ParkWatch

Independent Amateur Radio hobby software for parks, DX, logging, and radio intelligence.

More radio. Less screen time. VE9CF Parks & DX brings live spots, maps, station information, propagation tools, logging and electronic QSL cards into one Google Chrome workspace. Chase a park you still need, find a DX station worth calling, or manage a portable outing without constantly switching between websites and logging windows. Previously published as ParkWatch. Independently developed by Stuart Crawford, VE9CF, in Canada. FIND YOUR NEXT CONTACT Follow activity from Parks on the Air (POTA), World Wide Flora & Fauna (WWFF), Lakes & Lagoons (LLOTA) and Islands on the Air (IOTA), alongside a dedicated DX Cluster. Filter activity by band, mode and program. Follow callsigns, build a Stations To Work queue, and configure desktop, sound, email or phone alerts for the activity that interests you. Spot ages help you distinguish recent reports from older activity. KNOW WHAT YOU STILL NEED Use your supported account history and imported logs to highlight references you have not worked. POTA needed-reference information uses your signed-in POTA hunter data; WWFF worked-reference information can use your imported hunter log. New-park, new-state and new-entity indicators depend on the relevant history being available. Separate ATNO and RARE REFERENCE indicators identify first-ever or long-inactive references where activation-history data is available. They are not the same as a reference being new to your own log. See available station details, distance and bearing, short- and long-path headings, and map positions. Solar and propagation information helps you decide which bands to try; it does not guarantee that you will hear or work a station. LOG THE CONTACT Use Activator Log for portable outings and Shack Log for everyday operating. Start from a spot with available information filled in, or enter the contact yourself. Connect QRZ Logbook, Club Log, Wavelog/Cloudlog, N3FJP / Amateur Contact Log, or compatible UDP logging software. With the required Helper connection configured, receive contacts logged in WSJT-X or JTDX without retyping them. Organise supported multi-reference activations, review previous outings and export ADIF files. A local working log, destination status information and backup options help you keep track of your contacts. Keep a permanent logbook and regular backups alongside the application. SPOT AND BE SEEN Post self-spots and re-spots to supported program services. Share plain DX activity through Parks & DX, with optional forwarding to a configured traditional DX cluster. Supported program spots submitted through the application are also copied to Parks & DX Community. Spots and Community activity are public, so keep personal or confidential information out of comments. TRACK YOUR PROGRESS Follow your own built-in Parks, Islands and Lakes milestones, with tiers from 10 to 20,000 references. Parks totals can use your available POTA and imported WWFF history; the totals also grow from relevant contacts you log. Each program reference is counted separately. These are personal software milestones, not official awards or confirmations issued by the connected programs. MAKE THE QSL YOUR OWN Create electronic QSL cards with your photographs, artwork and station details in QSL Studio. Export a finished card, send one manually, or configure automatic email sending for supported logging workflows. Email delivery requires a supported email service. Sending preferences, unsubscribe checks and duplicate-send safeguards help keep the process under control. CONNECT YOUR STATION With a compatible radio-control connection, use one-click QSY to tune to a spotted frequency. Supported connection methods include TCI, FLRig, Hamlib and OmniRig; requirements vary by radio, operating system and configuration. The optional native Helper supports integrations that need local radio or desktop-software access, including certain radio-control methods, TCP/UDP logging, WSJT-X/JTDX intake, SMTP email and traditional DX-cluster transmission. It is not required just to receive the normal online spot feeds or DX Cluster. Data Saver reduces heavier automatic background activity on metered connections while allowing normal live operating functions to continue when connectivity is available. PRIVACY AND YOUR CHOICES Station settings, working logs and cached information are stored locally, but Parks & DX is not an offline-only or server-free application. It connects to first-party services and third-party providers for feeds, lookups, maps and the logging, spotting, alerts, QSL email or sharing functions you use. Supported website integrations can use relevant signed-in session information. Enabled logging and communication features send the information needed for those functions. Public spotting and Community activity are not private log storage. Review the settings for the connections and automatic actions you enable. Read the Privacy Policy for information about data handling, service providers, retention and deletion choices: https://ve9cf.com/parks-and-dx/privacy/ FREE FOR THE HOBBY VE9CF Parks & DX is always free for personal, non-commercial amateur radio use. There is no software subscription or paid feature upgrade. Optional third-party services may require their own accounts, subscriptions or fees. Use Google Chrome on a desktop or laptop. Online feeds and services require internet access. Features depend on your installed version and configured connections. Parks & DX is independent software and is not affiliated with or endorsed by the amateur radio programs, logbooks or services it connects to. Third-party names identify supported services and remain the property of their respective owners. Learn more: https://ve9cf.com/parks-and-dx/ Support: stuart@ve9cf.com Built by a ham, for the enjoyment of amateur radio. Have fun. Make contacts. Enjoy the radio. 73 — VE9CF