UKBOTA Awards 2026

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.

Activator Awards

Hunter & SWL Awards

🏆 Lifetime Reference Award (all bands)
🏆 Lifetime Reference Award (VHF)
🏆 Lifetime Bunker to Bunker (B2B) Award (all bands)

🏆 Annual Reference Award 2026 (all bands)
🏆 Annual Reference Award 2026 (VHF)
🏆 Annual Bunker to Bunker (B2B) Award 2026 (all bands)
🏆 Annual Dawnbuster Award 2026 (all bands)
🏆 Annual Nightwatch Award 2026 (all bands)

🏆 Annual Bunkerteer Challenge 2026

🏆 Lifetime Reference Award (all bands)

🏆 Annual Reference Award 2026 (all bands)
🏆 Annual Reference Award 2026 (VHF)
🏆 Annual Dawnbuster Award 2026 (all bands)
🏆 Annual Nightwatch Award 2026 (all bands)

🏆 Annual Bunkerteer Challenge 2026

 

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 is introduced in 2026

Annual Activator's Awards 2026

Activator’s Annual Reference Award (All band) 2026

  • Activate each UKBOTA Bunker one per calendar month in 2026.
  •  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) 2026

  • Activate each UKBOTA Bunker one per calendar month in 2026.
  • 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

Activator’s Annual Bunker to Bunker Award (All bands) 2026

  • Work UKBOTA to UKBOTA Bunker combinations, once in 2026.
  • 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 10, Silver 25, Gold 50, Platinum 100, Sapphire 150, Diamond 200, Master Level 1 (300)

Activator’s Annual Dawnbuster Award (All bands) 2026

  • Activate each UKBOTA Bunker once per calendar month in 2026 between 0400utc and 0900utc.
  •  25 stations worked on any band to qualify each activation. The 25th logged QSO must be completed by 0900utc.
  • One qualified bunker scores 1 point each calendar month, up to a total of 12 points per bunker.
  • Note 1, 3
  • 🏆Bronze 5, Silver 10, Gold 20, Platinum 40, Diamond 80, Master Level 1 (100)

    Logging: In order to claim this award an Activator must upload a full log in BB2 in order that QSO times can be extracted from the ADIF file.

Activator’s Annual Nightwatch Award (All bands) 2026

  • Activate each UKBOTA Bunker one per calendar month in 2026 between 1900utc and 0400utc.
  •  25 stations worked on any band to qualify each activation. The 1st logged QSO must not be begin before 1900utc.
  • One qualified bunker scores 1 point each calendar month, up to a total of 12 points per bunker.
  • Note 1, 3
  • 🏆Bronze 5, Silver 10, Gold 20, Platinum 40, Diamond 80, Master Level 1 (100)

    Logging: Logging: In order to claim this award an Activator must upload a full log in BB2 in order that QSO times can be extracted from the ADIF file.

Annual Activator's Special Awards

The 2026 Activator’s Bunkerteer Challenge runs through the whole of 2026. For more details see the 2026 Bunkerteer page here.

Other Activator’s awards will be offered during special events, see the relevant webpage for details.

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/SWL 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! All hunter awards are also available for SWL (simply replaced ‘work’ with ‘listen and log’.

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, Master (Level 3) 2500

Annual Hunter's Awards 2026

Hunter’s Annual Reference Award (all bands) 2026

  • 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) 2026

  • 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 Annual Dawnbuster Award (All bands) 2026

  • Work each UKBOTA Bunker once per calendar month in 2026 between 0400utc and 0900utc.
  • 1 point per Dawnbuster bunker worked.
  • Monthly points accumulate through 2026.
  • 🏆Bronze 10, Silver 25, Gold 50, Platinum 100, Diamond 150, Master Level 1 (200)

Hunter’s Annual Nightwatch Award (All bands) 2026

  • Work each UKBOTA Bunker once per calendar month in 2026 between 1900utc and 0400utc.
  • 1 point per Nightwatch bunker worked.
  • Monthly points accumulate through 2026.
  • 🏆Bronze 10, Silver 25, Gold 50, Platinum 100, Diamond 150, Master Level 1 (200)

Hunter's Special Event Awards 2026

The 2026 Hunter’s Bunkerteer Challenge runs through the whole of 2026. For more details see the 2026 Bunkerteer page here.

Other Hunters’s awards will be offered during special events, see the relevant webpage for details.

(C) UKBOTA 2026