GridTracker on Linux — Complete FT8 Map and Award Tracking Setup Guide

What is GridTracker and what can it do

GridTracker is a free companion application for WSJT-X and JTDX that adds a visual layer to FT8 and FT4 operating. While WSJT-X shows decoded callsigns in text lists, GridTracker plots every decoded station on a live world map and colours them based on their award status in your log — making it immediately obvious which stations represent new DXCC entities, new Maidenhead grid squares, or new states.

GridTracker connects to WSJT-X via the same UDP broadcast port that WSJT-X uses for network logging. No changes to WSJT-X are required in most cases — GridTracker simply listens on the same port and processes the decoded data in real time. New contacts appear on the map as you work them, and your award totals update instantly.

What GridTracker can do

• Live world map — displays every decoded FT8 station colour-coded by award status
• DXCC tracking — highlights new entities you have not yet worked or confirmed
• Grid square tracking — shows new Maidenhead grid squares for VUCC and other grid awards
• WAS tracking — highlights new US states for Worked All States
• CQ zone tracking — shows new zones for WAZ award progress
• Alerts — audio and visual alerts when a new entity or grid appears on the band
• Statistics panels — activity graphs, band summaries, and operating statistics
• Log import — import ADIF files to track confirmed contacts for LoTW and eQSL
• Callsign lookup — click any station on the map for details from QRZ or HamQTH
• Multi-band view — monitor multiple bands simultaneously

Installation on Linux

GridTracker is distributed as an AppImage for Linux — a self-contained application that runs on any modern Linux distribution without installation.

Download and run the AppImage

Install FUSE for AppImage support

AppImages require FUSE to run. Most modern Linux systems have it, but if GridTracker fails to launch:

Create a desktop shortcut

Raspberry Pi

GridTracker provides an armhf AppImage for Raspberry Pi. Download the arm version from the GridTracker website. It runs on Raspberry Pi 3 and 4 with Raspberry Pi OS. Performance is adequate on a Pi 4 but the map rendering is slower than on a desktop machine — tolerable for monitoring use.

Automatic updates

GridTracker checks for updates when it launches and offers to download the new version automatically. Accept the update when prompted — new versions often add support for new DXCC entities and fix callsign resolution issues.

Connecting to WSJT-X and JTDX

GridTracker connects to WSJT-X via UDP on port 2237 — the same broadcast port that WSJT-X uses for all network logging applications. In most cases no configuration changes are needed in either application.

Default connection — no configuration needed

WSJT-X broadcasts decoded data on UDP port 2237 by default. GridTracker listens on the same port by default. Launch both applications and GridTracker should immediately start showing decoded stations on the map.

Verifying the connection

1. Start WSJT-X and click Monitor to begin receiving
2. Start GridTracker
3. After the next 15-second FT8 decode cycle stations should appear on the map
4. If nothing appears after 2–3 cycles check the WSJT-X UDP settings

WSJT-X UDP settings

Verify WSJT-X is configured to broadcast on the correct port:

1. In WSJT-X go to File → Settings → Reporting
2. Verify UDP Server is enabled
3. UDP Server port should be 2237
4. Enable Accept UDP requests

GridTracker UDP port setting

If you changed WSJT-X to a non-default port, update GridTracker to match:

1. In GridTracker go to Settings → Network
2. Set the WSJT-X UDP port to match what you configured in WSJT-X
3. Click Apply and restart GridTracker

Connecting to JTDX

JTDX uses the same UDP broadcast protocol as WSJT-X on the same default port 2237. GridTracker connects to JTDX automatically with no additional configuration. If you switch between WSJT-X and JTDX GridTracker continues working without any changes.

Multiple instances of WSJT-X

If you run two instances of WSJT-X simultaneously on different bands (SO2R operating), configure them on different UDP ports (2237 and 2238) and run two GridTracker instances — each listening to one WSJT-X instance. Each map shows activity on one band.

Understanding the GridTracker interface

GridTracker's main window is dominated by the world map with several information panels arranged around it. The layout is configurable — panels can be moved, resized, and hidden based on your preferences.

Main interface elements

• World map (center) — the main display showing decoded stations as coloured dots at their grid square locations
• Decode list (left or bottom) — text list of recently decoded stations, same information as WSJT-X's Band Activity window
• Band selector (top) — switch between bands being monitored
• Award status panel — summary of DXCC, grid, WAZ progress on the current band
• Statistics panel — QSO rate, decode count, activity graphs
• Alert log — list of new entities and grids spotted since GridTracker was started

Dot colours on the map

The colour of each station's dot on the map indicates its award status relative to your log:

Map display — reading the live FT8 map

Map projection options

GridTracker supports several map projections:

• Mercator — standard rectangular world map, familiar to most operators
• Azimuthal equidistant — centered on your location, shows true bearing and distance to all stations
• Polar — useful for visualising propagation from your specific location

The azimuthal projection centered on your grid square is particularly useful for understanding which direction to point a beam antenna — stations appear in their true compass direction from your QTH.

