- Spothole is a utility to aggregate "spots" from amateur radio DX clusters and xOTA spotting sites, and provide an open JSON API as well as a website to browse the data.
-While there are several other web-based interfaces to DX clusters, and sites that aggregate spots from various outdoor activity programmes for amateur radio, Spothole differentiates itself by supporting a larger number of data sources, and by being "API first" rather than just providing a web front-end. This allows other software to be built on top of it.
-The API is deliberately well-defined with an OpenAPI specification and API documentation. The API delivers spots in a consistent format regardless of the data source, freeing developers from needing to know how each individual data source presents its data.
-Spothole itself is also open source, Public Domain licenced code that anyone can take and modify. The source code is here.
-The software was written by Ian Renton, MØTRT and other contributors. Full details are available in the README file.
+Spothole is a utility to aggregate "spots" from amateur radio DX clusters and xOTA spotting sites, and provide an + open JSON API as well as a website to browse the data.
+While there are several other web-based interfaces to DX clusters, and sites that aggregate spots from various + outdoor activity programmes for amateur radio, Spothole differentiates itself by supporting a larger number of + data sources, and by being "API first" rather than just providing a web front-end. This allows other software to + be built on top of it.
+The API is deliberately well-defined with an OpenAPI specification and API documentation. The API delivers spots in a consistent format regardless of the data + source, freeing developers from needing to know how each individual data source presents its data.
+Spothole itself is also open source, Public Domain licenced code that anyone can take and modify. The source code is here.
+The software was written by Ian Renton, MØTRT and other contributors. Full + details are available in the README + file.
This server is running Spothole version {{software_version}}.
There are a number of different ways to use Spothole, depending on what you want to do with it and your level of technical skill:
-There are a number of different ways to use Spothole, depending on what you want to do with it and your level of + technical skill:
+This is a tool for amateur ("ham") radio users. Many amateur radio operators like to make contacts with others who are doing something more interesting than sitting in their home "shack", such as people in rarely-seen countries, remote islands, or on mountaintops. Such operators are often "spotted", i.e. when someone speaks to them, they will put the details such as their operating frequency into an online system, to let others know where to find them. A DX Cluster is one type of those systems. Most outdoor radio awards programmes, such as "Parks on the Air" (POTA) have their own websites for posting spots.
-Spothole is an "aggregator" for those spots, so it checks lots of different services for data, and brings it all together in one place. So no matter what kinds of interesting spots you are looking for, you can find them here.
-As well as spots, it also provides a similar feed of "alerts". This is where amateur radio users who are going to interesting places soon will announce their intentions.
+This is a tool for amateur ("ham") radio users. Many amateur radio operators like to make contacts with others + who are doing something more interesting than sitting in their home "shack", such as people in rarely-seen + countries, remote islands, or on mountaintops. Such operators are often "spotted", i.e. when someone speaks to + them, they will put the details such as their operating frequency into an online system, to let others know + where to find them. A DX Cluster is one type of those systems. Most outdoor radio awards programmes, such as + "Parks on the Air" (POTA) have their own websites for posting spots.
+Spothole is an "aggregator" for those spots, so it checks lots of different services for data, and brings it all + together in one place. So no matter what kinds of interesting spots you are looking for, you can find them + here.
+As well as spots, it also provides a similar feed of "alerts". This is where amateur radio users who are going to + interesting places soon will announce their intentions.
In amateur radio terminology, the "DX" contact is the "interesting" one that is using the frequency shown and looking for callers. They might be on a remote island or just in a local park, but either way it's interesting enough that someone has "spotted" them. The callsign listed under "DE" is the person who entered the spot of the "DX" operator. "Modes" are the type of communication they are using. For example you might see "CW" which is Morse Code, or voice "modes" like SSB or FM, or more exotic "data" modes which are used for computer-to-computer communication.
+In amateur radio terminology, the "DX" contact is the "interesting" one that is using the frequency shown and + looking for callers. They might be on a remote island or just in a local park, but either way it's interesting + enough that someone has "spotted" them. The callsign listed under "DE" is the person who entered the spot of the + "DX" operator. "Modes" are the type of communication they are using. For example you might see "CW" which is + Morse Code, or voice "modes" like SSB or FM, or more exotic "data" modes which are used for computer-to-computer + communication.
