Helioclock vs. HamClock vs. OpenHamClock
A factual feature comparison. Last verified July 2026.
A note on fairness: HamClock (original, by the late Elwood Downey WB0OEW) and OpenHamClock (accius/K0CJH) are both free, open-source, and actively used by thousands of hams. OpenHamClock in particular is a genuinely serious, actively developed project with a real contributor community. This table is meant to help operators pick the right tool for their situation, not to claim Helioclock wins every category — it doesn’t. Where a feature genuinely doesn’t exist yet in Helioclock, or where a competitor does something well, that’s marked honestly.
Why the comparison looks the way it does: Helioclock is built by one developer with a broadcast meteorology and broadcast systems design background, working end-to-end with modern AI development tools — not a decade of one person’s solo nights-and-weekends work (the original HamClock), and not a dozens-of-contributors open-source patchwork (OpenHamClock, which credits AI-assisted development too — that’s not the differentiator here). That’s why several categories below look unusual for a “ham radio dashboard”: the meteorology depth (GOES cloud overlay, GOES GLM lightning, VAAC/USGS volcano data aggregated directly from observatories worldwide, NASA FIRMS wildfire, JTWC tropical tracking, SST/SSTA) reads more like a broadcast weather system than a typical shack display, because that’s exactly where it came from. And it’s why the design is one coherent vision throughout — the MP/DP/Carousel system, the color palette, the alert design — rather than assembled from many contributors’ individually-reviewed panels.
The short version
| HamClock (original) | OpenHamClock | Helioclock | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Price | Free | Free (donations welcome) | Paid — SD card $39 (launch special, normally $49), USB stick $39 (launch special, normally $49), turnkey appliance $369, multi-display multi client server, with optional rack mount $499+ |
| License | MIT, open source | MIT, open source | Commercial |
| Setup required | Flash OS, compile/select a fixed resolution, run installer, configure | Install Node.js (correct version — the OS-packaged one is too old), clone repo, run npm ci, edit a .env config file in a terminal, optionally set up systemd yourself |
None — arrives preloaded/turnkey, boots straight to the dashboard |
| Runs on | Raspberry Pi, ESP32, desktop build (fixed resolution per build) | Any browser (desktop, Pi, tablet, phone) — but self-hosting means you’re the system administrator | Dedicated Pi 4/5/N100 hardware, your existing Pi 4/5, or a Bring-Your-Own PC via the Live USB Stick, browser-accessible — see System Requirements |
| Active development | Original author WB0OEW is a Silent Key (Jan 2026). A community-run backend (hamclock.com) keeps existing installs’ data feeds alive past the June 2026 shutdown, but the original codebase isn’t seeing new features. | Yes — very actively developed, frequent releases, 28+ contributors, real community (Discord/Reddit/Facebook) | Yes — actively developed, single accountable developer with AI assistance for rapid troubleshooting and rapid deployment of new features. |
| Support if something breaks | Community forums/lists | GitHub issues, community | Community forum, Direct developer contact |
Zero Linux skills, zero installation — the real difference
Helioclock. It just works. No need for an SSH terminal. No .env file. No 11pm troubleshooting.
This is where the comparison actually turns on hardware and setup, not feature checklists. All three products can show you a DX cluster panel. Only one of them requires nothing more than plugging in a device.
There’s excellent free software here for hams who want to run their own Linux box. If that sounds like a fun Saturday, more power to you — genuinely. If it doesn’t, that’s the actual product being sold: free, as long as nothing goes wrong. $49 buys the version where it already went right.
Building your own gear from a kit used to be the hobby — Heathkit, a soldering iron, and a weekend. That era had its charm, but nobody’s buying a modern rig expecting to build it first. You buy a radio expecting it to work when you turn it on. Helioclock is that same expectation, applied to the dashboard sitting next to it.
HamClock (original): You flash an OS image yourself, choose a fixed build resolution up front (800×480 / 1600×960 / 3200×1920 — no changing your mind later without reflashing), and work through a multi-page Setup screen. Reviewers who’ve done it describe real hiccups even with prior Linux experience.
OpenHamClock: Explicitly a self-hosted web app. Their own documentation requires: installing a specific modern Node.js version (v20.19+/v22.12+) because the version Ubuntu ships via apt install nodejs is too old and “will not work”; cloning the GitHub repo; running npm ci from a terminal; and hand-editing a hidden .env file (their own FAQ has a dedicated entry on how to even find a dotfile in a Linux file manager). A one-line Pi installer script exists and helps a lot — but you’re still expected to SSH in, read a systemd service log with journalctl, and know what a git pull update process means if something needs fixing. This is a genuinely well-built piece of software, but “genuinely well-built” and “zero Linux skills required” are different claims, and OpenHamClock’s own docs don’t claim the second one.
