Android App

Privacy Policy

eQSL Viewer  ·  Effective date: July 10, 2026  ·  Developer: YO8TNB – Cristian

1. Who We Are

eQSL Viewer is an Android application developed by YO8TNB – Cristian, an individual amateur radio operator based in Romania. Contact: yo8tnb@gmail.com.

2. What Data the App Uses

The app requires the following information to function:

• eQSL username and password — entered by you on the login screen, used solely to authenticate with eQSL.cc servers (eqsl.cc).
• QSL records and card images — downloaded from eQSL.cc after authentication and stored locally in a cache on your device. This includes all standard QSO fields (callsign, date, band, mode, etc.) as well as any additional ADIF fields present in the record (such as operator name, QTH, satellite info, contest references). All data is sourced entirely from eQSL.cc and is not shared with any third party.
• My grid square — optionally entered by you to calculate distances and display on the map; stored locally, never transmitted.
• App preferences — settings such as DXCC target, QTH Nickname, theme, notification interval, sync window, quiet hours, notification sound, and supporter status are stored locally on your device and are never transmitted externally.

3. How Data Is Stored

• Your username and password are stored using Android EncryptedSharedPreferences (AES-256 encryption), accessible only by this app on your device.
• QSL records and card images are cached locally in the app's private storage using Room (SQLite) and are not accessible by other apps.
• No data is stored on any external server operated by the developer.

4. Data Sharing

eQSL Viewer does not share any personal data with third parties. The app makes the following external network connections:

• A direct HTTPS request to eqsl.cc (operated by eQSL.cc) using your credentials, identical to logging in through the official eQSL website.
• Anonymous crash reports sent to Google Firebase Crashlytics (see Section 6).
• Callsign and trial start date, and optional bug report content, sent to Google Firebase Firestore (see Sections 6 and 7).

5. Permissions Used

• INTERNET — required to connect to eqsl.cc and download your QSL records and card images, and for Firebase Crashlytics reporting.
• POST_NOTIFICATIONS — used to send you an optional alert when new eQSLs are received (only if you enable this in Settings).
• RECEIVE_BOOT_COMPLETED — used to restart the background sync scheduler after a device reboot, so notifications continue working without manual intervention.
• ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE — used to check network connectivity (e.g., whether the device is on Wi-Fi) to enforce the optional Wi-Fi Only sync setting.
• BILLING — required by Google Play to enable the optional in-app donation purchases.
• REQUEST_IGNORE_BATTERY_OPTIMIZATIONS — allows you to exempt the app from Android's battery optimization so background sync runs reliably. Optional; must be granted explicitly by you in Android Settings.

6. Third-Party Services

Firebase Crashlytics (Google) — The app uses Firebase Crashlytics to automatically collect crash reports when the app crashes unexpectedly. Crash reports include device model, Android version, app version, and a technical stack trace. Firebase Crashlytics may use the Android Advertising ID (AD_ID) for the purpose of identifying unique app instances in crash statistics — this data is used solely for diagnostic purposes and is not used for advertising. No personal data, credentials, or QSL records are included. Data is processed by Google LLC under their Privacy Policy.

OpenStreetMap — The map screen uses OpenStreetMap tiles (rendered by osmdroid). When the map is visible, tile images are fetched from OpenStreetMap servers — no personal data is included in these requests.

Firebase Firestore (Google) — Used for two purposes: (1) bug reports submitted voluntarily by the user via the in-app "Report a Bug" form, which include the text you enter and optionally your callsign and email address; and (2) managing the free trial period, which stores your eQSL callsign and trial start date so the trial isn't reset by a reinstall (see Section 7). Data is processed by Google LLC under their Privacy Policy.

No advertising SDKs are integrated. The only HTTP client library used is the standard OkHttp client.

7. Free Trial & In-App Purchases

The app includes a 30-day free trial. To ensure the trial period is honored consistently if you reinstall the app or switch devices, your eQSL callsign and the date your trial started are stored in Firebase Firestore. This lets the app recognize a returning user instead of granting a new trial on every reinstall. No other personal information is included in this record.

After the trial period, the app offers optional one-time donation purchases (multiple tiers available) via Google Play Billing to support development and unlock full access. All payment processing is handled entirely by Google Play. The developer does not receive or store any payment card information. Your supporter status is stored locally on your device and is automatically re-verified against your Google Play purchase history when you reinstall the app or sign in on a new device. Google's privacy policy applies to all purchase transactions.

8. Children's Privacy

eQSL Viewer is intended for licensed amateur radio operators and is not directed at children under 13. The app does not knowingly collect any information from children.

9. Data Deletion

You can delete all locally stored data at any time:

• Clear cache — Profile screen → Local Cache → Clear.
• Sign out — Profile screen → Sign Out (removes stored credentials).
• Uninstall the app — removes all app data from your device permanently.

10. Changes to This Policy

If this privacy policy changes, the updated version will be published at this URL. The effective date at the top of the page will be updated accordingly. Continued use of the app after changes constitutes acceptance of the new policy.

11. Contact

For any privacy-related questions, please contact:

• Email: yo8tnb@gmail.com
• GitHub: github.com/YO8TNB