Zoom and navigation

Mouse wheel zooms the map in and out. Click and drag pans. Double-click any station dot to zoom to that region. Right-click for a context menu with station details and options to call the station in WSJT-X.

Great circle paths

GridTracker can display great circle paths from your location to decoded stations — the shortest path over the Earth's surface. Enable this in the display settings to visualise the actual propagation path. This is useful for understanding whether propagation is via the short path or long path and for pointing a beam antenna correctly.

Greyline overlay

Enable the greyline overlay to see the current day/night terminator on the map. Stations near the greyline are often the best DX opportunities — the greyline zone has reduced D-layer absorption while the F-layer is still active, giving enhanced propagation on higher bands.

Station information popup

Click any station dot on the map to open a popup showing:

• Callsign, grid square, and DXCC entity
• Current signal report and DT value from WSJT-X
• Distance and bearing from your location
• Award status — worked/confirmed status for DXCC, grid, WAZ
• QRZ or HamQTH lookup button for operator details
• Call in WSJT-X button — sends the callsign to WSJT-X to initiate a contact

Operating guide — using GridTracker during FT8

Typical FT8 session workflow with GridTracker

1. Start WSJT-X and tune to 14.074 MHz — click Monitor to begin decoding
2. Start GridTracker — the map populates with decoded stations within seconds
3. Scan the map for red dots (new DXCC entities) and blue dots (new grids)
4. Click a red dot to see the station's details and confirm it is a new entity for you
5. Click Call in WSJT-X to initiate the contact from within GridTracker
6. Watch WSJT-X handle the exchange automatically
7. When the contact completes the dot changes colour to yellow (worked, unconfirmed) or green (if auto-upload to LoTW is enabled)
8. Continue scanning the map for the next valuable contact

Using GridTracker for DX chasing

GridTracker's real value for DX chasing is the alert system. Rather than constantly watching the WSJT-X decode windows for new entities, configure GridTracker to alert you with a sound or popup when a new entity appears on the current band. You can then focus on other tasks and only look at the screen when GridTracker signals something interesting.

Comparing band conditions visually

Switch between bands in GridTracker's band selector to compare where stations are decoding on each band. If 20m shows stations from Europe and Asia but 15m only shows Europe, that tells you the higher band is not yet open to Asia — useful information for deciding which band to operate on.

Identifying propagation patterns

The live map makes propagation patterns immediately visible in ways that text lists never can. A cluster of decoded stations in a specific direction indicates a band opening in that direction. Gaps in the station coverage indicate propagation is absent in that direction. Watching the map for 15–20 minutes gives you a clear picture of the current propagation geometry.

Award tracking — DXCC, grid squares and WAS

GridTracker maintains award progress databases that it updates in real time as you make contacts. Import your existing log first to establish your baseline, then let GridTracker track new contacts as they happen.

Importing your existing log

1. Export your complete log from CQRLog, WSJT-X, or any other logger as an ADIF file
2. In GridTracker go to Log → Import ADIF
3. Select your ADIF file — GridTracker processes it and establishes your worked/confirmed status for all entities and grids
4. For confirmed status import your LoTW QSL data — export from LoTW as ADIF and import the same way

DXCC tracking

GridTracker tracks DXCC progress per band and mode. View your DXCC status under Awards → DXCC. The display shows:

• Total entities worked and confirmed overall
• Per-band breakdown — which entities you have worked and confirmed on each band
• Needed list — entities you have not yet worked on each band
• Color-coded map showing global DXCC coverage at a glance

Grid square tracking for VUCC

The VUCC (Worked All Maidenhead Grid Squares in the World) award requires confirmed contacts from a minimum number of grid squares depending on band. GridTracker shows every grid square you have worked and confirmed on its grid map. Blue dots on the main map indicate new grids not yet in your log.

WAS — Worked All States

GridTracker resolves US states from callsign prefixes and tracks your WAS progress. View it under Awards → WAS. States are highlighted on the US map by worked/confirmed status. FT8 on 40m and 20m is one of the fastest ways to complete WAS — GridTracker makes it easy to identify which states you still need.

WAZ — Worked All Zones

GridTracker tracks your CQ zone progress for the WAZ award. View the zone map under Awards → WAZ. Zones are colour-coded by worked/confirmed status. The zone overlay on the world map makes it easy to spot stations in zones you still need.

Configuring alerts for new entities and grids

GridTracker's alert system is one of its most valuable features — it notifies you when a new DXCC entity, grid square, or state appears in the FT8 decode window, so you do not have to watch the screen constantly.

Setting up alerts

1. Go to Settings → Alerts
2. Enable alerts for the award types you care about — New DXCC, New Grid, New State, New Zone
3. Configure the alert method — audio alert, popup notification, or both
4. Set the alert priority — some operators only want alerts for truly rare entities (new for DXCC overall) while others want alerts for any new band slot

Alert priority levels

Alert sounds

GridTracker plays audio alerts through your system's default audio device. Configure different sounds for different alert priorities — a subtle beep for new band slots, a louder alert for new DXCC entities. Audio alert files are WAV format — you can replace them with your own sounds.