Helioclock: Three ways to get running, none of which touch a terminal: – SD card (SKU1) — arrives preloaded, drop it in your existing Pi 4/5, power on. – USB stick (SKU2) — a full bootable drive for most existing x86 PCs (2013 or newer) — see System Requirements – Turnkey appliance (SKU3/SKU4) — dedicated hardware, arrives fully assembled, plug in a monitor and power.
No OS flashing, no resolution to pre-select, no .env file, no npm, no systemd, no SSH. This is the actual product thesis: HamClock and OpenHamClock are excellent free software for hams willing to be their own sysadmin; Helioclock is a device you buy that already works.
No central server — no single point of failure
Every Helioclock unit talks directly to the original public data sources — NOAA, USGS, POTA, SOTA, CelesTrak, and so on — with no Helioclock-operated server sitting in between as a dependency. If the company disappeared tomorrow, an already-deployed Helioclock keeps working exactly as it does today, because it was never depending on a Helioclock server to function. The same holds true for ordinary internet outages: static overlays (basemap, terminator, city clocks) work with zero internet at all, and live data layers simply hold their last update until the connection returns — no crash, no blank screen. The only thing Helioclock’s own infrastructure is used for is optional software updates (via GitHub Releases), not live data.
That’s a meaningfully different architecture from both alternatives, and it’s not a hypothetical — it’s already playing out with the original HamClock:
- HamClock (original): With WB0OEW’s passing and the original clearskyinstitute.com feeds shutting down in June 2026, the entire installed base now depends on keeping working by pointing at hamclock.com, a single volunteer-run community backend. That’s a brand-new central dependency the original design never had — if that one backend goes down or its maintainer stops, every HamClock relying on it goes with it.
- OpenHamClock: Genuinely self-hostable, but by default a self-hosted instance still depends on two centrally-run services operated by the project: the DX Spider Proxy (
DXSPIDER_PROXY_URL— “a default proxy is provided”) and the ITU-R propagation service (ITURHFPROP_URL— “defaults to the public OpenHamClock service”). Unless an operator deploys their own copies of both, DX cluster data and propagation predictions across potentially thousands of self-hosted units depend on servers operated by one maintainer. And the zero-setup option most casual users will actually reach for — opening openhamclock.com directly in a browser — is itself a single hosted website. - Helioclock: No equivalent dependency exists. Each unit is a fully independent node talking straight to the original data sources.
Panel architecture
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Configurable on-screen panels | Small number of fixed pane slots; each slot shows one selectable content type at a time | Dockable panels, manually added/resized/arranged in a fixed layout | Many small Mini Panels (MPs), freely arranged anywhere on screen |
| At a glance viewing (MP) of the most important details, plus drill-down (DP) to full details | No — a pane just displays its assigned content directly | No dedicated drill-down; panels show their full content in place | Yes — click any MP to open its full Detail Panel (DP) |
| Auto-rotation of content | Yes — a chosen collection of content types rotates through the same small set of fixed pane slots | No — layout is static once arranged | Yes — Carousel Mode rotates through saved Favorite Arrangements, each capturing its own panel layout and map layer toggle state, not just which MPs are showing |
| Effective number of data categories visible/monitorable | Limited by the small number of physical pane slots, even with rotation | Limited to whatever fits the static dockable layout at once | Effectively unbounded — Carousel Mode lets far more MPs cycle through than could ever fit on one screen, each still one click from full detail |
The practical difference: HamClock’s rotation cycles content through multiple fixed-size slots, and OpenHamClock’s layout is arrange-once-and-done. Helioclock’s Mini Panel + Carousel system is built to scale past what any single screen can show — you’re not choosing between “a few things showing fully” and “everything squeezed in tiny,” you get a continuously cycling scan of many compact tiles with full detail one click away on any of them.
