Live POTA spot browser
Browse current spots in dense cards and lists built for repeated use during real hunting sessions. Callsign, park reference, park name, location, grid, band, mode, frequency, age, and spot count stay readable at a glance.
Trailwave
Native Parks on the Air® hunting for Linux.
Built for Linux desktops with GTK4 and Libadwaita.
Track live spots, filter the pile, see activators on a map, tune your radio, and keep log status in one focused GTK desktop app.
Core Features
Trailwave for Linux is not a general-purpose logging suite. It is a quiet, fast POTA hunting cockpit for operators who want useful context without fighting the interface.
Band, mode, and status filters
Focus on the bands and modes you care about, narrow by program or search text, hide stale or QRT spots, and keep worked parks from crowding the active list.
Synchronized map view
See where activators are, not just what frequency they are on. The Shumate-powered map, list, cards, and detail inspector stay synchronized as you select spots.
Operating context
Park detail, distance, grid, bearing, weather, activator data, and local history help turn raw spots into practical hunting decisions.
Signal and sky overlays
Map overlays add signal-report visualization, grayline context, and moon information such as phase and illumination when those details matter for the band.
Activator enrichment
Callsign caching, avatar support, and profile context help spot cards feel less anonymous when activator information is available.
Operating Workflow
The workflow is simple: find a plausible spot, understand the context, tune the rig, work the contact, and keep local status current.
Hamlib radio tuning
Tune a connected radio from a spot using Hamlib CAT control. Trailwave sets the frequency directly from the selected spot while leaving your radio mode under your control.
Radio and decode status
Sidebar status lights keep RX, TX, radio, and WSJT-X state visible without turning the app into a wall of indicators.
WSJT-X awareness
Trailwave can listen for WSJT-X activity, receive logged ADIF events, and update local QSO status as digital contacts are completed.
Local log awareness
Keep worked status close to the hunting workflow. Trailwave tracks local QSOs, refreshes log state after new contacts, and can reflect hunted or newly worked parks in the spot list.
ADIF import and export
ADIF parsing and generation support local files, imported logbooks, WSJT-X logged contacts, and the kind of practical recordkeeping POTA hunters need during a session.
Status message history
Missed a toast? Recent app messages are available from the status bar, with a short in-memory history you can review or clear when the session gets noisy.
Manual spotting and re-spotting
Add or re-spot an activation from the desktop when you need to keep activity visible without leaving the operating flow.
Practical preferences
Configure map behavior, distance units, QRT and age filters, hunted-spot visibility, radio settings, logging, and WSJT-X integration from native preferences.
Quiet status bar
Refresh timing, connection feedback, and notification history stay close at hand without taking over the main spot browser.
Built for Linux
This is a native desktop app, not a browser tab wrapped in a package.
GTK4 and Libadwaita
Written in Vala with GTK4, Libadwaita, and Blueprint UI files, Trailwave fits naturally on modern Linux desktops.
Local SQLite data
Preferences, cache data, QSO status, park context, and operating history live locally so the app stays fast and useful during repeated sessions.
Linux radio stack
Hamlib integration, WSJT-X listener support, Shumate maps, libsoup networking, and JSON-GLib data handling are wired into the native app instead of bolted on outside it.
Flatpak packaging
Install from Flathub or download the latest release, with packaging aimed at a normal Linux desktop workflow.
Free software
Trailwave for Linux is built in the open for Linux operators and released as GPL-3.0-or-later software.
Focused by design
It does not try to replace every station tool. It keeps the POTA hunting loop fast: watch, filter, inspect, tune, log, and move on.
macOS User?
Get Trailwave for macOS