🛰️ Ham Satting

1. Introduction

Welcome to Ham Satting! This Privacy Policy explains how we collect, use, and protect your information when you use our amateur radio satellite tracking application. Ham Satting is developed by A41UX (Unixeer™) and is designed specifically for amateur radio operators and satellite communications enthusiasts.

2. Information We Collect

2.1 Information Stored Locally on Your Device

Ham Satting stores the following information locally on your device:

• Amateur Radio Callsign: Your amateur radio call sign (e.g., A41UX) for QSO logging and identification
• Grid Locator (Maidenhead): Your location in grid square format (e.g., LL93eo33) for satellite pass predictions and distance calculations
• Location Coordinates: GPS coordinates obtained from your device's location services for accurate satellite tracking and pass predictions
• QSO Log Data: Details of your satellite contacts including:
  • Date and time (UTC)
  • Worked callsign
  • Grid locator of contact
  • Satellite name
  • Operating mode (FM, SSB, etc.)
  • Transmit and receive frequencies
  • TX/RX bands
  • Signal reports
  • Notes
• App Settings and Preferences:
  • Selected satellites for tracking
  • Notification preferences
  • Minimum pass elevation angle
  • Default grid location
  • SSTV decoder settings (shift, slant, start offset)
• Third-Party Service Credentials (Optional):
  • N2YO API key (for satellite orbital data)
  • aprs.fi API key (for resolving “heard-by” APRS stations)
  • Hams.at API key (only to announce your own activations)
• APRS Callsign (Optional): A dedicated field separate from your default QSO callsign, used only for APRS beaconing and APRS-IS authentication. Allows you to use SSIDs like -9 (mobile) or -13 (weather) without polluting your QSO logbook.
• APRS-IS Passcode (Optional): Needed only to send APRS messages. It is stored on your device and sent only to the APRS-IS server when the app logs in. Ham Satting never calculates a passcode for you. You can get yours from a passcode generator such as apps.magicbug.co.uk/passcode, which you visit yourself — Ham Satting does not contact it.
• Rig and Rotator Connection Settings (Optional): The connection type, the address and port of your radio, its control program or your rotator controller, the radio model, and any password you set for them — stored on your device and used only to connect to the addresses you enter.
• QSL Card Background (Optional): A picture you choose for your QSL cards, trimmed to the card’s shape and kept in the app’s own folder on your device. It is never uploaded.
• Scheduled Service Events (Optional): User-created frequency-override windows for SSTV, SSDV, Digital, and Weather modes (service type + satellite + date range + frequency), stored locally on the device.

2.2 SSTV Decoder

The SSTV Decoder feature processes audio files you select from your device:

• Audio files are processed locally on your device
• No audio data is transmitted to any external servers
• Decoded images can be saved to your photo gallery or shared at your discretion
• The app does not retain copies of processed audio files

2.3 APRS Map Layer (Optional)

If you enable “Show My APRS Beacons on Map” in Settings, Ham Satting opens a TCP connection to a public APRS-IS server (rotate.aprs2.net:14580) with a read-only passcode (-1) — or, if you have entered your APRS-IS passcode to send messages, with that passcode — and a filter scoped to your APRS callsign and to messages addressed to it. It also optionally queries the aprs.fi REST API every 30 seconds to pull recently-seen positions for the “heard by” sub-layer.

APRS messages: While the layer is on, messages addressed to your APRS callsign (any SSID) are received and shown in the app. If you have entered your APRS-IS passcode, you can also send messages: the app then sends each message you write to APRS-IS, and an acknowledgement for each message you receive at its own APRS callsign (or at your callsign with no SSID). Messages are kept only while the app is running — they are not saved on your device.