Visual design & display
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Display resolution | Fixed builds only — compiled for 800×480, 1600×960, or 3200×1920. No true 4K UHD (3840×2160) build. | Browser-rendered — scales to whatever monitor it’s opened on | Native 4K UHD canvas rendering, purpose-built for large/high-res displays. Plus, will work on any monitor via a web browser. |
| Rendering approach | Native embedded graphics (fixed layout per resolution) | Standard responsive web UI, four selectable themes (Dark, Light, Legacy terminal-green, Retro 90s-style) | Custom-designed dark UI with layered transparency/glass-panel effects, animated map overlays, and a cohesive gold/cyan/green color system built specifically for at-a-glance readability on large signage-style displays |
| Visual theming | Fixed, utilitarian | Standard web styling; Legacy/Retro themes are intentionally nostalgic/utilitarian by design, not glossy | Custom color palette + self-hosted display fonts (Orbitron, Share Tech Mono, Barlow Condensed, IBM Plex Sans) designed to look intentional, not like a generic dashboard |
Data sources & spotting
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| DX Cluster (DX Spider) | Yes | Yes (DX Spider Proxy, HamQTH, DXWatch, or Auto — configurable) | Yes |
| Reverse Beacon Network (RBN) | No | Not built as its own panel | Yes |
| PSK Reporter | No (native) | Yes — MQTT real-time + HTTP fallback, TX/RX tabs | Yes, as its own panel — just excluded from the Best Band Now confirmation logic, see note below |
| WSJT-X / JTDX live UDP integration | Yes (double-click station sets DX) | Yes — full UDP listener, plus a relay agent for cloud-hosted instances | Yes — live UDP listener, MP/DP panel showing decoded callsigns, signal strength, mode, and frequency offset in real time (map layer of decoded stations planned) |
| POTA / SOTA / WWFF | Yes (POTA/SOTA) | Yes (plus WWBOTA) | Yes (POTA, SOTA, WWFF, and WWBOTA) |
| DXpeditions tracker | Not confirmed | Yes (NG3K-sourced) | Yes — MP/DP combo |
| Contest calendar | Yes | Yes (WA7BNM-sourced) | Yes, but ships with no default feed configured — user supplies their own feed URL, such as WA7BNM’s feed. |
| Multi-language interface | No | Yes — 10 languages | No |
| DX news ticker/crawl | No | Yes (DXNews.com scrape) | Yes — matches this, not a differentiator either way |
| Visible planets panel (positions/visibility) | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes — appears to be unique to Helioclock |
Why Helioclock excludes PSK Reporter and POTA from its Best Band Now confirmation logic specifically: both were tested against real data and found to read “zero” for most operators most of the time — not because the sources are broken, but because PSK Reporter only shows activity while you’re actively transmitting a digital mode, and any single QTH’s nearby POTA parks are rarely all active simultaneously. A technically honest zero that looks like a bug isn’t good UX, so both were excluded from that specific confirmation logic. Both still exist as their own panels and map layers elsewhere in Helioclock — PSK Reporter and POTA/SOTA data aren’t gone, they’re just not part of the Best Band Now calculation.
Propagation intelligence
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Propagation prediction model | VOACAP | ITU-R P.533-14 (the current international standard), with real-time corrections from live ionosonde measurements when available | Own model — MINIMUF-85 secant-law, explicitly documented as “not a VOACAP replacement”; optionally paired with an RTL-SDR dongle (sold separately) for real-world reception confirmation |
| DRAP (D-region absorption) map | Yes | No | Yes — MP/DP combo plus its own map layer |
| Prediction vs. live-confirmation cross-check | No | No | Yes — “Best Band Now”: QTH-anchored MUF prediction compared directly against live DX Cluster + RBN activity, with a 4-state result (Confirmed / Likely / Surprise Open / Closed) and hysteresis to prevent flapping |
| Band conditions summary | Via VOACAP graph | Yes (N0NBH feed) | Yes (band conditions + MUF Matrix) |
| Multi-day propagation forecast | Same-day VOACAP graph only | Not confirmed | Yes — confirmed 3-day forecast, 9-band × 3-day grid in the detail panel |
| Decision history / reliability log | No | No | Yes — every best-band pick change is logged, retrievable via API |
| Real-world reception confirmation (RTL-SDR) | No | No | Yes — an RTL-SDR dongle (sold separately by third parties, not by Helioclock) plugged into the device runs actual reception tests at WWV/WWVH and NCDXF beacon frequencies, confirming propagation because your own hardware is hearing the signal, not because another station reported a spot |
| SDR receiver / waterfall application (OpenWebRX) | No | No | Yes — OpenWebRX runs on the same device, tune and listen to HF bands directly, no separate computer or software needed |
OpenHamClock’s propagation model (ITU-R P.533 plus real ionosonde corrections) is a more rigorous prediction engine on its own than Helioclock’s secant-law model. Helioclock’s differentiator isn’t a better prediction model — it’s being the only one of the three that checks its prediction against live spot data and tells you when they disagree. RTL-SDR reception confirmation takes that a step further: instead of relying on someone else’s spot report, the device is actually hearing the signal itself, which is a real step up from spot-based confirmation and makes Best Band Now’s results that much more trustworthy.
