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Maps Overview

Hamtrax gives you two ways to visualize live ham radio activity: an interactive 2D map and a stacked list view. Both live inside the Activity tab and share the same real-time spot data, so you can switch between them without losing your place.

Map Modes​

The map has four view modes, each rendering a different data source:

  • POTA -- Parks on the Air activations with park markers.
  • RBN -- Reverse Beacon Network spots, shown as connection arcs between spotter and spotted stations.
  • PSK -- PSK Reporter digital mode spots, also rendered as connection arcs.
  • Log -- Your logged QSOs plotted as markers with great-circle arc lines to each contact.

Select a mode from the Activity tab to switch what the map displays.

Switching Views​

At the top of the Activity tab, you can switch between the map and list views using the view controls.

  1. Open the Activity tab.
  2. The 2D map is shown by default with activity markers.
  3. Scroll below the map to access the stacked list view.

[SCREENSHOT: Activity tab showing 2D map with activity markers]

What You'll See​

The map displays live activity spots as colored markers. Each activity program has its own marker style so you can tell them apart at a glance:

  • POTA -- Parks on the Air activations
  • Reverse Beacon Network -- Automated CW/digital spot reports
  • PSK Reporter -- Digital mode spots

Tap any marker to see details about the spot -- callsign, frequency, mode, and more.

Marker Clustering​

When you're zoomed out, nearby spots are grouped into clusters to keep the map readable. Each cluster shows a count of how many spots it contains. Zoom in or tap the cluster to expand it and see individual markers.

Day/Night Overlay​

The 2D map shows a real-time day/night overlay. The shaded region represents nighttime, and the boundary between light and dark is the gray line -- a prime zone for enhanced propagation on HF.

info

The gray line updates automatically based on the current UTC time. It's especially useful for DXers looking to take advantage of twilight propagation paths.

Connection Lines​

In RBN and PSK modes, the map renders great-circle arc lines between station pairs. Line opacity varies by distance -- longer paths are more visible. In Log mode, arcs connect your station location to each contact's location.

Stacked List View​

If you prefer browsing spots without a map, the stacked list view shows activity as a scrollable, filterable list. You can filter by program, band, or mode and tap any item to see its full details. The list view is available alongside the map -- swipe or scroll below the map to access it.

  • 2D Map -- Pan, zoom, and explore activity on the interactive flat map.
  • Activity Overview -- Learn about all the activity programs Hamtrax supports.
  • Preferences -- Configure map display settings.