HAMgpt

How to use HamGPT

HamGPT is your friendly amateur‑radio helper. Ask it anything about your radio, the bands, repeaters, and what to do on the air — and it answers using live data for your station. Here's how to get the most out of it.

1. Set up your station (just once)

First, tell HamGPT a little about your station so its advice fits you:

  1. Open Profile (your name at the bottom‑left, or the Profile tab on a phone).
  2. Type your callsign and tap Verify — we'll fill in your location for you.
  3. No callsign yet? Just enter your grid square (like CM87), or tap Use my location.
  4. Pick your license class — Technician, General, or Extra. Not sure? Pick Not sure.
  5. Tap Save. That's it.

2. Ask a question

  • At the top of the Home screen there's a box that says "Let's talk radio…".
  • Type your question in normal, everyday words and press send (or the Enter key). For example:
    • "What can I do on the radio right now?"
    • "Is 20 meters open to Japan?"
    • "How do I make my first FT8 contact?"
    • "What antenna works well for 40 meters in a small yard?"
  • There are no magic words — just ask the way you'd ask a friend.

3. The "Live now" panel

Below the question box, HamGPT shows what's happening on the air right now, for your location:

  • Conditions — the bands in plain words (for example, "good, quiet").
  • Bands now — which bands are busy and who you can reach.
  • Repeaters — the closest repeaters to you.
  • DX — interesting faraway stations on the air.

Tap any card and HamGPT will explain it or tell you what to do. (The time shown is in UTC — the standard "shack time" hams use all over the world.)

4. Find and program repeaters

  1. Open the Repeaters tab.
  2. You'll see the repeaters closest to you, with their frequency and tones.
  3. Tap the star to save one for later.
  4. Tap "Program into my radio →" and HamGPT will walk you through the settings, step by step.
  5. "Export for CHIRP" downloads a file you can load into the free CHIRP programming software.

5. Make it comfortable

In Profile you can set your antenna, switch units (km or miles), change the language (English / Español), and make the text bigger. The sun / moon button switches between a light and a dark screen — pick whatever is easiest on your eyes.

6. Important: always double‑check before you transmit

HamGPT is a helpful assistant, but it can be wrong. Before you transmit, always confirm frequencies, band edges, and what your license allows against official sources (such as the FCC Part 97 rules and your radio's manual). You are responsible for operating legally and safely.

7. Still need a hand?

Write to us — we read every message: . 73!