Space weather
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Solar Flux Index (SFI) | Yes, 30-day history | Yes, 30-day history | Yes, with trend history |
| Sunspot number (SSN) | Yes | Yes | Yes, with trend history |
| Kp / geomagnetic index | Yes, 7-day history + forecast | Yes | Yes |
| X-ray flare class (GOES) | Yes | Yes, 6-hour chart | Yes, with a chart in the DP |
| NOAA G/S/R space weather scales (explicit 1–5 scale labels) | Yes | Not shown as explicit G/S/R scales (SFI/Kp/X-ray shown directly instead) | Yes |
| Solar wind (density/speed/flux) | Yes | Not built | Yes (NOAA RTSW real-time feed), displayed as dials for at-a-glance readability |
| Aurora / OVATION overlay | Yes (map style) | Yes (NOAA OVATION model plugin) | Yes |
| Dst index | Not found | Not found | Yes (USGS) — appears to be unique to Helioclock |
| NASA SDO solar imagery | Yes | Yes (solar image view) | Yes, full compliment of imagery and data. |
| Lunar phase / EME planning | Yes | Yes (illumination %, next full/new moon) | Yes — both as MP/DP combos, plus a full EME link budget calculator (moon distance, path loss, ERP, margin vs. JT65/Q65/CW thresholds for a remote station entered by grid or lat/lon) — neither competitor has anything like this |
Map projections & views
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Available projections | Mercator, Azimuthal | Mercator-style (Leaflet.js) | Mercator, USA/CONUS, 3D rotating Globe, Azimuthal |
| Dedicated USA/CONUS regional view | No — generic Mercator zoom only, no purpose-built regional mode | No — generic pan/zoom on a single world map | Yes — dedicated USA view with Alaska/Hawaii insets |
| 3D rotating globe view | No | No | Yes — real-time solar illumination on a rotating sphere, with lightning/earthquake/volcano icons rendered directly on it |
| Selectable base map styles | Political/Terrain choice, DRAP/Aurora/seasonal | Static tile styles | 7 styles: Day/Night ocean-detail, Day/Night plain-ocean, Satellite day-only, Seasonal ocean-detail, Seasonal plain-ocean, Political, Outline |
Software updates
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Automatic update checking | Yes — configurable auto-upgrade schedule in Setup | Yes — opt-in via .env (AUTO_UPDATE_ENABLED), periodic GitHub check |
Yes — daily check with randomized time offset, no configuration needed |
| Manual/on-demand update trigger | Yes — tap the version number | Yes — “UPDATE” button in header (local installs) | Yes — “Check Now” button on a dedicated admin page |
| Update delivery method | Self-upgrading binary/build | git pull + dependency reinstall + frontend rebuild (update.sh), or container pull for Docker |
GitHub Releases API, downloaded and swapped atomically — the new version is fully downloaded before any file is replaced, so a failed or interrupted download can’t leave a half-updated, broken install |
| Auto-restart after update | Not confirmed | Depends on deployment — exits after update expecting a supervisor (systemd/pm2) to restart it; manual restart needed if run directly in a terminal | Yes — automatic systemctl restart after a successful update, no supervisor setup required |
| Update history / audit trail | No | No | Yes — dedicated admin page shows current version, last check time, and full update history |
Satellites & orbital
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Satellite pass prediction | Yes (one at a time) | Yes (40+ satellite catalog, SGP4 in-browser) | Yes |
| ISS tracking | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Tiangong / CSS tracking | No | Not confirmed | Planned |
Weather, disaster & environmental data
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Current conditions (temp/humidity/pressure) | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Radar (NEXRAD/precipitation) | No | Yes (precipitation overlay plugin) | Yes — RainViewer + NOAA nowCOAST, plus a dedicated Radar Scope: circular proximity display centered on QTH or any zip/city, range rings, 8-direction nudge controls, live NWS alert polygons overlaid |
| Satellite cloud overlay (GOES) | No | No | Yes |
| Lightning | No | No | Yes (NOAA GOES GLM, live), plus a dedicated Lightning Scope — same circular proximity-display pattern as Radar Scope, strike rate/nearest-distance stats, proximity audio alert |