Spothole can retrieve spots from: Telnet-based DX clusters, the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), the APRS Internet Service (APRS-IS), POTA, SOTA, WWFF, GMA, WWBOTA, HEMA, Parks 'n' Peaks, ZLOTA, WOTA, LLOTA, WWTOTA, Tiles on the Air, the UK Packet Repeater Network, and any site based on the xOTA software by nischu.
-Spothole can retrieve alerts from: NG3K, POTA, SOTA, WWFF, Parks 'n' Peaks, WOTA and BOTA.
-Spothole can retrieve solar and propagation condition data from HamQSL, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, the Lowell GIRO Data Center and prop.kc2g.com by KC2G.
-Spothole can also perform lookups for callsign data on behalf of the user from QRZ.com and HamQTH.
-Note that the server owner has not necessarily enabled all these data sources. In particular it is common to disable RBN, to avoid the server being swamped with FT8 traffic, and to disable APRS-IS and UK Packet Net so that the server only displays stations where there is likely to be an operator physically present for a QSO.
-Between the various data sources, the following Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are supported: Parks on the Air (POTA), Summits on the Air (SOTA), Worldwide Flora & Fauna (WWFF), Global Mountain Activity (GMA), Worldwide Bunkers on the Air (WWBOTA), HuMPs Excluding Marilyns Award (HEMA), Islands on the Air (IOTA), Mills on the Air (MOTA), the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Socirty (ARLHS), International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend (ILLW), Silos on the Air (SIOTA), World Castles Award (WCA), New Zealand on the Air (ZLOTA), Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award (KRMNPA), Wainwrights on the Air (WOTA), Beaches on the Air (BOTA), Lagos y Lagunas On the Air (LLOTA), Towers on the Air (WWTOTA), Tiles on the Air, Worked All Britain (WAB), Worked All Ireland (WAI), and Toilets on the Air (TOTA).
-As of the time of writing in November 2025, I think Spothole captures essentially all outdoor radio programmes that have a defined reference list, and almost certainly those that have a spotting/alerting API. If you know of one I've missed, please let me know!
+Spothole can retrieve spots from: Telnet-based DX clusters, the + Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), the APRS Internet Service (APRS-IS), POTA, + SOTA, WWFF, GMA, WWBOTA, HEMA, Parks 'n' Peaks, ZLOTA, WOTA, LLOTA, WWTOTA, Tiles on the Air, the UK + Packet Repeater Network, and any site based on the xOTA + software by nischu.
+Spothole can retrieve alerts from: NG3K, POTA, + SOTA, WWFF, Parks 'n' Peaks, WOTA and + BOTA.
+Spothole can retrieve solar and propagation condition data from HamQSL, the + NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, the Lowell GIRO Data Center and prop.kc2g.com + by KC2G.
+Spothole can also perform lookups for callsign data on behalf of the user from QRZ.com and HamQTH.
+Note that the server owner has not necessarily enabled all these data sources. In particular it is common to + disable RBN, to avoid the server being swamped with FT8 traffic, and to disable APRS-IS and UK Packet Net so + that the server only displays stations where there is likely to be an operator physically present for a QSO.
+Between the various data sources, the following Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are supported: Parks on the Air + (POTA), Summits on the Air (SOTA), Worldwide Flora & Fauna (WWFF), Global Mountain Activity (GMA), Worldwide + Bunkers on the Air (WWBOTA), HuMPs Excluding Marilyns Award (HEMA), Islands on the Air (IOTA), Mills on the Air + (MOTA), the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Socirty (ARLHS), International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend (ILLW), Silos + on the Air (SIOTA), World Castles Award (WCA), New Zealand on the Air (ZLOTA), Keith Roget Memorial National + Parks Award (KRMNPA), Wainwrights on the Air (WOTA), Beaches on the Air (BOTA), Lagos y Lagunas On the Air + (LLOTA), Towers on the Air (WWTOTA), Tiles on the Air, Worked All Britain (WAB), Worked All Ireland (WAI), and + Toilets on the Air (TOTA).
+As of the time of writing in November 2025, I think Spothole captures essentially all outdoor radio programmes + that have a defined reference list, and almost certainly those that have a spotting/alerting API. If you know of + one I've missed, please let me know!
Mostly, but not quite. While POTA spots generally come from the POTA source and so on, there are a few exceptions:
-Spothole's web interface exists not just for the end user, but also as a reference implementation for the API, so I have chosen to demonstrate both methods of filtering.
