so i finally did my first proper WWFF activation last weekend at a local nature reserve near me, KFF-XXXX reference if anyone's curious. been meaning to do one for ages and just kept putting it off because i was kind of intimidated by the whole logging and spotting thing. anyway i packed up my KX2 and a linked dipole, hiked in about 2km which was fine, set up under a big old gum tree and got on 40m.

the issue i ran into was i totally forgot to spot myself on the WWFF spotting network before i started calling CQ, so the first like 20 minutes i was basically just talking to myself. once i figured out how to get a spot up on my phone (signal was marginal but workable) the pile up came pretty quick which was great. ended up with 44 QSOs which i know is enough to validate the reference so im happy with that.

the logging side of things confused me a bit, i use HAMRS normally for POTA but had to figure out the WWFF specific submission format which took me a while when i got home. anyone got a good workflow for that? also wondering if its worth trying to qualify a reference that hasnt been activated before, there are a few near me that show as unactivated on the WWFF database

congrats on the first one mate, 44 QSOs for a first activation is really solid especially if you werent spotted for a chunk of it. the spotting thing trips up almost everyone the first time, ive seen people pack up thinking nobody was around when they just hadnt been spotted yet.

for logging i actually just use a paper log in the field and then manually enter into the WWFF logging tool when i get home. its a bit old fashioned but it means i dont have to stress about apps or file formats out in the bush. ADIF export from most logging software should work fine with the WWFF submission system though if you want to keep it digital.

and yes absolutely go for an unactivated reference if you have them nearby, thats one of the best things you can do for the program. some of those spots havent ever had a radio signal come out of them and its kind of cool to be the first. just make sure the reference boundaries are correct before you drive out there because ive definitely had a moment where i thought i was inside the boundary and wasnt quite

I've been doing WWFF for about two years now and honestly the submission process still feels a bit clunky to me compared to POTA's website. But it works. I export ADIF from Log4OM and upload directly, never had a rejection yet. The main thing is making sure your callsign, reference number, and dates all match exactly or it kicks it back.

Also worth joining the WWFF facebook group if you havent already, theres usually someone who can help troubleshoot and people post activation reports which are fun to read through