information about your transmitted and received audio.
That becomes particularly useful when you’re away from home.
For example, if you’re using a multiband antenna and want to move from one band to another, you can remotely engage the tuner rather than having to physically be at the radio.
You can also monitor SWR remotely, which gives you some reassurance that you aren’t transmitting into an antenna system that has developed a problem while you were away.
The FT-991A has separate antenna connections for HF/50 MHz and VHF/UHF, so having remote control over the radio makes it possible to use the different capabilities of the radio from wherever you happen to be.
You can control VFO A and VFO B, and you can switch between VFO operation and memory operation.
The memory capability is especially useful for 2-meter and 70-centimeter repeaters. Program your repeaters into the radio’s memories and you can simply select them remotely.
Imagine checking into your local morning 2-meter net while you’re sitting in a cabin hundreds of miles away.
Your buddies might be a little confused when you tell them:
“Yeah, I’m actually on vacation in Cancun right now.”
My wife and I usually go on vacation at least once a year, and sometimes twice. I normally bring a radio and set up an antenna wherever we’re staying.
This year I may just bring my iPhone.
Hi hi.
FT8
The FT8 functionality is another impressive part of the system.
ShackPilot includes FT8 functionality as well as logging capabilities.
You can have contacts logged automatically, and the log can be exported so you can later import or merge it into your primary logging program.
There are also options for uploading contacts to services such as QRZ and other online logging systems.
I haven’t personally explored every one of these features yet, so I’m not going to pretend that I’ve tested everything.
I’m still learning and experimenting with the software myself.
CW — One of My Favorite Features
This is probably the feature people ask me about the most:
“How are you operating CW remotely?”
It’s actually very simple.
When you switch the radio to CW mode, ShackPilot provides a text field where you type the message you want to transmit.
Type your message, press Send, and ShackPilot generates the CW and keys the radio.
One thing I really like is that you don’t have to type your entire conversation before transmitting. You can send a short message, and while that message is being transmitted, you can begin typing the next one. Once the first transmission finishes, you can send the next message.
There is also a CW decoder, so you can decode received CW as well.
For someone learning CW, I think this could be a really interesting tool.
For example, imagine someone hunting POTA activations. You see an activator on the POTA spotting system, tune to the frequency, select CW, listen for a moment to make sure you’ve got the station, type your call/message, and make the contact.
That could be a very convenient way for someone learning CW to gain experience while still having the decoder available as an aid.
A Very Important FT-991A Setting
One thing I discovered that FT-991A users should be aware of is Menu 015 — Beacon Interval.
If you have been using the FT-991A’s beacon function, make sure the beacon interval is set to OFFwhen using ShackPilot for remote operation.
Otherwise, the radio can automatically initiate transmissions at the programmed interval.
I previously used the beacon function for calling CQ and would manually activate it through the FM list and one of my programmed messages. That’s fine when you’re physically sitting at the radio, but you definitely don’t want an automatic beacon transmission unexpectedly occurring while you’re operating remotely.
Transmit Safety and the “Guard Dog”
When I first started using ShackPilot, one of my biggest concerns was:
What happens if the software locks up while the radio is transmitting and I’m hundreds of miles away?
I immediately set the FT-991A’s Time-Out Timer (TOT) — Menu 036 — to three minutes.
That gives the radio a hard limit on continuous transmission time, providing an additional layer of protection if something unexpected happens.
Since then, ShackPilot itself has gained additional safety features designed to prevent situations like this. The newer versions can detect certain connection/software problems, break transmission, and restart the software when necessary.
But during the early version, I decided to build an additional safety net myself.
I created a background “guard dog” watchdog system on my MacBook.
It used macOS background automation and shell scripting to continuously monitor ShackPilot.
In simple terms, it worked like this:
Monitor → Detect problem → Restart → Notify me
I used a Bash shell script together with a macOS LaunchAgent/launchd process so the watchdog would automatically run in the background.
If ShackPilot stopped responding or quit, the watchdog could restart it.
I also integrated push notifications, so I could receive an alert remotely if something went wrong.
I had also configured my system around Tailscale, which allowed me to maintain secure remote access to the Mac.
I explained this system and some of the safety features I wanted to the developer. He told me he would look at incorporating some of these ideas into ShackPilot itself.
And he did.
Within a relatively short period of time, he incorporated additional recovery and safety features into the software.
Most of the custom watchdog programming I originally created is therefore no longer necessary, but it was an interesting project and gave me another level of confidence when leaving the station unattended.
The programming I used included Bash shell scripting, macOS LaunchAgent/launchd automation, process monitoring, automatic application restarting, and push-notification integration.
Essentially, I built a little digital guard dog that watched the radio software while I was away.
Bluetooth Headset and BlueParrott
Now for one of my favorite parts.
I use a BlueParrott Bluetooth headset.
This is a professional headset designed for extremely noisy environments. It has a boom microphone and very aggressive background-noise cancellation.
As a truck driver, I spend time around diesel trucks and other extremely noisy environments, so good noise cancellation is something I know a little bit about.
The difference is remarkable.
I’ve had people listen to me using the BlueParrott microphone and then switch over to the iPhone’s built-in microphone.
The difference is almost unbelievable.
With the iPhone microphone, you can hear the background environment.
With the BlueParrott, that background noise can practically disappear and the other operator hears my voice clearly.
The newest ShackPilot update makes this even better because I can now use the function button on the BlueParrott headset for PTT.
That means I can operate the radio remotely from my iPhone while using the headset just like I would use a radio headset sitting at the station.
That was a feature I specifically wanted, and I’m very happy to see it implemented.
My One Early Problem
I did have one problem getting repeater audio working properly through the remote connection.
It turned out not to be a ShackPilot problem at all. I simply needed to get the correct settings configured in the FT-991A.
If your FT-991A is already configured and working properly with programs such as WSJT-X or other computer-radio interfaces, you’re probably already most of the way there.
There may still be a few FT-991A menu settings that need to be adjusted depending on your particular setup.
If anyone here is having trouble getting something working, post it in the group. I’ll be happy to look at the settings on my FT-991A and compare them with yours to see if we can figure it out.
Final Thoughts
I’m still learning and experimenting with ShackPilot, so I haven’t used every feature yet.
But based on what I’ve experienced so far, I think FT-991A owners should seriously give it a try.
The software is free to try, and in my opinion the lifetime license is extremely reasonable considering how much functionality is packed into it.
The combination of:
Yaesu FT-991A + MacBook + iPhone + ShackPilot + Bluetooth headset
has essentially turned my FT-991A into a radio station that I can carry around in my pocket.
I can operate HF, VHF and UHF, use SSB, CW, FM, FT8 and other modes, control the radio remotely, monitor SWR, operate the tuner, use the waterfall, access memories and VFOs, log contacts, and now even use my BlueParrott headset’s function button for PTT.
And perhaps most importantly, the developer actually listens to his users.
Several of the features I’ve mentioned here came from conversations I had directly with him about things I thought would make the software better.
He didn’t just say, “That’s a good idea.”
He actually implemented some of them.
That’s pretty impressive.
He’s also a fellow ham, and from my interactions with him I’ve found him to be an exceptionally talented programmer and a genuinely good guy.
I’ll post screenshots from both the iPhone and MacBook Air versions along with this review.
If anyone decides to give ShackPilot a try and runs into problems getting their FT-991A configured, feel free to email me. I’ll share what I’ve learned and compare settings with you.

Thanks for reading, and 73!
KG2RG