Privacy Policy

Applies to the APRStac desktop application and the APRStac Mobile Android app.

Last updated: April 2026

Summary

APRStac does not collect analytics, telemetry, crash reports, or user accounts. Settings you enter and packets the app hears are stored locally on your device by default. Network-facing features like APRS-IS and the optional APRStac Public Reflector are off unless you enable them; when enabled, see the sections below for what that entails.

What we collect

Nothing. Neither the desktop application nor the mobile app sends personal data, usage statistics, device identifiers, or crash reports to us or to any analytics provider. There is no account registration.

What the app stores on your device

Both applications keep a local SQLite database containing settings you enter (callsign, SSID, symbol, comment), APRS packets heard, stations and positions tracked, messages sent and received, weather data, and port/radio configuration.

This data never leaves your device unless you enable a network-facing feature (see below). You can delete it at any time by clearing the app's data or uninstalling it.

Android permissions (mobile app)

  • Location: used only when you enable the GPS beacon, to stamp position reports you choose to transmit. Location is never sent to APRStac unless you enable and use the APRStac Public Reflector.
  • Microphone: used only when the AFSK audio modem is active, to demodulate APRS tones from a connected radio. No audio is recorded or uploaded.
  • USB device access: used to communicate with radios, TNCs, and sound-card interfaces you physically connect.
  • Bluetooth: used to connect to Meshtastic devices you pair.
  • Notifications: used to show the foreground-service icon while ports are running, and to alert you to new messages.
  • Network access: required for APRS-IS, map tile downloads, and optional reflector servers you configure.

Third-party services you may connect to

APRStac is an APRS client. When you enable network features, your device contacts third-party servers whose privacy policies apply to you:

  • APRS-IS: if you enable an APRS-IS port, your callsign, position, and transmitted packets are sent to the APRS-IS network and rebroadcast publicly on sites like aprs.fi. This is the nature of APRS-IS.
  • Map tile providers: OpenStreetMap and other tile servers log request IPs per their own policies when you view the map.
  • APRStac Public Reflector: an optional relay hosted at aprstac.com. Packet contents are end-to-end encrypted between clients, and the server sees your connection's IP address for routing purposes.

Amateur radio is public

APRStac transmits data on the amateur radio service when you configure it to do so. Anything you send, including your callsign, position, messages, and status, can be received and logged by anyone in range, gated to the internet, and stored on third-party sites outside our control. This is a property of amateur radio, not a feature of this software.

Deleting your data

Desktop: delete the application's data/ directory (which contains the SQLite database) and uninstall. Mobile: use Android's Settings → Apps → APRStac → Storage → Clear data, or uninstall the app. Once removed, the data is gone; we have no copy.

Children

APRStac is a tool for licensed amateur radio operators. It is not directed at children under 13 and does not knowingly collect information from them.

Changes to this policy

If this policy changes, the "Last updated" date above will change and the new version will be published on this page.

Contact

Questions about this policy: report@aprstac.com.