so i finally did my first WWFF activation last weekend, been wanting to try this for ages after seeing posts about it on here. picked a local nature reserve that was already in the database, KFF-something i forget the exact number offhand. brought the FT-891 and a linked dipole, set up near a picnic table which was maybe not the most adventurous spot but whatever, it worked.

the problem was i had completely underestimated how long it would take to get 44 QSOs which is apparently what you need for a valid activation. i had about 3 hours and honestly thought that would be plenty. ended up with like 38 before a massive storm rolled in and i had to pack up fast. so technically a failed activation i guess but i still had so much fun and learned a ton.

question is, does any of that count toward anything or do you really need to hit 44 to get it logged on wwff.cc? also is there a good way to find hunters who are specifically looking for WWFF contacts, like a spotting network or something? i used the regular pota spots app out of habit but im not sure if thats the right place for wwff

yeah unfortunately 44 is the threshold so those 38 contacts wont count as a valid activation for the WWFF database, but dont let that discourage you at all. everyone has a partial activation at some point, weather especially has a way of ruining plans. the good news is the contacts themselves still count for the hunters who logged them, so youre not wasting peoples time or anything.

for spotting, wwff.cc has its own self-spotting system built in and theres also a cluster specifically for WWFF. a lot of hunters watch the POTA spots too since theres so much overlap between the two programs, a lot of references are in both. i usually post to both when im out just to maximize the pile. next time you go back to that same reference the 44 should be pretty easy if conditions are decent and you get spotted early, the hunters really do show up once they see a new spot come through.

38 contacts in 3 hours honestly sounds pretty decent to me, im still working up the nerve to do my first one lol. did you have any trouble finding the actual reference number for the park before you went? i've been trying to figure out the wwff.cc website and its a bit confusing compared to the pota one