UKBOTA Awards

UKBOTA offer a wide range of awards and challenges to suit different interests and styles of operating. We do not suggest that beginners try to participate in all the awards from the outset! The awards shaded with a light green background are the suggested basic starting awards for newcomers. The Lifetime Reference Awards, Bunker to Bunker Awards and Annual Reference Awards can all be recorded and scores viewed on our BunkerBase portal.

Award changes for 2026

We will be retiring the following in 2026:

ℹ Activators DXCC Award
ℹ Activators Century Awards
ℹ Activators 1000 & 2000 Club
ℹ Night Owl (Activator and Hunter) Annual Award

The following new awards are coming in 2026

✨ Dawnbuster 2026 – for Activators, Hunters, and SWL (Annual)
🌙 Nightwatch 2026 – replaces Night Owl (for Activators, Hunters, and SWL) (Annual)
🏆 Activator B2B 2026 – (in addition to B2B Lifetime) (Annual)

Activator Awards

Please scroll down the screen for hunter and SWL awards.

Lifetime Activator Awards

Activator’s Lifetime Reference Award (All bands)

  • Activate each UKBOTA Bunker once in a lifetime.
  • 25 stations worked on any band, or band combination, to qualify the activation. 
  • One qualified bunker scores 1 point. 
  • Note 1, 2
  • 🏆 Bronze 50, Silver 100, Gold 150, Platinum 300, Sapphire 400. Diamond 500. Master Level (1) 750, Master Level (2) = 1000

Activator’s Lifetime Reference Award (VHF)

  • Activate each UKBOTA Bunker once in a lifetime.
  • 5 stations worked on any VHF band, or VHF band combination, to qualify the activation.
  • VHF means any band above and including 50MHz.
  • One qualified bunker scores 1 point. 
  • Note 1, 2
  • 🏆 Bronze 3, Silver 5, Gold 10, Platinum 20, Ruby 30, Sapphire 40, Emerald 50, Diamond 60

Activator’s Lifetime Bunker to Bunker Award (All bands)

  • Work UKBOTA to UKBOTA Bunker combinations, once in a lifetime.
  • When activating multiple bunkers, eg. a ‘3fer’, then each activated bunker scores one B2B point with each bunker worked, eg. if the other activator is also at a ‘3fer’ then points scores is 9 (3 x 3).
  • A B2B point is not scored where both activators are at the same bunker.
  • A B2B QSO may also qualify for various Hunter Awards.
  • 🏆Bronze 100, Silver 200, Gold 300, Platinum 600, Sapphire 1000, Diamond 1500

    In addition, an Annual B2B award will be introduced in 2026

Activator’s Lifetime Century Award (All bands)

  • Each UKBOTA can only be claimed for the Century Award once in a lifetime.
  • Work 100 stations from the same bunker in the same activation period.
  • If the activator fails to gain 100 valid QSO they may return to the bunker to try again, but the QSO counter for the award at this bunker is reset to zero.
  • 1 point is scored for each UKBOTA where 100 or more valid QSO are made.
  • Note 1.
  • 🏆Bronze 10, Silver 25, Gold 50, Platinum 100, Diamond 250

    This award will be retired at the end of 2025.

Activator’s Lifetime DXCC Award (All bands)

  • Work DXCC from a UKBOTA bunker.
  • Does not include working G,GM, GW,GI, GD, GJ or GU stations.
  • 1 point for working each new DXCC within Europe.
  • 2 points for working each new DXCC outside Europe.
  • DXCC list is in accordance with the latest ARRL DXCC list at the time of the award claim.
  • 🏆Bronze 10, Silver 25, Gold 50, Platinum 75, Sapphire 100, Emerald 150, Diamond 200

    This award will be retired at the end of 2025.

Activator’s Lifetime Night Owl Award (All band)

  • Activate UKBOTA bunkers between 1900 UTC and 0400 UTC.
  • 25 stations worked on any band, or combination of bands, to qualify the activation.
  • One qualified bunker scores 1 point each calendar month, up to a total of 12 points per bunker per year.
  • Note 1, 3 
  • 🏆Bronze 5, Silver 10, Gold 30, Platinum 60, Sapphire 100, Emerald 150, Diamond 200

    This award will be retired at the end of 2025 to be replaced by an annual award.

Activator’s 1000 Club and 2000 Club (All band)

  • Work 1000 or 2000 stations from the same UKBOTA bunker in a lifetime.
  • This award can be claimed for each bunker where 1000 or 2000 QSO have been made.
  • Note 1, 2  
  • 🏆Bronze 5, Silver 10, Gold 30, Platinum 65, Sapphire 100, Emerald 150, Diamond 200

    This award will be retired at the end of 2025

Annual Activator's Awards 2025

These awards refer to those available for 2025 only. Different annual awards may have been available in previous years, and different awards may be available in future years.