What data flows during APRS operation:

• Your APRS callsign (used as the APRS-IS login identity and as a filter string)
• Optional aprs.fi API key (sent in the request header to aprs.fi)
• Optional APRS-IS passcode (sent to the APRS-IS server at login — APRS-IS carries no encryption, by protocol design)
• APRS messages you choose to send, and acknowledgements for messages you receive (sent to APRS-IS, where they are public)
• Ham Satting receives public APRS-IS packets matching your filter and displays them on the map
• No Ham Satting backend exists — all APRS data flows TCP directly to APRS-IS

2.4 Weather Satellite Mode

Ham Satting supports tracking of Russian Meteor-M N2-3 (NORAD 57166) and N2-4 (NORAD 59051) weather satellites on 137.900 MHz LRPT. LRPT is a digital QPSK signal (not audio-recordable like SSTV) — it must be decoded by external SDR software such as SatDump or MeteorDemod from IQ feeds. The app’s audio-recording button in “purple mode” captures session audio for post-processing, not direct LRPT decoding. No weather data is sent to or from Ham Satting servers (we run none).

2.5 Music Broadcast Mode

Ham Satting tracks eight satellites that periodically broadcast short music tones or melodies as a unique RF identifier in place of a CW Morse beacon: BALKAN-1 (NORAD 62611), Flamingo-1 (NORAD 67391), OTP-2 (NORAD 63235), T.MicroSat-1 (NORAD 66766), T.MicroSat-2 (NORAD 68433), Out of the Box (NORAD 68428), EMISAR (NORAD 68427), and UmKA-1 (NORAD 57172). Most operate on UHF 400–402 MHz, which is the Space Operations band (NOT the amateur 70cm band) — receive-only and best heard with a software-defined radio; UmKA-1 is the exception, singing “The Polar Bear’s Lullaby” inside the 70cm amateur band on its 437.625 MHz SSTV channel. The AR page’s “Music mode” (brown toggle) writes session audio to a local WAV file in the same on-device storage used by SSTV / SSDV / Digital / Weather recordings. No music-broadcast data is sent to or from Ham Satting servers (we run none).

2.6 AMSAT Live Activity Indicator

Ham Satting reads the public AMSAT Live OSCAR Satellite Status page (HTTPS) once every 15 minutes while a prediction page or the notification list is open. The page is rendered as HTML and parsed locally on your device into the per-satellite activity dot you see on each prediction card. We send a standard HTTP GET request to amsat.org — no callsign, location, or any other personal data is included in the request beyond what your normal HTTPS network connection inherently exposes (your IP address). The fetch is read-only: Ham Satting does NOT submit your reports back to AMSAT. The fetched data is cached on your device for offline display. Source attribution is shown in-app and on every share image: “Source: AMSAT Live OSCAR Status (amsat.org). © Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT-NA).”

2.7 Rig and Rotator Control (Optional)

If you switch on Rig Control or Rotator Control, Ham Satting connects directly to your radio, its control program (such as rigctld or FLRig) or your rotator controller — over your local network, a USB cable or Bluetooth — using only the addresses and devices you choose in Settings. It sends frequencies, the operating mode, the CTCSS tone and rotator positions, and reads back what the radio and rotator report. Nothing passes through any Unixeer server, and the app never makes your radio transmit.

2.8 Information We Do NOT Collect

Ham Satting does NOT collect, transmit, or store:

• ❌ No analytics or telemetry data
• ❌ No usage statistics or behavior tracking
• ❌ No advertising identifiers
• ❌ No personal identification information beyond what you provide
• ❌ No financial information
• ❌ No device identifiers for tracking purposes
• ❌ No data shared with third parties for marketing

3. How We Use Your Information

3.1 Core Functionality

The information stored on your device is used exclusively to provide Ham Satting's features:

• Satellite Tracking: Your location is used to calculate real-time satellite positions, footprints, and visibility from your QTH
• Pass Predictions: Location and time data calculate upcoming satellite passes with elevation, azimuth, and timing information
• QSO Logging: Your callsign and contact details are stored to maintain your amateur radio logbook
• Notifications: Alert you when satellites are approaching or passing overhead based on your notification preferences
• Grid Square Tracking: Calculate and display worked grid squares for VUCC award tracking
• Distance Calculations: Compute contact distances for DXCC and other award programs
• Calendar Integration: Add satellite pass events to your device calendar for planning
• SSTV Decoding: Process audio files to decode slow-scan television images transmitted by satellites and amateur radio operators

