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Getting Started

Hamtrax is a modern, offline-first ham radio toolkit available on the web at hamtrax.com and as native apps for iOS and Android. Whether you're chasing POTA activations or just logging your daily QSOs, Hamtrax gives you one place to do it all.

The app offers a free tier with core features, and optional premium plans are available in Settings > Plans. As a best practice, back up your logs externally by exporting to an ADIF file regularly (see Exporting Contacts) so you always have a portable copy of your work.

Creating Your Account​

Getting started takes about 30 seconds:

  1. Open hamtrax.com in any modern browser.
  2. Tap Get Hooked (or Create Your Profile) on the welcome screen to launch the sign-up flow.
  3. Create an account using your email address, or sign up with Google.
  4. Optionally enter your callsign when prompted. Hamtrax uses this to personalize your experience and pull your station info. If you don't have a callsign yet, you can skip this step and add one later.

[SCREENSHOT: Sign-up screen with email and Google options]

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After signing up, you'll receive a welcome email from social@hamtrax.com with a quick overview of what you can do. Check your spam folder if you don't see it within a few minutes.

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You can update your callsign later from Settings > Account if it changes.

Your First Hunt -- The Guided Walkthrough​

The first time you open the Hunt Contacts view, Hamtrax greets you with a short guided walkthrough. It uses a synthetic practice spot to teach you how to add your first contact end-to-end -- without touching your real log.

  • The practice spot is clearly marked and never confused with a real activator.
  • Any contact you log against it is cleaned up automatically -- it never lands in your logbook.
  • You can replay the walkthrough anytime from Settings > Help.

This is the fastest way to learn the hunting flow, so we recommend running through it once before chasing your first real activator.

A Quick Tour​

Hamtrax is organized around a sidebar navigation with several main sections.

A search input at the top of the sidebar lets you look up any callsign without leaving what you're currently doing. Type a callsign and jump straight to that operator's showcase.

Home​

Your launch pad. The Home tab opens with a hero scene and tagline, and on the web also includes below-the-fold sections comparing Hamtrax to other POTA loggers, highlighting key features, and answering common questions.

[SCREENSHOT: Home tab hero scene]

Log​

Your logbook. Every QSO you make is stored here, organized into folders -- automatic monthly folders for casual contacts and per-activation folders when you activate a park. You can also import, export, and bulk-edit contacts.

Hunt Contacts​

Browse live POTA activations on an interactive map. This is where you go to find stations to work.

[SCREENSHOT: Hunt Contacts view with map showing live spots]

Activate​

Start your own POTA activation. Hamtrax automates folder creation, spot posting, and contact logging so you can stay on the mic instead of the keyboard.

Showcase​

Your ham radio identity at a glance. Browse your activation history and recent hunting contacts, and showcase your equipment and social links.

[SCREENSHOT: Showcase tab with activations]

Tools​

A collapsible sidebar section with floating utility panels: Band Plan, CW Decoder, FT8 Decoder, Library (Phonetic, Morse, Q-Codes, Etiquette, Frequencies), Solar, and a Feedback form. These open as overlay panels so you can use them alongside any tab.

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All sections are available in the web app today.

Offline-First Architecture​

Hamtrax is built offline-first. Every action you take -- logging a QSO, browsing cached spots, or viewing your stats -- works without an internet connection. Here's how it works:

  • Local storage comes first. Contacts and app data are saved to your browser's local database (IndexedDB) the moment you create them. Nothing depends on a round-trip to the server.
  • Cloud sync happens in the background. When you have a connection, Hamtrax automatically syncs your data to the cloud (Firestore). There's no sync button to press.
  • No data loss in the field. If you lose cell signal mid-activation, keep logging. Your contacts are safe locally and will upload when you reconnect.
  • Cached data for browsing. Activity data, maps, and reference lists you've previously loaded are cached so you can browse them offline.

This makes Hamtrax especially useful for portable operations -- POTA activations or anywhere connectivity is unreliable.

What's Next?​

You're all set. Here are some good places to go from here: