GlanceRF can send anonymous usage data to help improve the application. You can turn it off in Setup; read below for what is collected and what is not. (Third-party network use more broadly is listed in Third-party and services.)
What data is collected
When telemetry is enabled, the following data may be sent to the telemetry server:
System information (anonymous)
- Operating system (e.g. Windows, Linux, Darwin)
- OS release and version
- CPU architecture (e.g. x86_64, ARM64)
- Python version and implementation (e.g. CPython)
- Processor identifier (generic model string from the OS)
GlanceRF usage (anonymous)
- Application version
- Desktop mode (desktop, browser, headless, none)
- Grid size (columns and rows)
- Number of cells that have a module assigned
- List of enabled module IDs (e.g.
["clock", "weather", "aprs"]) – module type names only, not any settings or content - Update check mode (e.g. "auto", "none", "notify")
Session and events
- A randomly generated anonymous ID (GUID) assigned by the server on first run, used only to approximate unique installations and aggregate usage over time
- Event type:
installation(first run),startup,heartbeat(periodic), ortest(manual test only) - Timestamp (UTC) for when the event was sent
What is NOT collected
- Your callsign, location, or any text you enter in Setup or module settings
- IP addresses are not stored as part of your profile (they may be seen in server logs for normal HTTP requests)
- No personal data, credentials, or content from any module (e.g. no weather data, no APRS packets, no satellite selections)
How telemetry is used
- To understand which platforms and Python versions are in use
- To see which modules are popular and how grid sizes are used
- To prioritize fixes and features (e.g. platform-specific issues, module usage)
- To approximate install base and version distribution
Data is sent over HTTPS to the telemetry endpoint and handled according to the server operator's policy.
How to control telemetry
- Default: Telemetry is enabled (opt-out).
- Disable: Open Setup (from the menu or first-run wizard), go to Page 2 – Station & updates, set Telemetry to Disabled (Opt-out). No further data is sent until you turn it back on.
- You can change this setting at any time. The application works the same with telemetry on or off.
When data is sent
- Installation / first run: One installation event may be sent when you complete setup (to obtain the anonymous GUID).
- Startup: One event when the application has finished starting (after setup is complete).
- Heartbeat: Approximately once per hour while the app is running (only after setup is complete).
If you disable telemetry, startup and heartbeat events stop. The first-run flow may still request a GUID for future use if you re-enable.
Technical details
- Telemetry is implemented in
glancerf/services/telemetry.py. - The telemetry endpoint URL is:
https://glancerf-telemetry.zl4st.com/telemetry.php - Requests are sent as JSON over HTTPS with a 10-second timeout. Failures are logged but do not affect application behavior.
For the full list of fields and event types, see get_system_info(), get_glancerf_info(), and payload construction in glancerf/services/telemetry.py.