CHIRP
CHIRP is a desktop utility for programming supported amateur radios by reading, editing, and writing channel and memory data on macOS.
What is CHIRP?
CHIRP is a radio programming utility for amateur radio users who need to manage memories, channels, and related settings on supported handheld and mobile radios. On macOS, it lets you connect a compatible radio through the appropriate cable, download the radio image, edit entries in a spreadsheet-style interface, and upload changes back to the device. It is commonly used to organize frequencies, names, tones, and other programmable fields more efficiently than entering them on the radio itself. CHIRP is available for Mac, Windows, and Linux, and the current CHIRP-next build is the actively maintained version. It is especially useful for users who maintain repeaters, travel channel sets, or multiple radio configurations.
Key features
- Download memory data from supported radios
- Edit channels and programmed fields in a spreadsheet-style view
- Upload updated configurations back to the radio
- Manage frequency names, tones, and memory entries more efficiently
- Work across Mac, Windows, and Linux with the same core workflow
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Safety overview
Status: Mostly safe
CHIRP is legitimate radio-programming software, and using a USB programming cable and accessing connected radio data is normal for its purpose. The main practical risk is not to your Mac but to the radio configuration itself: writing the wrong settings or selecting an incorrect radio model can corrupt stored memories, and some radios may be damaged by improper programming. Keep backups of your radio image before making major changes, use the actively maintained CHIRP-next release, and confirm the exact radio model and cable drivers before uploading.
Recommendation: Keep CHIRP if you program supported radios from your Mac. If you no longer use compatible radios, you can remove it like any other app. Before large edits or first-time programming, download and save a backup from the radio so you can restore your previous setup if needed.
Common paths
/Applications/CHIRP.app
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