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Ian Renton
2025-11-23 11:23:13 +00:00
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<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<h4 class="mt-4">What are "DX", "DE" and modes?</h4>
<p>In amateur radio terminology, the "DX" contact is the "interesting" one that is using the frequency shown. 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 spotted the "DX" operator. "Modes" are the type of communication they are using. 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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<h4 class="mt-4">What data sources are supported?</h4>
<p>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, and the UK Packet Repeater Network.</p>
<p>Spothole can retrieve alerts from: NG3K, POTA, SOTA, WWFF, Parks 'n' Peaks, WOTA and BOTA.</p>
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<p>Between the various data sources, the following Special Interest Groups (SIGs) are supported: POTA, SOTA, WWFF, GMA, WWBOTA, HEMA, IOTA, MOTA, ARLHS, ILLW, SIOTA, WCA, ZLOTA, KRMNPA, WOTA, BOTA, WAB & WAI.</p>
<h4 class="mt-4">How is this better than DXheat, DXsummit, POTA's own website, etc?</h4>
<p>It's probably not? But it's nice to have choice.</p>
<p>I think it's got two key advantages over those sites:</p>
<p>I think it's got three key advantages over those sites:</p>
<ol><li>It provides a public, <a href="/apidocs">well-documented API</a> with an <a href="/apidocs/openapi.yml">OpenAPI specification</a>. Other sites don't have official APIs or don't bother documenting them publicly, because they want people to use their web page. I like Spothole's web page, but you don't have to use it&mdash;if you're a programmer, you can build your own software on Spothole's API. Spothole does the hard work of taking all the various data sources and providing a consistent, well-documented data set. You can then do the fun bit of writing your own application.</li>
<li>It grabs data from a lot more sources, and it's easy to add more. Since it's open source, anyone can contribute a new data source and share it with the community.</li></ol>
<li>It grabs data from a lot more sources. I've seen other sites that pull in DX Cluster and POTA spots together, but nothing on the scale of what Spothole supports.</li>
<li>Spothole is open source, so anyone can contribute the code to support a new data source or add new features, and share them with the community.</li></ol>
<h4 class="mt-4">Why does this website ask me if I want to install it?</h4>
<p>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.</p>
<p>Installing Spothole on your phone is completely optional, the website works exactly the same way as the "app" does.</p>
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<p>Spothole is open source, so you can audit <a href="https://git.ianrenton.com/ian/spothole">the code</a> if you like.</p>
<h2 class="mt-4">Thanks</h2>
<p>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, and other online tools on which Spothole's data is based.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
<p>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.</p>
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