# Spotter maximum distance
**URL:** https://forum.hamalert.org/t/spotter-maximum-distance/321
**Category:** Feature Requests
**Created:** [September 28, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://forum.hamalert.org/t/spotter-maximum-distance/321 "2023-09-28T19:12:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@YO2NAA](https://forum.hamalert.org/u/YO2NAA)
#### Post date: [September 28, 2023, 7:12pm UTC](https://forum.hamalert.org/t/spotter-maximum-distance/321/1 "2023-09-28T19:12:34Z")
Hello,
I think an useful feauture could be “Spotter maximum distance”, especially for VHF ES propagation, where the path is very localized. The distance could be calculated from the main square. I think the only possible source would be pskreporter.
For now, my workaround is to include a lot of particular calls on the radius of interest (for example 100km from me) but this list needs to be revised quite often, new calls becomes active. However, the trigger worked wonderfully for most of ES and DX tropo openings.
TNX, 73 Ady YO2NAA
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### Author:  [@YO2NAA](https://forum.hamalert.org/u/YO2NAA)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2024, 10:06am UTC](https://forum.hamalert.org/t/spotter-maximum-distance/321/2 "2024-04-10T10:06:34Z")
Any opinion on this?
I still consider it’s good to have useful alerts for very localized ES, TEP, ducting, etc.
For now I need to manually maintain a list of active calls on each band (2m, 6m, 4m) who are on a particular radius (for example 80km) from my QTH.
TNX, 73 Ady YO2NAA
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### Author:  [@HB9DQM](https://forum.hamalert.org/u/HB9DQM)
#### Post date: [April 10, 2024, 11:00am UTC](https://forum.hamalert.org/t/spotter-maximum-distance/321/3 "2024-04-10T11:00:10Z")
I guess the issue is where to obtain accurate data on callsign location from, in order to have a universal solution that works for callsigns worldwide and regardless of the spot source. [QRZ.com](http://QRZ.com) comes to mind with their API, but based on a recent inquiry to their staff about bulk lookups ([Trigger "QRZ.COM entry exists" for callsign pse? - #4 by HB9DQM](https://forum.hamalert.org/t/trigger-qrz-com-entry-exists-for-callsign-pse/526/4)) I don’t think this would work in practice at HamAlert’s scale.
Related:
> [@Show distance in alert messages](https://forum.hamalert.org/t/show-distance-in-alert-messages/570):
>
> Knowing how far you are being heard with a distance value in the alert message would be extremely useful. Call signs are pretty much useless since they can be anywhere unless you look up each call sign independently. Also I have noticed on the iOS app audible notification it seems to be sending a cw BX. Is this supposed to be DX? Great app, I use it all the time to spot friends and monitor my JS8 station propagation. Again having a distance derived from grid square values would be a great addi…
> [@Spotter state or grid or distance on phone apps](https://forum.hamalert.org/t/spotter-state-or-grid-or-distance-on-phone-apps/615):
>
> Given that US callsigns don’t always reflect location, it would be great if on the phone apps we could see perhaps State (or selectably Grid or Distance From Me). This would be best on the main listing, but even on the expanded listing would be fine. It would be MORE wonderful if this was in the notification (perhaps instead of the “JTDX v2.2 blah blah” stuff. I love HamAlert – it’s found opportunities to close in on WAS on many states.