ShackPilot: Ham Radio Remote

I’ve been using ShackPilot with my Yaesu FT-991A, and the latest update adds some features that make remote operation considerably more practical. One of the features I was particularly excited about is Bluetooth headset PTT support. I can now use the function button on my BlueParrott headset as the PTT, which makes operating the FT-991A remotely feel much more like actually sitting at the radio. This is especially useful when using an iPhone rather than having to reach over and operate an on-screen PTT button every time I want to transmit. The update also adds control of the tuner, including the ability to turn the tuner on and off and activate the FT-991A’s internal automatic antenna tuner directly from ShackPilot. For anyone operating the radio remotely, having access to those functions without physically being in front of the radio is a big improvement. There have also been improvements to the FT-991A’s CW operation, PTT control, and connection handling in recent versions. I’ve been testing several of these features, and the developer has clearly been putting a lot of effort into making ShackPilot work properly with the FT-991A rather than simply providing basic remote-control functionality. Another feature that I find particularly useful on the iPhone is Guided Access. If I’m going to leave ShackPilot running for an extended period, I can use Guided Access to lock the iPhone to the ShackPilot screen. That prevents accidental touches or accidentally leaving the application while the radio is being operated remotely. For the networking side of my setup, I’m using Tailscale as the VPN tunnel between my remote device and the Mac running my shack equipment. This gives me a private connection to the shack without having to expose the radio-control services directly to the public Internet. Combined with ShackPilot, it makes the whole remote setup surprisingly seamless. My setup is essentially: FT-991A → USB → Mac → ShackPilot → Tailscale VPN → iPhone → BlueParrott headset And being able to control PTT, audio, tuning, and other FT-991A functions from the iPhone makes this much more than simply being able to change frequency remotely. I also want to give credit to the developer because ShackPilot has been evolving very quickly. Features have been added in response to actual user feedback, and the FT-991A-specific improvements are becoming increasingly useful for serious remote operation. I haven’t had a chance to go through every change in the newest release yet, so there may be additional improvements that I haven’t discovered. But based on what I’ve tested so far, this is a substantial update. For FT-991A owners who are interested in remote operation, ShackPilot is definitely worth taking another look at. It’s becoming a very capable way to turn the FT-991A into a genuinely usable remotely operated station rather than simply a radio that happens to have remote-control capability.