Callsign watchlist

Add specific callsigns to a watchlist to be alerted when they appear in decodes. This is useful for watching for a specific rare DXpedition callsign — add it to the watchlist before the expedition starts and GridTracker alerts you the moment it appears on any band you are monitoring.

Log import and ADIF integration

GridTracker is not a logger itself but maintains its own database of worked contacts derived from WSJT-X's UDP data and ADIF imports. This database is what drives the award tracking and map colour-coding.

ADIF import sources

• WSJT-X log file — ~/.local/share/WSJT-X/wsjtx_log.adi — import this to load all past WSJT-X contacts
• LoTW ADIF download — export confirmed QSLs from LoTW and import to set confirmed status
• eQSL ADIF — same for eQSL confirmations
• CQRLog ADIF export — if you log in CQRLog export and import into GridTracker to sync award status

Keeping GridTracker in sync with your log

GridTracker captures new contacts automatically from WSJT-X's live UDP stream. For historical contacts and confirmation status you need to import ADIF files periodically. A good workflow:

1. At the start of each session import any new ADIF exports from LoTW — this updates confirmed status for recent contacts
2. GridTracker captures all new contacts made during the session automatically
3. At the end of the session your award totals reflect the day's activity

ADIF export from GridTracker

GridTracker can export its contact database as ADIF — useful for backup or for importing into other logging software. Go to Log → Export ADIF and select a date range.

Multi-band monitoring

GridTracker can monitor multiple bands simultaneously by receiving UDP data from multiple WSJT-X instances or by using its built-in band selector to view recent decodes from different bands.

Single WSJT-X instance — band history

GridTracker remembers decoded stations from the last few hours on each band. When you switch bands in WSJT-X the band selector in GridTracker follows, and you can scroll back to see recent decode history on any band even if WSJT-X has moved on.

Multiple WSJT-X instances — SO2R

For two-radio SO2R operating run two WSJT-X instances on different UDP ports and two GridTracker instances. Each map shows live activity on one band simultaneously. This gives a real-time view of propagation on both bands which helps decide which band to prioritise at any moment.

All-band overview

The GridTracker band summary panel shows a quick overview of activity on all bands — how many stations decoded on each band in the last cycle. A band with high decode counts is clearly active. A band with zero decodes may be closed or no one is on it. This overview helps you decide quickly which band to jump to when looking for new entities.

Statistics and activity displays

GridTracker collects statistics about your operating activity and the stations you decode.

Operating statistics

• QSO rate — contacts per hour, updated in real time
• Total decodes — how many stations decoded in the current session
• New entities today — count of new DXCC entities worked in the current session
• New grids today — count of new grid squares worked today
• Distance records — furthest station worked on each band today

Activity heat map

The heat map display shows geographic concentration of FT8 activity — brighter areas have more decoded stations. This gives a quick visual impression of where propagation is going at the current moment and over the last few hours.

Propagation path display

Enable the path lines display to draw lines from your location to every decoded station. The density and direction of these lines visually shows the current propagation geometry — a fan of lines toward Europe with few toward Asia means propagation is favoring Europe at that moment.

Troubleshooting common problems

GridTracker map is blank — no stations appearing

• Verify WSJT-X is running and decoding — the Band Activity window in WSJT-X should show callsigns
• Check WSJT-X UDP settings: File → Settings → Reporting → UDP Server enabled on port 2237
• Verify GridTracker is listening on the same port: Settings → Network → WSJT-X UDP port = 2237
• Check firewall rules — even on localhost UDP port 2237 must not be blocked
• Restart both applications — sometimes the UDP connection needs to be re-established
• Verify you have your callsign and grid square entered in GridTracker's station settings

Stations appear but award colours are wrong

• Import your ADIF log file — GridTracker needs your contact history to determine award status correctly
• Import LoTW confirmations — without confirmation data all worked entities show as unconfirmed (yellow)
• Check that your callsign in GridTracker matches your callsign in the log file exactly
• Update the country database — go to Settings → Update database to get the latest DXCC entity list

GridTracker won't launch — AppImage error

• Install FUSE: sudo apt install fuse libfuse2
• Make the AppImage executable: chmod +x GridTracker-*.AppImage
• Run from terminal to see error output: ./GridTracker-*.AppImage
• Try extracting and running directly: ./GridTracker-*.AppImage --appimage-extract && ./squashfs-root/AppRun

Map is very slow or laggy

• Reduce the number of displayed decode history hours — Settings → Display → History hours
• Disable path lines if enabled — they are CPU-intensive with many stations
• Close other CPU-intensive applications while running GridTracker
• On Raspberry Pi reduce map resolution in Settings → Display

Alerts not sounding

• Check that alerts are enabled in Settings → Alerts
• Verify your system audio is working and not muted
• Check that the alert WAV files exist in GridTracker's data directory
• Test with a popup alert instead of audio to confirm the alert logic is triggering correctly

Frequently asked questions

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