Radioband Support
Email [email protected]. I read everything. Include the app version and build from Settings → “About & Privacy”, your device and OS version, and what happened. For a listening problem, include the receiver, frequency, and approximate time.
What do I need?
An iPhone running iOS 27 or an iPad running iPadOS 27, plus an internet connection. You do not need radio hardware or a Radioband account. Captions and translation depend on supported languages and downloaded assets. Titles and summaries need Apple Intelligence to be available. Listening works without recognition.
How do I start listening?
Open “Listen” and choose a receiver from the list or map. “All” shows the full directory; “Saved” and “Recent” help you return to receivers. Tapping a receiver opens Now Playing while it connects.
Tap the large frequency readout to open the tuning keypad. Choose a band or enter a frequency in kHz, then tap “Tune”. You can change the mode and fine-tune around a signal. Location access is optional.
A receiver will not connect, or drops out
Receivers are run independently. Some are full, offline, time-limited, or unavailable to third-party apps. Slot counts reflect what the receiver reports and can change before you connect. Use “Try nearby receiver” when offered, or return to “Listen” and choose another receiver.
The waterfall moves, but I hear nothing
Check the device volume and audio output, including connected headphones. Then tap “SQL” beneath the frequency and choose “Off” to check whether squelch was muting the signal. If you still hear nothing, try another frequency or receiver.
I hear only noise
Reception varies with the time of day, frequency, and receiver location. Look for a visible signal in the spectrum, try another band, or choose a receiver in another region. Check that the mode suits the signal: a voice transmission may need AM, LSB, or USB.
Why hasn't a catch appeared in the Journal?
By default, a catch saves after two minutes of audible listening on one tuning. Check Settings → Journaling → “Auto-journal” and “Journal after”. Muted or squelched silence does not count toward the threshold. Retuning starts a new listening period.
To save a catch immediately, open the receiver card and choose “Journal this”. The Journal works with recognition off; it can save listening details even when there is no transcript.
Does “Tune here” replay a catch?
No. “Tune here” opens Now Playing and reconnects to the catch's receiver, frequency, and mode. You hear the live signal at that location now. Radioband does not record broadcast audio.
Captions or translation are missing
Tap “Recognise” while listening. On first use, choose “Enable recognition” to have recognition start automatically with the radio, or “Not now” to keep listening without it. You can change “Recognise automatically” in Settings and start recognition manually for a listen.
The first language check may download a model, and Apple may download speech or translation assets. Downloads can use cellular data. Open “On this frequency” to read the status message and retry if offered. A weak or noisy signal can prevent useful captions.
English is a supported transcription language. “Transcription is unavailable on this device” refers to the device's transcription capability, not a lack of English support. Translation also depends on the languages available on your device. The radio keeps playing when recognition is unavailable.
Saving identified songs
Song identification uses Shazam when recognition is on. A match can be opened in Apple Music or Spotify. Saving to the “Heard on Radioband” playlist requires Apple Music permission, a subscription, and Sync Library. Spotify opens the song or a search in its app or website. Not every song or signal produces a match.
Can I share a catch?
Open a Journal entry and use its share action to export a PDF or Markdown document. The export includes listening details, a summary when available, topics, scene measurements, and a count of identified songs. It does not include broadcast audio, transcript or chapter text, or individual song titles and artwork.
The receiver card says the connection is unencrypted
Many public receivers use plain HTTP or WebSocket connections. People on the network path may be able to observe or alter that traffic. The receiver card identifies these connections. The receiver operator can also see connection and tuning information.
Deleting my data
Delete individual catches in the Journal, or use Settings → History to clear older entries. Age-based clearing keeps marked catches and entries with notes. “Delete all history” removes every Journal entry, including marked ones. Stop listening before deleting the whole Journal.
Saved dials and preferences remain when you clear the Journal. Removing the app deletes its local data. Device backups, exported files, Apple Music playlist entries, and external service logs are separate; clearing the Journal does not remove them.
Requesting a feature
Email is fine. Say what you were trying to do, not only what button you want.