Activator’s Annual Reference Award (All band) 2025

  • Activate each UKBOTA Bunker one per calendar month in 2025.
  •  25 stations worked on any band to qualify each activation. 
  • One qualified bunker scores 1 point each calendar month, up to a total of 12 points per bunker.
  • Note 1, 3
  • 🏆Bronze 10, Silver 25, Gold 50, Platinum 100, Sapphire 200, Diamond 300, Master Level 1 (400), Master Level (2) 500

Activator’s Annual Reference Award (VHF) 2025

  • Activate each UKBOTA Bunker one per calendar month in 2025.
  • 5 stations worked on any VHF band to qualify the activation. 
    VHF means any band above and including 50MHz.
  • One qualified bunker scores 1 point each calendar month, up to a total of 12 points per bunker.
  • Note 1, 3
  •  🏆Bronze 3, Silver 5, Gold 10, Platinum 20, Ruby 30, Sapphire 40, Emerald 50, Diamond 60

Annual Activator's Special Awards

From time to time UKBOTA will run time-limited special events. The details of the special events will normally be covered in a separate webpage. Current special events are the Activator’s Bunkerteer Challenge 2025 (running through the whole of 2025).

Activator Award Notes

Notes

1.  An additional QSO is awarded for working the same hunter on other applicable bands on the same day, but no additional points for other modes. This rule may be changed in special events so check the rules specific to that event.

2. Repeat activations, on another day, from the same bunker, are permitted in order to achieve the required number of QSO in which case the same hunters may be worked again for additional QSO. There are no additional points for the Hunter. This rule may be changed in special events so check the rules specific to that event.

3. Repeat activations, on another day, but in the same calendar month, from the same bunker, are permitted in order to achieve the required number of QSO in which case the same hunters may be worked again for additional QSO. There are no additional points for the Hunter. This rule may be changed in special events so check the rules specific to that event.

Hunter Awards

UKBOTA offer a wide range of awards and challenges to suit different interests and styles of operating. We do not suggest that beginners try to participate in all the awards from the outset! The awards shaded with a light purple background are the suggested basic starting awards for newcomers. The Lifetime Reference Awards, Bunker to Bunker Awards and Annual Reference Awards can all be recorded and scores viewed on our BunkerBase portal.

2. Repeat activations, on another day, from the same bunker, are permitted in order to achieve the required number of QSO in which case the same hunters may be worked again for additional QSO. There are no additional points for the Hunter. This rule may be changed in special events so check the rules specific to that event.

3. Repeat activations, on another day, but in the same calendar month, from the same bunker, are permitted in order to achieve the required number of QSO in which case the same hunters may be worked again for additional QSO. There are no additional points for the Hunter. This rule may be changed in special events so check the rules specific to that event.

Lifetime Hunter's Awards

Hunter’s Lifetime Reference Award (All bands)

  • Work UKBOTA Bunkers on any band or mode.
  • For this award each specific bunker may only be worked once in a lifetime.
  • 1 point per bunker.
  • There are no additional points for this award for working the bunker on other bands or other modes.
  • 🏆Bronze 50, Silver 100, Gold 300, Platinum 500, Sapphire 750, Diamond 1000, Master Level 1 1500, Master Level 2 2000

Hunters Lifetime Night Owl Award (all bands)

  • Work UKBOTA Bunkers between 1900 UTC and 0400 UTC.
  • This is a perpetual award, each bunker may be worked once a calendar month.
  • 1 point per Night Owl bunker worked.
  • Monthly point accumulate over a lifetime.
  •  🏆Bronze 10, Silver 25, Gold 50, Platinum 100, Sapphire 200, Emerald 350, Diamond 500

    This award will be retired at the end of 2025 to be replaced by an annual award.

Annual Hunter's Awards 2025

These awards refer to those available for 2025 only. Different annual awards may have been available in previous years, and different awards may be available in future years.

Hunters Annual Reference Award (all bands)

  • Work each UKBOTA Bunker on any band or mode once each calendar month.
  • 1 point for each UKBOTA bunker worked per month, ie. each bunker may be worked 12 times in the year for a maximum of 12 points per bunker
  • No additional points, for this award, for working the same bunker on other bands and modes in the same calendar month.
  • 🏆Bronze 50, Silver 100, Gold 200, Platinum 300, Sapphire 500, Diamond 1000, Master Level 1 1500, Master Level 2 2000

Hunter’s Annual Reference Award (VHF)

  • Work each UKBOTA Bunker on any VHF band, ie. 50MHz or higher.
  • 1 point per each UKBOTA bunker worked per month, ie. each bunker may be worked 12 time in the year for a maximum of 12 points per bunker.
  • No additional points, for this award, for working the same bunker on other band and modes in the same calendar month.
  • 🏆Bronze 3, Silver 5, Gold 10, Platinum 20, Ruby 30, Sapphire 40, Emerald 50, Diamond 60

Hunter's Special Event Awards 2025

  • From time to time UKBOTA will run time-limited special events, check the event rules for details

(C) UKBOTA 2025