Last updated: 27 August 2026
TrailLog ("the App", "we", "us") is a logging and reference app for amateur ("ham") radio operators, built by an independent developer. This policy explains what data the App handles, where it's stored, and what (if anything) leaves your device.
TrailLog does not operate its own servers or accounts. There is no TrailLog backend collecting your data. Your log, contacts, and notes are stored on your device, with optional backup to your own iCloud account. The App does contact a number of third-party amateur radio and space-weather data services on your behalf, listed below.
You may enter the following information directly into the App. It is stored locally on your device:
None of this is transmitted to us. We do not have a server, and we cannot see or access your log, contacts, or notes.
If you grant permission, the App uses your device's location (via Apple's Core Location, "When In Use" only) to:
Location is requested on demand (e.g. when you tap Refresh), not tracked continuously or in the background. Your location is not stored by us or sent to any analytics service. It may be sent to certain third-party services listed in Section 3 (e.g. propagation or nearby-activation lookups) as part of the request those features make on your behalf.
Several features work by querying public amateur radio and space-weather data services directly from your device. When you use these features, your device communicates directly with the relevant third party, and that organisation's own privacy policy governs how they handle the request (typically your callsign, an API key or login you've provided, and/or your approximate location).
| Feature | Third-party service(s) |
|---|---|
| Spots & Alerts | SOTA (sotawatch.sota.org.uk, sota.org.uk), POTA (pota.app), WWFF (wwff.co), Spothole, Parks n Peaks, RBN Hole |
| SOTA sign-in | SOTA.org.uk account login (OAuth), used for self-spotting/alerts under your own SOTA account |
| Callsign lookup | HamQTH (hamqth.com), only if you enter your own HamQTH username/password in Preferences |
| Propagation & WSPR | WSPRnet / wspr.live |
| Space weather | NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, hamqsl.com, GFZ Potsdam (Kp index), Australian Bureau of Meteorology Space Weather Services (the latter only if you supply your own free BoM API key) |
| Maps | Apple Maps / MapKit, and (optionally) Geoscience Australia map tiles |
Any username, password, or API key you enter for these services is stored only in your device's Keychain (encrypted, device-only) and is sent directly to that service, never to us.
If enabled in Preferences, the App periodically saves a backup of your log, archive, and contacts to your own iCloud Drive (under Files → TrailLog → Backups). This is Apple's iCloud service, governed by Apple's privacy policy. We have no access to it. You can disable this at any time in Preferences.
If the App crashes, a diagnostic report is generated and stored locally on your device only. Nothing is sent automatically. You can review the report and choose to email it to the developer yourself via the Mail app. This is entirely optional and requires you to tap Send.
TrailLog does not use analytics SDKs, advertising networks, or any form of cross-app tracking. We do not sell or share your data with advertisers, and we have no mechanism to do so even if we wanted to, since we don't collect it in the first place.
Since your data lives on your device, you're in full control:
TrailLog is not directed at children and is not intended for use by anyone under 13. We do not knowingly collect information from children, and since the App has no server-side data collection, no personal information is retained by us regardless of age.
We may update this policy from time to time, for example if a new feature changes how data is handled. The "Last updated" date above will reflect any changes. Continued use of the App after an update constitutes acceptance of the revised policy.
Questions about this policy or how TrailLog handles data can be sent to: traillog@outlook.com