Get your equipment ready and check your antennas, because May 2026 is shaping up to be extremely busy in the international WWBOTA calendar! We have a marathon of activations ahead of us covering all of Europe: from the Historic Counties (HC26) event in the United Kingdom, which runs throughout the month, to the ‘May Liberation’ anniversary award, organized by our colleagues in the Czech Republic (OKBOTA). Furthermore, the beginning of the month brings an absolute premiere with the activation of the SF3HF callsign in Sweden, marking the official debut of SMBOTA locations in the global circuit. Whether you are field activators or home hunters, this month offers no moment of respite – it is the ideal time to bring the bunkers out of the silence of history and back to life on the airwaves!
The main event organized by UKBOTA (United Kingdom Bunkers on the Air) for May 2026 is entitled Historic Counties (HC26). It takes place throughout the entire month (May 1–31, 2026) and is dedicated to celebrating the historic county structure of the United Kingdom and the Channel Islands. During this special activation, radio amateurs are invited to ‘activate’ (operate portable or mobile stations) from historic bunker locations, defense fortifications, or observation points from the Cold War era, offering signal hunters the opportunity to make radio contacts (QSO) with these symbolic sites for the history and civil defense of Great Britain. Info: https://ukbota.net/hc26/
Special OKBOTA Event – ‘May Liberation’ 2026. May 2026 will offer all radio amateurs the opportunity to combine history with our shared hobby. Between May 1–31, 2026, a special event organized by Czech Bunkers On The Air will take place, dedicated to commemorating the liberation and the end of the Second World War. Throughout the month, activators can bring the silence of the Czech bunkers back to life, telling their stories through radio waves. Hunters will have the opportunity to make contacts with locations closely linked to our history, both in times of war and peace. To honor the events of May, participants in both categories can obtain a special award. Info: https://www.okbota.cz/
Special SF3HF Activation: Premiere for SMBOTA in Sweden. Between May 1–3, 2026, the special callsign SF3HF will be active on the shortwave bands (80m – 10m), marking a historic moment for the amateur radio community in Sweden. The event, organized by the SK3BG radio club, will take place at one of the most impressive bunker-museums from the Cold War period and marks the premiere of the B/SM-0001 location within the international network. This activation under the SMBOTA umbrella is particularly significant, being the first of its kind since Sweden officially became part of the WWBOTA (World Wide Bunkers on the Air) organization, offering rare entity hunters the unique opportunity to contact a newly homologated Swedish defense site.