RigPlane
Icom IC-705

IC-705 remote control software for Mac, Linux, and Windows.

Open the app. See your IC-705. Operate — from the kitchen table, from the next room, or from across the WiFi network at a SOTA summit. RigPlane's native Icom provider talks to the IC-705 over its built-in WiFi LAN or over USB, with no Windows VM.

Join open beta Download beta
RigPlane operator console — VFO display with full-width panadapter and waterfall, the layout used to operate the Icom IC-705

What you get on the IC-705

The IC-705 is the most popular portable Icom radio — and the only one in the lineup with WiFi LAN control built into the chassis, on top of USB CI-V. RigPlane ships a dedicated ic705 backend and uses both transports.

  • WiFi LAN control. Operate the IC-705 from any laptop on the same network, no extra cable run. Community-validated on the LAN/WiFi backend: connect/disconnect, reconnect, frequency, mode, PTT, and audio path integrations.
  • USB CAT as a fallback. When you want a tethered, deterministic link — at a Field Day site, in a contest pile-up — the same RigPlane build talks CI-V over USB to the IC-705 with the documented setup.
  • Panadapter and waterfall. The IC-705's spectrum scope is rendered directly in the RigPlane UI. Click-tune, span and reference-level controls, and a waterfall that keeps up with band activity.
  • RX and TX audio. SSB, CW, and digital-mode audio over USB audio or the LAN audio stream, depending on transport. WSJT-X, fldigi, and JS8Call see a normal soundcard — no virtual-cable installer on macOS or Linux.
  • CW keyer. Native CW console with sending and a decoder pane. Memory keying and speed control without leaving the app.
  • CAT and PTT passthrough. RigPlane speaks the rigctld wire protocol on localhost:4532, so loggers and digital-mode tools stay unchanged.
  • Portable-first. The IC-705 runs on an internal battery and has Bluetooth + WiFi built in. RigPlane was designed against that workflow: pop the radio open in the back yard, point a laptop at it over WiFi, work the band without standing over the radio.
  • macOS, Linux, and Windows. The open-core Python package runs anywhere Python does. The native Pro desktop app ships on macOS today, with Linux and Windows builds in the pipeline.

IC-705 support level: community-validated on the LAN/WiFi backend; full first-party maintainer hardware validation in the rigplane-core repo is still in progress. Capabilities reflect what is shipping today against real IC-705 units in the field.

Setup in 5 minutes

High-level path for a fresh install against a known-good IC-705:

  1. Choose your transport. WiFi LAN: configure the radio's WLAN settings and note its IP. USB: a single USB-C cable to the operator machine.
  2. Install RigPlane Pro from the downloads page, or pip install rigplane for the open core.
  3. Pick the IC-705 from the radio list. RigPlane probes the CI-V address (0xA4) and audio device automatically.
  4. For LAN: enter the host, username, and password from the radio's network settings.
  5. Confirm panadapter, RX audio, and PTT in the in-app diagnostics panel, then point WSJT-X or your logger at Hamlib NET rigctl on localhost:4532.

For the full radio-side configuration — USB driver, baud rate, CI-V routing, WSJT-X bridging — follow the IC-705 USB setup guide on the docs site.

Why operators choose RigPlane for the IC-705

  • Truly cross-platform. Most IC-705 control software is Windows-only or routes through Icom's own RS-BA1. RigPlane is native on macOS, native on Linux, and native on the open-core Python stack everywhere — important for SOTA / field operators on Linux laptops.
  • WiFi-first when you want it. RigPlane treats the IC-705's WiFi as a first-class transport, not an afterthought. Pair the radio with the laptop on the same network and the rest is identical to the tethered experience.
  • Native provider path. The ic705 backend talks the Icom wire format directly and serves the same RigPlane UI used across other provider paths.
  • Audio that works out of the box. RigPlane Pro ships with the audio bridge configured for the IC-705's USB CODEC on macOS. No JACK rituals, no virtual-cable hunt.
  • Honest licensing. The open core is MIT-licensed and free on PyPI. RigPlane Pro is a one-time desktop purchase at the launch price, with one year of updates included — see Pricing.

If you're comparing IC-705 options today: wfview is the strongest open alternative and Icom-only; Icom RS-BA1 is Windows-only; RemoteTx is a hosted service with a different operating model. RigPlane sits in the cross-platform, direct-control, packaged-app slot — the same engine for the IC-705 today, with Icom IC-7610, IC-7300, IC-9700, Yaesu, Xiegu, and Lab599 backends in the same runtime.

Ready to operate?

Join the open beta, or download the current beta build for your platform. Pricing and renewal details remain available on the Pricing page.

Join open beta Download beta Pricing

Last reviewed 2026-05-19. Icom and IC-705 are trademarks of Icom Inc. RigPlane is an independent project and is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or sponsored by Icom Inc.