3.2 Data Export and Import

You can Manage your QSO log data in the following formats:

• CSV Format: Export
• JSON Format: Export / Import
• Image Format: Save to Gallery
• Email Export: Send your log data via email for backup purposes

These options are user-initiated and under your complete control.

4. Third-Party Services

4.1 N2YO Satellite Tracking API

Ham Satting uses the N2YO API to retrieve real-time satellite orbital data (Two-Line Element sets).

What information is shared:

• Your location coordinates (for calculating satellite visibility)
• Your N2YO API key (if you provide one)
• Satellite names you're tracking

4.2 APRS-IS and aprs.fi (Optional)

When APRS is enabled (Section 2.3), Ham Satting connects to public APRS-IS infrastructure (rotate.aprs2.net:14580) with a read-only passcode (-1), or with your own APRS-IS passcode if you have entered one to send messages. Your APRS callsign is the login identity. The optional aprs.fi API key enables the “heard-by” feature via the aprs.fi REST API.

See the aprs.fi privacy notice for their data handling. APRS-IS is plain TCP (no TLS) by protocol design — it is intended as a public-radio-equivalent network.

4.3 AMSAT Live OSCAR Satellite Status (amsat.org)

Ham Satting performs a read-only HTTPS GET on https://www.amsat.org/status/ at most once every 15 minutes while a prediction page or the notification list is open. The page is parsed locally on-device to drive the per-satellite activity dot. No callsign, location, QSO data, or any other personal information is sent in the request — only the standard headers your operating system attaches to outbound HTTPS connections (User-Agent identifying Ham Satting, IP address visible to amsat.org). The fetched HTML is cached on-device. We do NOT submit reports back to AMSAT.

Attribution shown in-app and on every share image: “Source: AMSAT Live OSCAR Status (amsat.org). © Radio Amateur Satellite Corporation (AMSAT-NA).”

4.4 Manual QSO Export to Logging Services

Ham Satting itself does not sync with cloud-logging services. To upload your QSOs to external services (eQSL, LoTW, ClubLog, QRZ Logbook, etc.), you use the in-app Export / Share feature to produce an ADIF, CSV, or JSON file, then upload that file via the service’s own website or desktop tool.

• Exports are user-initiated and under your complete control
• The exported file contains only the QSO records you choose (filtered or all)
• Ham Satting never transmits your QSO log or credentials automatically
• If you want bidirectional cloud sync with 20+ logging services, see our sister app Ham Logging

4.5 Hams.at (Optional)

The Hams.at page reads the public list of upcoming satellite activations from hams.at. No account or key is needed for that, and nothing about you is sent. If you choose to announce your own activation, you enter your own Hams.at API key in Settings and the app posts the announcement for you: your callsign, your grid, the satellite and pass you picked, an optional mode and a short comment. That announcement is public on Hams.at. See hams.at for how they handle data.

4.6 Height Above Sea Level (Open-Meteo)

To show your height above sea level on the Map, the app looks it up from a terrain model at api.open-meteo.com, sending your position rounded to three decimal places (about 110 metres). Each looked-up position is remembered on your device so it is not sent twice. When there is no connection, your device’s own GPS altitude is used instead and nothing is sent.

4.7 Map Tiles

The Map’s background is loaded as image tiles from OpenStreetMap (light map) and Esri ArcGIS Online (dark map). Like any web map, the tile server sees which tiles are requested — and so the area you are viewing — along with your IP address. No callsign or QSO data is sent.

