Tips for Hunters: Maximizing Efficiency in WWA and Ham Radio Contests
Whether you're chasing activators for World Wide Award (WWA) or participating in ham radio contests, being an efficient hunter is crucial—not just for your own success, but for helping activators work as many stations as possible. Here are some essential tips that every hunter should know to keep the pileups moving and everyone happy.
1. No One Needs to Know Where You Live
When you make contact with an activator, resist the urge to share your precise location, city name, or local landmarks. A simple exchange of callsigns and the required information is all that's needed. Saying "This is VE3XYZ in Toronto, Ontario, near the CN Tower..." adds unnecessary seconds to each QSO—and when an activator has a pileup of 20+ stations waiting, those seconds add up quickly.
What to do instead: Give your callsign clearly, provide the required signal report or exchange, and that's it. The activator will appreciate your efficiency, and more hunters will get their chance to make contact.
2. There Is No Need to Give Out Your Location
This bears repeating because it's one of the most common inefficiencies in pileups. Your callsign already indicates your country (and often your region), which is typically all the information needed for logging purposes. The activator isn't conducting a geography lesson—they're trying to give out as many contacts as possible during their limited activation time.
Remember: Every extra word you transmit is time taken away from other hunters waiting in the queue. Keep it brief, keep it professional, and keep the line moving.
3. There Is No Need to Repeat the Activator's Call Sign
Once the activator has acknowledged you and you're clearly in a QSO with them, there's no need to keep repeating their call sign. They know who they are and that they're talking to you. Phrases like "Thanks for the contact, VE3ABC, this is VE3XYZ, 73 VE3ABC" are completely unnecessary.
Better approach: A simple "Thanks for the contact, 73" or "Roger, 73" is perfectly adequate. The activator will appreciate your brevity, especially during peak pileup times.
Bonus Tip: Keep Your Station Details to Yourself
No one needs to know that you're running an Icom IC-7300 with 100 watts into a G5RV antenna mounted at 30 feet, using a Heil PR-781 microphone. While you might be proud of your station setup (and you should be!), contacts with activators aren't the time to discuss equipment.
Why this matters:
- Activators are often operating in challenging conditions (weather, limited time, battery power)
- Other hunters are waiting patiently for their turn
- The information doesn't contribute to a valid contact
- It clogs up the frequency unnecessarily
Just give the signal report or exchange and move on. If you want to discuss station setups or have a longer conversation, wait until after the activation and reach out to the operator during a regular on-air session or via email.
The Bottom Line: Respect Everyone's Time
Being an efficient hunter isn't about being unfriendly or cold—it's about respecting the activator's limited time and the patience of fellow hunters. By keeping your transmissions brief and focused, you're demonstrating good amateur radio operating and being a respected member of the community.
Remember the golden rule of pileup operation: Get in, get out, and let the next person have their turn.
When everyone follows these simple guidelines, activations run smoothly, more contacts get made, and the hobby remains enjoyable for all participants. Plus, you'll quickly earn a reputation as a skilled and considerate hunter—something worth far more than the extra seconds you saved by skipping the unnecessary chatter.
73 and happy hunting!
