Supported Data Sources
Spothole can retrieve spots from: Telnet-based DX clusters, the Reverse Beacon Network (RBN), the APRS Internet Service (APRS-IS), POTA, SOTA, WWFF, GMA, WWBOTA, HEMA, Parks 'n' Peaks, ZLOTA, WOTA, LLOTA, WWTOTA, Tiles on the Air, the UK Packet Repeater Network, and any site based on the xOTA software by nischu.
Spothole can retrieve alerts from: NG3K, POTA, SOTA, WWFF, Parks 'n' Peaks, WOTA and BOTA. It also fetches contest dates from WA7BNM Contest Calendar and RSGB contest calendars.
Spothole can retrieve solar and propagation condition data from HamQSL, the NOAA Space Weather Prediction Center, the Lowell GIRO Data Center and prop.kc2g.com by KC2G.
Spothole can also perform lookups for callsign data on behalf of the user from QRZ.com and HamQTH.
Note that the server owner has not necessarily enabled all these data sources. In particular it is common to disable RBN, to avoid the server being swamped with FT8 traffic, and to disable APRS-IS and UK Packet Net so that the server only displays stations where there is likely to be an operator physically present for a QSO.
Between the various data sources, the following activities / special interest groups are supported: Contests, DXpeditions, Aeronautical Mobile, Maritime Mobile, EME/Moonbounce, Amateur Satellite, QRP, Parks on the Air (POTA), Summits on the Air (SOTA), Worldwide Flora & Fauna (WWFF), Global Mountain Activity (GMA), Worldwide Bunkers on the Air (WWBOTA), HuMPs Excluding Marilyns Award (HEMA), Islands on the Air (IOTA), Mills on the Air (MOTA), the Amateur Radio Lighthouse Society (ARLHS), International Lighthouse Lightship Weekend (ILLW), Silos on the Air (SIOTA), World Castles Award (WCA), New Zealand on the Air (ZLOTA), Keith Roget Memorial National Parks Award (KRMNPA), South Australia National Parks and Conservation Parks Award (SANPCPA), Wainwrights on the Air (WOTA), Beaches on the Air (BOTA), Lagos y Lagunas On the Air (LLOTA), Towers on the Air, Tiles on the Air, Worked All Britain (WAB), Worked All Ireland (WAI), Diploma Municipios de España (DME), Diploma Faros de España (FEA), Diploma Muesos de España (DMUE), Diploma Castillos de España (DCE), Diploma Monumentos y Vestigios de España (DMVE), Diploma Estaciones de Ferrocarril de España (DEFE), Diploma Teatri Musei e Belle Arti (DTMBA), British Inland Waterways on the Air (BIWOTA), Castles on the Air (COTA), Polish Gmina Award (PGA), Diplôme des Moulins de France (DMF), RaDAR Rally, and Toilets on the Air.
As of the time of writing in August 2026, I think Spothole captures most radio programmes that have a defined, downloadable reference list, and almost certainly those that have a spotting/alerting API. If you know of one I've missed, please let me know!
