British Overseas Territories Award (BOTA)

20/04/2026 Off By Camping and Hiking

About the British Overseas Territories Award

The British Overseas Territories Award (BOTA) is a special programme of GMFF, created to promote amateur radio activity from and with the islands and territories of the British Overseas Territories.

The British Overseas Territories include a wide range of islands and island groups spread across the world, from the Caribbean and Atlantic to the South Atlantic, Antarctic, and remote southern regions. These locations offer a unique and rewarding challenge for radio amateurs, whether operating as activators in the field or as chasers from home.

The BOTA programme is designed to encourage portable operation from these islands in a spirit of adventure, good operating practice, safety, and respect for the environment and local access conditions. It is open to licensed radio amateurs from all countries, and we warmly invite operators everywhere to discover, activate, and chase the islands of the British Overseas Territories.

Only islands included in the official BOTA reference list are valid for the purposes of this award programme. Each qualifying island is identified by a unique BOTA reference number.

If you intend to activate an island that does not appear in the official list, please contact us before your expedition. We will review the island and, where appropriate, assign it a unique reference number and add it to the official BOTA list.

General Conditions

  • All awards are issued in accordance with the GMFF General Rules.
  • Participation is open only to licensed amateur radio operators who are current GMFF members.
  • All QSOs must be made in accordance with the terms of the operator’s licence and with the GMFF General Rules.
  • Only islands included in the official BOTA list are valid for award purposes.
  • Each island is defined by its unique BOTA reference as shown in the official list.
  • For BOTA, all operation must take place from land on the qualifying island.
  • Maritime mobile operation does not qualify for BOTA.
  • The Award Manager reserves the right to request additional evidence in support of any claim, including confirmation from the activator where necessary.
  • All information submitted in support of an application must be accurate and complete.
See also  Special Areas of Conservation Award (SACA)

Chaser Awards – “Hunter Series”

The BOTA Hunter Series recognises radio amateurs who make confirmed contacts with stations activating qualifying islands in the British Overseas Territories.

Award Levels

  • BOTA 10 – 10 different islands / mainland areas
  • BOTA 20 – 20 different islands / mainland areas
  • BOTA 30 – 30 different islands / mainland areas
  • BOTA 40 – 40 different islands / mainland areas
  • BOTA 50 – 50 different islands / mainland areas
  • BOTA 60 – 60 different islands / mainland areas
  • BOTA 70 – 70 different islands / mainland areas
  • BOTA 80 – 80 different islands / mainland areas
  • BOTA 90 – 90 different islands / mainland areas
  • BOTA 100 – 100 different islands / mainland areas

Requirements

  • Each qualifying QSO must be made with a valid activation of an island listed in the official BOTA list.
  • Each island counts once only for award purposes, identified by its unique BOTA reference.
  • Multiple QSOs with the same island do not increase the award total.
  • Contacts may be made on any authorised amateur radio band or mode, subject to the GMFF General Rules.
  • Activator-to-activator contacts may count where permitted under the GMFF General Rules.

Activator Awards – “Explorer Series”

The BOTA Explorer Series is awarded to radio amateurs and club stations who activate qualifying islands in the British Overseas Territories.

Award Levels

  • BOTA Explorer 10 – 10 different islands / mainland areasactivated
  • BOTA Explorer 20 – 20 different islands / mainland areas activated
  • BOTA Explorer 30 – 30 different islands / mainland areasactivated
  • BOTA Explorer 40 – 40 different islands / mainland areasactivated
  • BOTA Explorer 50 – 50 different islands / mainland areas activated
  • BOTA Explorer 60 – 60 different islands / mainland areasactivated
  • BOTA Explorer 70 – 70 different islands / mainland areas activated
  • BOTA Explorer 80 – 80 different islands / mainland areasactivated
  • BOTA Explorer 90 – 90 different islands / mainland areasactivated
  • BOTA Explorer 100 – 100 different islands / mainland areas activated
See also  PA/OR5R DXpedition to Ameland Island EU-038

Activation Requirements

  • Operation must take place from land on the qualifying island itself.
  • Maritime mobile operation is not valid for BOTA.
  • All parts of the station, including operator, equipment, power source, and antenna system, must be located on the qualifying island.
  • A minimum of 50 QSOs with 50 different stations is required for an activation to qualify.
  • Each island counts once only towards the Explorer award totals, identified by its unique BOTA reference.
  • Repeat activations of the same island are welcome, but do not count as additional islands for Explorer award purposes.
  • Activators are responsible for obtaining all necessary permissions before operating from any location.
  • Possession of an amateur radio licence does not in itself grant any right of access to land or property.
  • Activators must comply fully with all relevant laws, regulations, site restrictions, environmental protections, and land management requirements.
  • Club stations may also qualify, provided all operation is carried out under a valid callsign and in accordance with the GMFF General Rules.
  • If you plan to activate an island that is not listed in the official BOTA list, please contact us before the expedition. We will consider the island and, if accepted, assign it a unique BOTA reference number and add it to the official list.

Application Procedure

To apply for a BOTA award:

  1. Pay the award fee.
  2. Record your PayPal Transaction ID, as this must be included with your application.
  3. Download and complete the appropriate application form:
  4. Submit your completed application to info@gmff.uk.

Applicants are advised to ensure that all claims are correct before submission.

See also  Special Protection Areas Award (SPAA)

Optional engraved plaques may be available for certain award levels, subject to current availability and pricing.

BOTA Official List: https://gmff.uk/botalist.ods
Activator Application Form: https://gmff.uk/botaactivatorapplication.ods
Chaser Application Form: https://gmff.uk/botachaserapplication.ods
GMFF General Rules: https://gmff.uk/gmff-awards-general-rules
Award Fee: https://gmff.uk/product/gmff-award-fee
GMFF Membership: https://gmff.uk/gmff-membership
Coordinate Converter: https://www.adif.uk/coord
QRA Locator Map: https://www.egloff.eu/qralocator
British Overseas Territories Info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/British_Overseas_Territories

 

CategoryAwards
Tagsamateur radio award amateur radio expedition BOTA BOTA activator BOTA chaser BOTA official list British islands radio British Overseas Territories amateur radio British Overseas Territories Award British Overseas Territories islands DX island award gmff awards GMFF BOTA ham radio activator award ham radio islands award island activation award island chasing award island reference list overseas territories radio portable radio operation