Lou,
Once again, context is important.
Don's presentation was not talking about the casual DXpedition that might
cost one or two people a few thousand. Yes, this was mentioned, but it
was not the main focus.
And within THAT context only, if I can't afford to go on a vacation to
the Caribbean that happens to include a radio op for $5K, I'm not going
to go either. If I do go, I'm not going to expect to recoup my vacation
costs from those who worked me, either.
But -- that's not what the main focus here is.
You're not going to Heard Island, or Bouvet, or Navassa, or Baker &
Howland, etc., for $5000 either. Between logistics, licensing, boat
chargers, food & fuel, you're talking in the neighborhood (today) of
US$500,000.
Don's plea, as I recall (and Don, please correct me if I'm wrong) was
that the DX community as a whole, world-wide, find a way to continue to
fund these trips. Or they will stop, and the rarest of the rare will be
off the air for decades to come.
The cost-per-QSO breakdown simply gives you, or should give you, an
appreciation for what was involved. It was not meant (at least as I
heard it) as a suggestion that this should be a mandatory minimum amount
that you should include along with your QSL request.
Don also had a comment that more should join their local DX associations,
societies, foundations, etc., in order to strengthen those organizations,
and permit THEM to continue to help fund future super-rare operations.
Let's not let that get lost in the discussion either.
The bottom line is that we as a community simply can't expect others to
go to these places that we seek to contact purely for the thrill of a
pileup. Because when the costs to go far outstrip the means of the
operating team, they won't be able to go whether they want the thrill or
not.
73
-----Original Message-----
From: kf...@njdxa.org [mailto:kf...@njdxa.org] On Behalf Of Mecseri
Sent: Sunday, May 20, 2012 4:11 PM
To: li...@w2irt.net
Cc: dx-chat@njdxa.org
Subject: Re: [DX-CHAT] DX-PEDITIONS FOR US POOR FOLKS?
-pjd is making a valid point, but.........
On the other side of the coin, how can you put a price on the thrill of
being on the receiving end of a huge pileup for a week or two???????.
If it cost me $5,000 to go to a Dx Expedition, I would not compute my
cost per contact. If I would have to, I should not be going......
Just my 2cents worth
Lou KE1F
On 5/20/2012 3:47 PM, Peter W2IRT wrote:
Ryan hit the nail on the head, gents. Please download and analyze Don's
PowerPoint presentation when it becomes available on the site. There are
two facts that become blatantly obvious. One, the cost-per-QSO incurred
by the DXpeditions to bring you that rare on is very high. In some
cases, the cost they bear to bring you that new one is over $5.00 USD
PER CONTACT. In other less-difficult-to-get-to places it's in the $3
range. So those who toss $2 or an IRC into the envelope and nothing more
are putting more of the burden on your fellow hams. This is not
sustainable as prices to put these operations on increase. I can see it
if you work a guy once or twice, request a bureau card or wait out the
LoTW hit or toss a couple of bucks into an envelope. It's not right if
you picked up 20 greenies on Clublog. Sorry. They're not telling you
that you have to *pay* $5 or $3 per Q, but that's what THEY HAVE SPENT
to bring you the chance.
The second issue is that certain parts of the world are more readily
willing to lend financial support through QSL-request donations than
other parts of the world. I didn't take notes during Don's presentation
but I'm pretty sure the European donation percentage was infinitesimally
small as compared to the NA donation base (again, as averaged over
20-odd years by major DXpeditions). Less-than-1% if memory serves--Don,
if I'm wrong, please feel free to beat me about the head with a large
abacus.
Regardless of the exact percentages, it's irresponsible and outright
selfish to sit there and work these big-league ops and not toss
something into the hat not as a way to say thank you (which is a great
gesture in and of itself) but as a way to ensure they'll be able to
commit to going to that one place you need that'll put you over the top
and into the Honor Roll or to HR#1, maybe.
If you're so poor that you can't afford $10 or $20 a couple of times a
year, when you've bagged a biggie across a bunch of bands and modes,
then there's something wrong and I definitely think you should
reconsider your choice of hobby, or your desire to be a DXer.
Yeah, there are DXpeditions that I work once or twice and I'll send an
SASE or an IRC or even request a bureau card for. These are nominally
the ones I worked just 'cuz they were there and I thought "gee, it's
been a couple of years since I worked<entity> on<band>." But if it's
something I spend 2 weeks chasing up and down the spectrum, damned
straight I'll toss at least $10-25 into the hat, maybe more if money's
not as big an issue as it is now.
- pjd
-----Original Message-----
From: kf...@njdxa.org [mailto:kf...@njdxa.org] On Behalf Of Ryan Jairam
I don't begrudge a DXpedition for asking for a few $ or € to covver
their costs. It's your choice to work them. It may not fit someone's
definition of "ham spirit" but I also understand that without the
donations, many rare entities wouldn't be activated. It's just how it
is.
Some hams spend more than just money - they risk life and limb, just so
you can get a QSO in the log.
Ryan, N2RJ
