Takes the pain out of ports
PortPane is a compact, always-on-top Windows desktop utility for amateur radio operators. When you plug in a USB radio interface, PortPane instantly shows you which audio devices and COM ports Windows assigned — so you can configure your digital mode software without opening Device Manager.
| Channel | Link | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Alpha | Latest Alpha release | Updated on every dev push. 14-day expiry. For testers. |
| Stable | Latest stable release | No stable release yet — coming soon. |
Download PortPane.exe. Run it directly. No installation required.
Windows SmartScreen note: PortPane is currently unsigned (code signing certificate pending). If SmartScreen blocks it, click "More info" → "Run anyway." This is expected for unsigned utilities. Verify the SHA-256 hash posted with each release.
- Download
PortPane.exefrom Releases - Run it (no install, no admin rights needed)
- Plug in your USB radio interface — PortPane updates instantly
Primary audience: Amateur radio operators running digital modes on Windows.
Secondary audience: IoT hobbyists (Arduino, Raspberry Pi), IT professionals using USB serial adapters for console access.
Design philosophy: optimized for non-technical older ham radio operators. Clarity and simplicity take precedence over feature density.
- Instantly shows COM port name and friendly device name when USB device connects
- Lists audio playback and capture devices, grouped as USB/External vs Built-in
- One-click audio profile switching — toggle between PC audio and radio CODEC with one button
- Identifies known radio interfaces by VID/PID (SignaLink, DigiRig, RIGblaster, IC-7300, etc.)
- Radio interfaces are badged and highlighted
- USB hotplug detection — updates the device list within 2 seconds of plug/unplug
- Copy COM port name to clipboard with one click
- Ghost port detection — shows disconnected ports grayed out with removal instructions
- Baud rate selector with device-type heuristic suggestions
- PuTTY integration — launch PuTTY pre-configured for selected COM port and baud rate
- Always-on-top window — stays visible while configuring other software
- Hidden chrome — clean UI with menu revealed on click
- Whole-layout scaling (85% – 225%) for high-DPI and accessibility
- Persistent window position and settings
- Portable mode — run from USB drive with settings stored alongside the exe
- Auto-update via Velopack (background, non-interrupting)
- Optional anonymous telemetry (disabled by default)
- GPL v3 licensed — full source available
WSJT-X · Winlink Express · Fldigi · JS8Call · VARA HF · VARA FM · Direwolf · MultiPSK · EasyPAL/SSTV
| Device | VID:PID | Type |
|---|---|---|
| Tigertronics SignaLink USB | 08BB:29B0 | Audio |
| DigiRig (Silicon Labs CP2102) | 10C4:EA60 | Serial |
| West Mountain Radio RIGblaster | 0403:6A11 | Audio |
| Icom IC-7300 / IC-705 (CP2108) | 10C4:EA71 | Serial |
| Yaesu SCU-17 | 0839:000A | Serial |
| C-Media CM108 USB Audio | 0D8C:013C | Audio |
| FTDI FT232R | 0403:6001 | Serial |
| QinHeng CH340 | 1A86:7523 | Serial |
| Arduino Uno R3 | 2341:0043 | Serial |
Don't see your device? Submit a device addition request.
PortPane is useful beyond amateur radio:
- Identify which COM port your USB-to-serial adapter claimed
- Launch PuTTY pre-configured for console access (Cisco, Juniper, etc.)
- Baud rate suggestions based on device type (network gear → 9600, Arduino → 115200)
- Windows 10 (1809) and Windows 11 only — intentional. Linux/macOS are not planned.
- Unsigned binary — SmartScreen warning expected until code signing is in place. Verify SHA-256 hash from the release page.
- Admin rights are never required.
Place a file named portable.txt in the same directory as PortPane.exe.
All settings will be stored in .\PortPane-Data\ relative to the exe.
Ideal for EMCOMM go-kit deployment or running from a USB drive.
The author builds exclusively via GitHub Actions. These instructions are for contributors.
dotnet restore
dotnet build
dotnet test
dotnet publish src/PortPane/PortPane.csproj -c Release -r win-x64 --self-contained -p:PublishSingleFile=true -o publishSee CONTRIBUTING.md.
Ways to contribute:
- Bug reports
- Feature requests
- USB device database additions — edit
data/usb_devices.json - Translations
- Code contributions (CLA required — see CLA.md)
See TRANSLATING.md. Community translations are always welcome. Ships with English. German placeholder included. French, Spanish, Japanese stubs planned.
See LEGAL.md for trademark notices for Icom, Yaesu, Kenwood, Arduino, SignaLink, DigiRig, RIGblaster, and other referenced product names.
If PortPane saves you time, consider leaving a star on GitHub.
Dual licensed:
- GPL v3 — free for personal and open-source use. See LICENSE-GPL.md.
- Commercial — for commercial products without GPL obligations. See LICENSE-COMMERCIAL.md.
PortPane is developed and maintained by Mark McDow (N4TEK) of My Computer Guru LLC.
Copyright © 2024–2026 Mark McDow. All rights reserved.