+Mostly, but not quite. While POTA spots generally come from the POTA source and so on, there are a few + exceptions:
+Spothole's web interface exists not just for the end user, but also as a reference implementation for the API, so + I have chosen to demonstrate both methods of filtering.
It's probably not? But it's nice to have choice.
I think it's got three key advantages over those sites:
-Spothole is a Progressive Web App, which means you can install it on an Android or iOS device by opening the site in Chrome or Safari respectively, and clicking "Install" on the pop-up panel. It'll only prompt you once, so if you dismiss the prompt and change your mind, you'll find an Install / Add to Home Screen option on your browser's menu.
-Installing Spothole on your phone is completely optional, the website works exactly the same way as the "app" does.
+Spothole is a Progressive Web App, which means you can install it on an Android or iOS device by opening the site + in Chrome or Safari respectively, and clicking "Install" on the pop-up panel. It'll only prompt you once, so if + you dismiss the prompt and change your mind, you'll find an Install / Add to Home Screen option on your + browser's menu.
+Installing Spothole on your phone is completely optional, the website works exactly the same way as the "app" + does.
To avoid putting too much load on the various servers that Spothole connects to, the Spothole server only polls them once every two minutes for spots, and once every 30 minutes for alerts. (Some sources, such as DX clusters, RBN, APRS-IS and WWBOTA use a non-polling mechanism, and their updates will therefore arrive more quickly.) Then if you are using the web interface, that has its own rate at which it fetches the data from Spothole. This is instant for the main spots list, with new spots appearing immediately at the top of the list, while the map and bands displays update once a minute, and the alerts display updates once every 5 minutes. So you could be waiting around three minutes to see a newly added spot, or 40 minutes to see a newly added alert.
+To avoid putting too much load on the various servers that Spothole connects to, the Spothole server only polls + them once every two minutes for spots, and once every 30 minutes for alerts. (Some sources, such as DX clusters, + RBN, APRS-IS and WWBOTA use a non-polling mechanism, and their updates will therefore arrive more quickly.) Then + if you are using the web interface, that has its own rate at which it fetches the data from Spothole. This is + instant for the main spots list, with new spots appearing immediately at the top of the list, while the map and + bands displays update once a minute, and the alerts display updates once every 5 minutes. So you could be + waiting around three minutes to see a newly added spot, or 40 minutes to see a newly added alert.
Spothole's source code is licenced under the Public Domain. You can write a Spothole client, run your own server, modify it however you like, you can claim you wrote it and charge people £1000 for a copy, I don't really mind. (Please don't do the last one. But if you're using my code for something cool, it would be nice to hear from you!)
+Spothole's source code is licenced under the Public Domain. You can write a Spothole client, run your own server, + modify it however you like, you can claim you wrote it and charge people £1000 for a copy, I don't really mind. + (Please don't do the last one. But if you're using my code for something cool, it would be nice to hear from + you!)
Please note that the data coming out of Spothole is only as good as the data going in. People mis-hear and make typos when spotting callsigns all the time. There are also plenty of cases where Spothole's data, particularly location data, may be inaccurate. For example, there are POTA parks that span multiple US states, countries that span multiple CQ zones, portable operators with no requirement to sign /P, etc. If you are doing something where accuracy is important, such as contesting, you should not rely on Spothole's data to fill in any gaps in your log.
+Please note that the data coming out of Spothole is only as good as the data going in. People mis-hear and make + typos when spotting callsigns all the time. There are also plenty of cases where Spothole's data, particularly + location data, may be inaccurate. For example, there are POTA parks that span multiple US states, countries that + span multiple CQ zones, portable operators with no requirement to sign /P, etc. If you are doing something where + accuracy is important, such as contesting, you should not rely on Spothole's data to fill in any gaps in your + log.
Spothole collects no data about you on a permanent basis. All spots and alerts are "timed out" and deleted from the system after a set interval, which by default is one hour for spots and one week for alerts.
-Settings you select from Spothole's menus are sent to the server, in order to provide the data with the requested filters. They are also stored in your browser's local storage, so that your preferences are remembered between sessions.
-The data you provide can optionally include your login credentials for QRZ.com and HamQTH. You can provide these in the "Data" menu of most pages. If you do, Spothole will augment the data it produces with lookups from these services, which can for example provide more accurate markers on the map tab, and operator names when you mouse over a DX callsign. Spothole will still work fine if you don't provide these. The values you enter are sent to Spothole via HTTPS so are protected in transit, though of course you do have to trust Spothole with this sensitive data in order to use this feature.