| Volcano activity | No | No | Yes — VAAC advisories + USGS HANS, plus direct queries to individual national volcano observatories worldwide (concatenated in-house, not a licensed aggregator) and volcanic ash plume data |
| Earthquake activity | No | Yes (USGS overlay plugin) | Yes (USGS layer) — both Helioclock and OpenHamClock have this, HamClock doesn’t |
| Maidenhead grid square overlay (visual grid lines on the map, not just text readout) | No — grid square shown as text only | Not confirmed as a map layer | Yes — dedicated map layer |
| METAR aviation weather (station reports on the map) | No | No | Yes — dedicated map layer, up to 50 user-selected stations; station search runs against an 8,509-station database bundled locally, no internet needed just to search |
| FAA aviation weather camera directory | No | No | Yes — searchable directory of 955 FAA aviation weather camera sites (US, Alaska, Hawaii, Canada); selecting a site opens FAA’s own live camera page directly, no images fetched or hosted by Helioclock itself |
| Tropical storm / hurricane tracking | No | No | Yes (JTWC) |
| Sea surface temp / anomaly | No | No | Yes |
| Wildfire detection (NASA FIRMS) | No | No | Yes, plus a dedicated Fire Scope — same proximity-scope pattern, requires a free NASA FIRMS API key |
| Air quality (AQI) | No | No | Yes — EPA AirNow (North America) + WAQI (global fallback), both require free API keys |
| Tides | No | No | Yes |
| UV index | No | No | Yes |
| NWS weather alerts | Not confirmed | Yes (part of EmComm layout) | Yes |
| FEMA disaster declarations | No | Yes (EmComm layout) | No |
| EAS / IPAWS all-hazards alerts (AMBER, civil emergency) | No | Not built as such | Planned |
| APRS emergency-comms dashboard (shelters, resource tracking, net check-ins) | No | Yes — dedicated EmComm layout for ARES/RACES/SKYWARN use | In process |
Deployment model
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Configure your own hardware? | Yes — flash OS, compile/select resolution, run installer | Yes, for self-hosting (install Node.js, clone repo, edit .env) — or use their hosted openhamclock.com with zero setup, but that path depends entirely on their central server |
No — arrives preloaded on an SD card or USB stick for hardware you already own, or a turnkey appliance if you’d rather not. No Linux setup, and no dependency on any Helioclock-run central server either. |
| Turnkey pre-built device sold by the project itself | No (third-party like Inovato Quadra exists, unofficial) | No | Yes — dedicated 1080p/4K appliance and multi-display server SKUs |
| Headless server + remote browser access | Partial (“Live web” option on some builds) | Yes, by design | Yes, across every SKU — but every unit runs the same, supporting both local monitor(s) and Remote Browser View |
| Features for corporate/signage use (NOC, EOC, trading floor, lobby) | No | No | Yes — explicit target market |
| Remote view via QR code | No | No | Yes |
| Easy to load into your browser, no IP address to remember | No — manual IP lookup (on-screen “LIP” readout or router DHCP table) | No — manual IP lookup (hostname -I or router DHCP table); static IP reservation recommended for a permanent address |
Yes — helioclock.local via mDNS/avahi, no IP-hunting required |
Other Helioclock-only features
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| World time zone map overlay | Not confirmed as a map layer (DE/DX timezone shown as text, not a world map layer) | Not confirmed | Yes — confirmed: dedicated Timezone Boundaries layer |
| Seasonal base-map imagery (map imagery itself changes month to month — snow cover, vegetation, etc.) | No — static base map imagery | No — static map tiles | Yes — 12 monthly Blue Marble images, swapped automatically on the 1st of each month |
| Interplanetary magnetic field plot (ACE satellite) alongside solar wind | Not confirmed as a distinct plot | Not built | Yes — ACE IMF plot alongside solar wind density/speed |
| On-device shareable snapshot (QR code to a live screen capture, no phone camera needed) | No | No | Yes — Alt+S triggers a screen capture, presented as a scannable QR code |
| Formal font/text contrast accessibility audit | Not confirmed | Not confirmed | Yes — dedicated audit pass across the UI for text/background contrast |
| WWV/WWVH transmitter site map markers | Not confirmed as distinct from NCDXF beacon markers | Not confirmed | Yes — on the Mercator and USA map views |