5. Location Services

5.1 Why We Need Location Access

Ham Satting requires access to your device's location services to:

• Calculate accurate satellite pass predictions from your QTH
• Display real-time satellite positions relative to your location
• Show satellite footprints and visibility areas
• Calculate distances for DX contacts
• Determine appropriate elevation and azimuth angles

5.2 Location Data Usage

• Location data is used only while the app is active (foreground location access)
• Your location is converted to a Maidenhead grid square and stored locally
• Raw GPS coordinates are only sent to N2YO API for satellite calculations
• Location data is never stored on external servers
• You can manually set a default location if you prefer not to use GPS

5.3 Revoking Location Access

You can revoke location permissions at any time through your device settings:

• Android: Settings → Apps → Ham Satting → Permissions → Location
• iOS: Settings → Ham Satting → Location

If you revoke location access, you can still use Ham Satting by manually entering your grid locator or coordinates in the app settings.

6. Data Storage and Security

6.1 Local Storage

All data is stored locally on your device:

• Mobile (Android/iOS): App-specific secure storage directory
• Desktop (Windows/macOS/Linux): Application data folder in your user directory

6.2 Data Security

• Credentials for third-party services (API keys, the APRS-IS passcode, rig and rotator passwords) are kept in the app’s own storage on your device — on phones, a private area other apps cannot read — and are sent only to the service they belong to
• No encryption keys or sensitive data are transmitted to external servers
• Your data is protected by your device's security features (PIN, fingerprint, Face ID, etc.)

6.3 Backup and Sync

Ham Satting does NOT automatically backup or sync your data to any cloud service. To backup your data:

• Export your QSO log regularly using many export options
• Use your device's backup system (iCloud, Google Drive, etc.) which may include app data

7. Permissions Required

Ham Satting requests the following permissions:

8. Children's Privacy

Ham Satting is designed for amateur radio operators who hold valid amateur radio licenses. In most countries, obtaining an amateur radio license requires passing examinations and meeting age requirements set by national telecommunications authorities.

We do not knowingly collect information from children under 13 (or equivalent minimum age in your jurisdiction) without appropriate consent. If you are a parent or guardian and believe your child has provided information to Ham Satting, please contact us.

9. Your Rights and Choices

9.1 Access Your Data

You have complete access to all data stored by Ham Satting:

• View your QSO log at any time within the app
• Review your settings and preferences
• Export / Import your data in many formats

9.2 Modify Your Data

You can modify or correct your information at any time:

• Edit QSO log entries
• Update your callsign, grid locator, or other settings

9.3 Delete Your Data

To delete your data:

• Partial deletion: Delete individual QSO entries or clear specific data within the app
• Complete deletion: Uninstall Ham Satting from your device, which will remove all locally stored data
• Mobile: Use your device's "Reset ?" feature in app settings

10. International Users

Ham Satting is available worldwide and is used by amateur radio operators in many countries. Your data is processed locally on your device regardless of your location.

11. Changes to This Privacy Policy

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for legal, regulatory, or operational reasons. When we make changes:

• The "Last Updated" date at the top of this policy will be revised
• Significant changes will be communicated through the app or on our website
• Continued use of Ham Satting after changes constitutes acceptance of the updated policy

We encourage you to review this Privacy Policy periodically.

12. Data Retention

Ham Satting retains your data as follows:

• QSO Logs: Retained indefinitely until you manually delete them
• Settings: Retained until you change them or uninstall the app
• Location Data: Only temporarily stored during active use; not persistently saved
• API Keys: Stored securely until you remove them from settings
• SSTV Decoded Images: Only saved when you explicitly choose to save or share them

All data is permanently deleted when you uninstall Ham Satting.

13. Compliance and Jurisdiction

Ham Satting is developed in Oman and is intended for use by licensed amateur radio operators worldwide. We strive to comply with applicable data protection laws including:

• GDPR (European Union)
• CCPA (California, USA)
• Other applicable regional data protection regulations

If you have specific questions about compliance in your jurisdiction, please contact us.