+Spothole collects no data about you on a permanent basis. All spots and alerts are "timed out" and deleted from + the system after a set interval, which by default is one hour for spots and one week for alerts.
+Settings you select from Spothole's menus are sent to the server, in order to provide the data with the requested + filters. They are also stored in your browser's local storage, so that your preferences are remembered between + sessions.
+The data you provide can optionally include your login credentials for QRZ.com and HamQTH. You can provide these + in the "Data" menu of most pages. If you do, Spothole will augment the data it produces with lookups from these + services, which can for example provide more accurate markers on the map tab, and operator names when you mouse + over a DX callsign. Spothole will still work fine if you don't provide these. The values you enter are sent to + Spothole via HTTPS so are protected in transit, though of course you do have to trust Spothole with this + sensitive data in order to use this feature.
Spothole uses no trackers, no ads, and no cookies.
{% if len(web_ui_options["support-button-html"]) > 0 %} -Caveat: The owner of this server has chosen to inject their own content into the "spots" page. This is designed for a "donate" or "support this server" button. The functionality of this injected content is the responsibility of the server owner, rather than the Spothole software.
+Caveat: The owner of this server has chosen to inject their own content into the "spots" page. + This is designed for a "donate" or "support this server" button. The functionality of this injected content is + the responsibility of the server owner, rather than the Spothole software.
{% end %} -Spothole is open source, so you can audit the code if you like.
+Spothole is open source, so you can audit the code if you + like.
This project would not have been possible without those volunteers who have taken it upon themselves to run DX clusters, xOTA programmes, DXpedition lists, callsign lookup databases, solar conditions and propagation modelling software, and other online tools on which Spothole's data is based. The vast majority of these are not profit-seeking and are made purely for the love of the hobby and to help others in the community. Spothole is standing on the shoulders of giants, who deserve a huge amount of thanks for all the work they put in.
-Spothole is also dependent on a number of Python libraries, in particular pyhamtools, and many JavaScript libraries, as well as the Font Awesome icon set and flag icons from the Noto Color Emoji set, and MIT-licenced GeoJSON files for CQ and ITU zones from HA8TKS.
-This software is dedicated to the memory of Tom G1PJB, SK, a friend and colleague who sadly passed away around the time I started writing it in Autumn 2025. I was looking forward to showing it to you when it was done.
+This project would not have been possible without those volunteers who have taken it upon themselves to run DX + clusters, xOTA programmes, DXpedition lists, callsign lookup databases, solar conditions and propagation + modelling software, and other online tools on which Spothole's data is based. The vast majority of these are not + profit-seeking and are made purely for the love of the hobby and to help others in the community. Spothole is + standing on the shoulders of giants, who deserve a huge amount of thanks for all the work they put in.
+Spothole is also dependent on a number of Python libraries, in particular pyhamtools, and many JavaScript + libraries, as well as the Font Awesome icon set and flag icons from the Noto Color Emoji set, and MIT-licenced + GeoJSON files for CQ and ITU zones from HA8TKS.
+This software is dedicated to the memory of Tom G1PJB, SK, a friend and colleague who sadly passed away around + the time I started writing it in Autumn 2025. I was looking forward to showing it to you when it was done.
This server is running Spothole v{{software_version}}, and is operated by {{server_owner_callsign}}.
-The web UI is not available on this instance because the server is running in API-only mode, intended for use by client software rather than visitors to the website. See the API documentation for details of how client software can interact with the server.
-Please see the README for details of what Spothole is and how you can run it for yourself.
+This server is running Spothole v{{software_version}}, and is + operated by {{server_owner_callsign}}.
+The web UI is not available on this instance because the server is running in + API-only mode, intended for use by client software rather than visitors to the website. See the + API documentation for details of how client software can interact with + the server.
+Please see the README for details of what Spothole + is and how you can run it for yourself.
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diff --git a/templates/cards/number-of-spots.html b/templates/cards/number-of-spots.html index cea3432..0e277b4 100644 --- a/templates/cards/number-of-spots.html +++ b/templates/cards/number-of-spots.html @@ -2,10 +2,12 @@Show up to -
diff --git a/templates/cards/qrz.html b/templates/cards/qrz.html index f127229..0df2d93 100644 --- a/templates/cards/qrz.html +++ b/templates/cards/qrz.html @@ -3,21 +3,28 @@Last -
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