Welcome to Beaches On The Air - BOTA

Amateur radio from the beach

Beaches On The Air is an award scheme for radio amateurs that promotes portable operation from beaches. We have rolls of honour and awards for activators (those who operate from the beaches), chasers (those who contact them from home or elsewhere), and sponsors (those who sponsor the activations in which activators and chasers participate).

You can participate from any beach, country or region around the world. Our programme currently lists more than 30,000 beaches, often drawn from official sources, such as environmental protection agencies, but we add new beaches all the time as they get activated. You can activate the same beach as many times as you wish and you can always earn additional points, and there is no restriction on how you get to the activation point or on the power source you use for your station.

Related content: 
Prepare, Promote, Picture
Friday, 1 January 2016
Updated: 1 February 2023
Video-tutorial rápido en español
Thursday, 9 March 2023
Updated: 11 March 2023
Embedded thumbnail for Tutorial: Componentes de una radio de HF portable para SOTA, POTA o BOTA
The differences that make BOTA unique
Sunday, 5 March 2023
Updated: 8 March 2023
For your next Beaches On The Air activation
Monday, 6 February 2023
Updated: 14 February 2023
On the occasion of India joining
Saturday, 21 January 2023
Updated: 27 January 2023
Undertanding the criteria used for new beach listings
Wednesday, 18 January 2023
Updated: 1 February 2023
The importance of regular chasers for activators
Saturday, 30 April 2022
Updated: 30 April 2022
Awards, distinctions, levels, colour codes
Wednesday, 27 April 2022
Updated: 27 April 2022
Displaying your achievements as an activator, chaser or sponsor
Saturday, 9 April 2022
Updated: 9 April 2022