What is UKBOTA
United Kingdom Bunkers on the Air (UKBOTA) is an exciting mix of amateur radio and history enabling radio amateurs to ‘activate’ with portable and mobile operations from historic bunker locations and for hunters and chasers to have QSOs with those activating stations (and should they wish to, to ‘collect’ the special ‘bunker reference’ numbers).
UKBOTA is affiliated with the Radio Society of Great Britain (RSGB), as well as being an official affiliated club (AFS) we are also formally recognised as an RSGB Special Interest Group (SIG). You can frequently read about UKBOTA activities in the RSGB’s magazine Radcom and on GB2RS news. UKBOTA is also a club member of the Royal Air Force Amateur Radio Society (RAFARS).
Free awards for activating and hunting bunkers are available but it’s also okay if you’re not interested in awards and just want to get involved by having a QSO or shortwave listening. Whatever your approach – have fun!
A getting started guide is here or select from the ‘Home’ sub-menu. If you just want to see a map or list of UKBOTA bunkers click here.
What is UKBOTA Bunkerbase 2?
BunkerBase was launched in December 2023 as the online database for UK Bunkers on the Air (UKBOTA). The first version of BunkerBase (1.00) reached its end of life in September 2025. BunkerBase 2 (BB2) is a direct replacement for the original version: it retains all core capabilities while adding a host of new and exciting features. BB2 uses a new data model and several modern technologies to ensure speed and accuracy, as well as providing a rich and visually attractive interface to UKBOTA data. The use of BunkerBase 2 is not mandatory. UKBOTA supporters are welcome to activate, hunt, and claim awards without using BunkerBase.
A link to BunkerBase 2 is in the menu at the top of this page.
What is WWBOTA
WWBOTA is Worldwide Bunkers on The Air, UKBOTA is one of 16 countries in comprising the WWBOTA family. More information on WWBOTA, including the worldwide bunkers spotting tool is here.
What's new in UKBOTA?
The next UKBOTA ‘special event’ is Royal Observer Corps Bunkers 2025 (ROC25). The event runs 1st-31st October 2025.
This is one of our busiest events of the year enjoyed by activators across the length and breadth of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, and by hunters and shortwave listeners worldwide.
Free awards are available for all. Join us: Have fun with amateur radio and learn about the history and organisation of the Royal Observer Corps. Click here for more information.
UKBOTA Bunker Wiki
Planning an activation? Check out our Bunker Wiki and see if there is any information on previous activations of your intended activation site here.
Who pays for UKBOTA?
UKBOTA is entirely ‘Community Funded’. Our running costs are paid for by the generous donations of our many supporters, if you wish to make a donation please ‘buy us a coffee’ by clicking the link below:
Password Problems?
This site uses your old account details (including password) from bunkerbase.org, if you have forgotten your details then try a password reset.
Do not rely on auto-fill the first time you try to log on!
If you did not previously have a bunkerbase.org account you can go ahead and register a new account here.
If all else fails message one of the admin team and we will help you.
UKBOTA Social Media
Near a bunker?
Check by using the excellent mapping software by Steven M1SDH (UK Ham Portable Map) using the map thumbnail below. For a full screen view click here.
Live bunker spots
Check by using the excellent fieldspotter.radio application by Ian M0TRT using the map thumbnail below. For a full screen view click here.
UKBOTA Admin Team
The Boss -M0DXT (Bill)
Web & References – M0ICR (Carl)
Awards – M0XIC (Mark)
Communications – 2E0JIV (Jason)
API & Cluster Magic – M1SDH (Steven)
Email for awards:
awards @ ukbota.org
Hot Links
M0TRT (Ian) page, the home of fieldspotter.radio and other useful applications here
Ham2K portable logger (PoLo) here
G5STU (Stuart) Station Master page here
Station Master GO (Portable) here
G5TM (Tim) YouTube channel, lots of antenna and portable operation ideas here
K4OGO (Salty Walt) YouTube channel, more antenna and portable operation ideas here
(C) 2025 UKBOTA – UK Bunkers on the Air