diff --git a/app.go b/app.go
index abb2f2d..c11a9cf 100644
--- a/app.go
+++ b/app.go
@@ -96,12 +96,13 @@ const (
 	keyLookupFailsafe = "lookup.failsafe"
 	keyLookupImages   = "lookup.download_images" // 1 = expose QRZ ImageURL to UI
 
-	keyStationCallsign = "station.callsign"
-	keyStationOperator = "station.operator"
-	keyStationMyGrid   = "station.my_grid"
-	keyStationCountry  = "station.my_country"
-	keyStationSOTA     = "station.my_sota_ref"
-	keyStationPOTA     = "station.my_pota_ref"
+	keyStationCallsign         = "station.callsign"
+	keyStationOperator         = "station.operator"
+	keyWatchlistContestPattern = "watchlist.contest_pattern" // auto-add contest calls containing this
+	keyStationMyGrid           = "station.my_grid"
+	keyStationCountry          = "station.my_country"
+	keyStationSOTA             = "station.my_sota_ref"
+	keyStationPOTA             = "station.my_pota_ref"
 
 	keyListsBands      = "lists.bands"
 	keyListsModes      = "lists.modes"
@@ -739,6 +740,7 @@ type App struct {
 	watchlist    *watchlist.Store     // Tools → Watchlist (global watchlist.json)
 	watchAlertMu sync.Mutex           // throttles watchlist alerts…
 	watchAlertAt map[string]time.Time // …per entry
+	watchPattern atomic.Value         // auto-contest pattern (string), loaded at startup
 	operating    *operating.Repo
 	udp          *udp.Manager
 	udpRepo      *udp.Repo
@@ -1391,6 +1393,7 @@ func (a *App) startup(ctx context.Context) {
 	a.pota = pota.New(func(format string, args ...any) { applog.Printf(format, args...) })
 	a.watchlist = watchlist.New(filepath.Join(a.dataDir, "watchlist.json"))
 	a.watchAlertAt = map[string]time.Time{}
+	a.watchPattern.Store(strings.ToUpper(strings.TrimSpace(a.settingOr(keyWatchlistContestPattern, ""))))
 	go a.pota.Run(a.ctx)
 
 	// DX Cluster (multi-server): the spot callback enriches each spot
diff --git a/app_watchlist.go b/app_watchlist.go
index 64c9d88..5f64bb4 100644
--- a/app_watchlist.go
+++ b/app_watchlist.go
@@ -11,12 +11,35 @@ import (
 	"strings"
 	"time"
 
+	"hamlog/internal/applog"
 	"hamlog/internal/qso"
 	"hamlog/internal/watchlist"
 
 	wruntime "github.com/wailsapp/wails/v2/pkg/runtime"
 )
 
+// The auto-contest pattern, DXHunter's contest_prefix: while non-empty, any
+// spotted callsign CONTAINING it is added to the watchlist as a contest entry
+// by itself — a special-event fleet (HB9WWA, DL0WWA, F4WWA…) is collected as
+// it appears instead of typed in one by one. Held in an atomic so the spot
+// pipeline never touches the settings store per spot.
+func (a *App) GetWatchlistContestPattern() string {
+	if v := a.watchPattern.Load(); v != nil {
+		return v.(string)
+	}
+	return ""
+}
+
+// SetWatchlistContestPattern stores the pattern (global, like the list itself).
+// Emptying it stops the auto-add; entries already collected stay — deleting an
+// operator's list because a setting changed is DXHunter behaviour this port
+// deliberately drops.
+func (a *App) SetWatchlistContestPattern(p string) {
+	p = strings.ToUpper(strings.TrimSpace(p))
+	a.watchPattern.Store(p)
+	a.setSettingGlobal(keyWatchlistContestPattern, p)
+}
+
 // WatchlistEntries returns the list for the tab.
 func (a *App) WatchlistEntries() []watchlist.Entry {
 	if a.watchlist == nil {
@@ -160,6 +183,20 @@ func (a *App) watchSpot(dxCall, band, mode, country, comment string, freqHz int6
 		return
 	}
 	entry, notify, ok := a.watchlist.MarkSeen(dxCall)
+	if !ok {
+		// Not watched yet — the auto-contest pattern may claim it. Contains, not
+		// prefix: the event string sits anywhere in these calls (HB9WWA, F4WWA/P).
+		if p := a.GetWatchlistContestPattern(); p != "" &&
+			strings.Contains(strings.ToUpper(dxCall), p) {
+			if err := a.watchlist.Add(dxCall, true); err == nil {
+				applog.Printf("watchlist: auto-added %s (contest pattern %q)", dxCall, p)
+				entry, notify, ok = a.watchlist.MarkSeen(dxCall)
+				if a.ctx != nil {
+					wruntime.EventsEmit(a.ctx, "watchlist:changed")
+				}
+			}
+		}
+	}
 	if !ok || !notify || a.ctx == nil {
 		return
 	}
diff --git a/frontend/wailsjs/go/main/App.d.ts b/frontend/wailsjs/go/main/App.d.ts
index 91c44fa..7df62f4 100644
--- a/frontend/wailsjs/go/main/App.d.ts
+++ b/frontend/wailsjs/go/main/App.d.ts
@@ -602,6 +602,8 @@ export function GetUltrabeamSettings():Promise<main.UltrabeamSettings>;
 
 export function GetUltrabeamStatus():Promise<main.UltrabeamStatusInfo>;
 
+export function GetWatchlistContestPattern():Promise<string>;
+
 export function GetWebPublishConfig():Promise<webpub.Config>;
 
 export function GetWebPublishStatus():Promise<main.WebPublishStatus>;
@@ -1228,6 +1230,8 @@ export function SetUIPref(arg1:string,arg2:string):Promise<void>;
 
 export function SetUltrabeamDirection(arg1:number):Promise<void>;
 
+export function SetWatchlistContestPattern(arg1:string):Promise<void>;
+
 export function SetWinkeyerTrace(arg1:boolean):Promise<void>;
 
 export function SetWorkedCallVariants(arg1:boolean):Promise<void>;
diff --git a/frontend/wailsjs/go/main/App.js b/frontend/wailsjs/go/main/App.js
index ecc094f..5f7c8df 100644
--- a/frontend/wailsjs/go/main/App.js
+++ b/frontend/wailsjs/go/main/App.js
@@ -1142,6 +1142,10 @@ export function GetUltrabeamStatus() {
   return window['go']['main']['App']['GetUltrabeamStatus']();
 }
 
+export function GetWatchlistContestPattern() {
+  return window['go']['main']['App']['GetWatchlistContestPattern']();
+}
+
 export function GetWebPublishConfig() {
   return window['go']['main']['App']['GetWebPublishConfig']();
 }
@@ -2394,6 +2398,10 @@ export function SetUltrabeamDirection(arg1) {
   return window['go']['main']['App']['SetUltrabeamDirection'](arg1);
 }
 
+export function SetWatchlistContestPattern(arg1) {
+  return window['go']['main']['App']['SetWatchlistContestPattern'](arg1);
+}
+
 export function SetWinkeyerTrace(arg1) {
   return window['go']['main']['App']['SetWinkeyerTrace'](arg1);
 }