| Device system health monitoring (CPU, disk, memory, sensors) | No | No — OpenHamClock has a “Health Dashboard,” but it tracks server traffic/visitor analytics, not the device’s own hardware health, a different thing entirely | Yes — dedicated Health Report panel, including NTP time-sync status |
| Device uptime display | Yes — shown as a small corner readout | Not confirmed | Yes — dedicated Uptime Monitor MP/DP, plus mouseover with tooltips status bar display at the bottom |
| Configured city clocks shown as map markers (toggleable layer, not just a clock bar) | No | No | Yes — confirmed: up to 6 configurable cities as a dedicated map layer |
| Air Quality, Tides, and UV Index as their own MP/DP panels | No | No | Yes — Tides (NOAA CO-OPS, no API key) and UV Index (Open-Meteo, no API key) confirmed, alongside Air Quality |
| Persistent multi-event countdown timer (named events, e.g. next hamfest or contest, not just a single stopwatch/countdown mode) | No — Big Clock has a single countdown mode, not multiple saved named events | Not confirmed | Yes — up to 10 named events tracked simultaneously, each with its own live countdown; a finished event stays visible marked STARTED for 24 hours before auto-clearing |
| Built-in ham radio desk reference | No | Not confirmed | Yes — Quick Reference overlay (Alt+R): band plans by license class, antenna/RF formulas, Q-codes, phonetics and CW prosigns, coax loss tables, and a resistor/capacitor/connector reference, all one keystroke away |
| Automatic stall recovery (watchdog timer) | No — known to require manual restarts if it crashes or hangs | No | Yes — a watchdog timer monitors the software and automatically recovers from any stall, no one has to notice and reboot it |
| Mouseover tooltips across the interface (map markers, panels, charts) | Yes, in some contexts (setup field descriptions, DXPeditions list-to-map hover highlight) — not confirmed pervasive across the whole interface | Not confirmed | Yes — pervasive across map markers, panels, and sparkline/trend charts, not just markers |
| Interactive sparkline/trend charts with hover data tooltips | Not confirmed | Not confirmed — has 30-day history sparkline charts, but hover-tooltip behavior isn’t documented | Yes |
Hardware, rig control & extras
| Feature | HamClock | OpenHamClock | Helioclock |
|---|---|---|---|
| Rig/rotator control | Yes (hamlib rotctld/rigctld) | Yes, via companion “rig-bridge” service (also handles APRS TNC and Winlink) | In process |
| PTT / “ON THE AIR” indicator | Yes (GPIO) | Not built | Yes (GPIO or universal USB-serial adapter) |
| Native multi-monitor output (dedicated HDMI displays) | No — requires a separate browser or device pointed at the HamClock web server for each additional screen | No — same browser-server architecture; each screen needs its own device/browser session | Yes — a single device drives 2-3 native HDMI outputs directly (Raspberry Pi 4/5: 2 outputs, N100/N150 mini PC: 2-3 outputs), no second computer or browser needed |
| CW practice/trainer | No | No | Yes (physical key input via GPIO or USB code key) |
| Dedicated full-screen Big Clock (stopwatch/countdown/alarm modes) | Yes | No (has header clock + separate analog clock panel, not a unified full-screen mode) | Yes, plus a stopwatch-first “Big Clock” full-screen mode, and a separate persistent Countdown Timer panel tracking up to 10 named events at once |
| Space-weather / band-open alert sounds | Alarm only | Yes — 9 selectable tones across 7 data feeds, configurable per-feed | Yes — 9 alert categories, each with its own severity threshold and on/off toggle, step-up deduplication (won’t re-fire for the same event unless it escalates), plus a fully configurable news ticker with custom RSS/ATOM feed support and URL verification before saving |
| Financial markets panel | No | No | Yes |
| SDR add-on (WWV/beacon direct-reception confirmation) | No | No | Yes — optional add-on (RTL-SDR-based, purchased or owned separately) |
| Social media sharing (auto-post snapshots to Facebook, etc.) | No | No | Planned |
| Shareable link for forum/community posting | No | No | Planned |
Sources
- clearskyinstitute.com/ham/HamClock — original HamClock user guide (v2.70)
- hamclock.com — community backend project
- github.com/accius/openhamclock — OpenHamClock README, architecture docs, and API reference
- QSO365, XARC, KD4C, LinuxLinks — independent HamClock reviews
- Internal Helioclock changelogs (KA9NWM), current through v2.14.4 / server.js v2.4.1