[DX-CHAT] DXpedition support
The remark about a guy wanting hams to pay for his vacation via DXpedition donations, brings me to a comment I have thot abt for a long time: Today, much of DXpeditioning is only for the rich... rich enuf to finance the trip, and enuf to be off work (or retired) for the duration. That is a sad situation because I have encountered several possible wanted entity DXpeditions that could not happen because the key person(s) could not afford to spend personal funds to make the trip. So, much as I dislike funding someone's vacation, there is often a difference and I fully understand that some of us hams are in a vy gud position (via contacts or location or whatever) to go to some highly wanted entities, but simply lack the funds to do so. I know that I feel somewhat ashamed to ask for donations, loaner gear and other help for my DXpeditions, but it is do that or not activate the entity.. I do not know the answer but hope a small discussion about this matter can bring out some good ideas. tnx and 73 Charles Harpole [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] DXpedition support
Personally I don't mind chipping in a small amount. Ok, so someone gets a subsidised trip - so what? If they get on the air and disturb a few electrons then they're giving the ham community a service, utilising bandwidth and making people happy. Small price to pay! Dave G0OIL - Original Message From: Charles Harpole [EMAIL PROTECTED]To: dx-chat@njdxa.orgSent: Wednesday, 23 August, 2006 9:55:15 AMSubject: [DX-CHAT] DXpedition support The remark about a guy wanting hams to pay for his vacation via DXpedition donations, brings me to a comment I have thot abt for a long time:Today, much ofDXpeditioning is only for the rich... rich enuf to finance the trip, and enuf to be off work (or retired) for the duration.That is a sad situation because I have encountered several possible "wanted entity" DXpeditions that could not happen because the key person(s) could not afford to spend personal funds to make the trip.So, much as I dislike funding someone's vacation, there is often a difference and I fully understand that some of us hams are in a vy gud position (via contacts or location or whatever) to go to some highly wanted entities, but simply lack the funds to do so.I know that I feel somewhat ashamed to ask for donations,loaner gear and other help for my DXpeditions, but it is do that or not activate the entity..I do not know the answer but hope a small discussion about this matter can bring out some good ideas.tnx and 73Charles Harpole[EMAIL PROTECTED]Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chatTo post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.orgThis is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] DXpedition support
I doubt that it's any more expensive to mount a DXpedition these days than it was 40 yrs ago...and is likely cheaper. Done first class, it's always been an expensive proposition. I suspect it takes more dedication than it does money, although it clearly costs some bucks. John K5MO -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.405 / Virus Database: 268.11.3/423 - Release Date: 8/18/2006 Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] DXpedition support
Isn't that what organizations like the NCDXF are for, to evaluate the worthiness of a particular dxpedtiion and provide some financial assistance? Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
Re: [DX-CHAT] DXpedition support
On Wed, 23 Aug 2006, john wrote: I doubt that it's any more expensive to mount a DXpedition these days than it was 40 yrs ago...and is likely cheaper. Done first class, it's always been an expensive proposition. I suspect it takes more dedication than it does money, although it clearly costs some bucks. John K5MO They aren't all vacations, either. Sitting in a place like Peter I or Bouvet for a couple weeks isn't my idea of a vacation, anyway. Ron ZL1AMO told me about one of his visits to Rotuma. He said the food he had was terrible, he was constantly plagued by insects, and he got sick while there. Again. not my idea of a vacation. BTW does anyone know how Ron is doing these days? 73, zack W9SZ Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
[DX-CHAT] Dxpedition Support
Hi Folks,
Although I can't comment on expeditions to the most wanted entity, I can say that ideas of expedition donations paying for a free vacation or making money for the operator are highly exagerated.
If things go well, donations included with qsl requests may pay for the qsls, but probably not. These donations are more than offset by bureau requests, USA stations sending bureau requests through the DX bureau to an operator in the US, stations who do not include an envelope with the qsl request, cards sent to the operator which the operator must then forward to the QSL manager, etc.
I can say for my FP operation this month, if every contact sent me $1 with the qsl request it would not pay for our plane tickets from Sydney, NS to St. Pierre. Then there is the expense of driving more than 2000 miles with motel stays, the motel cost in St. Pierre, meals, 50 trips to radio shack for some connector or adapter, a laptop to log on, a 32 foot extendable mast, qsl card printing, postage to send the growing stack of cards to the qsl manager from people who for some reason can't read as they are getting the address from QRZ.com, and it goes on and on. {don't forget gifts for the YLs since they couldn't go to St. Pierre with us!}
Unless an entity is at the very top of the wanted list any donations received are mearly a token of appreciation gratefully received, but thoughts of people getting free vacations or getting rich are out in fantasy land. For the most wanted expeditions, likely the costs are so astronomical that the operators would never expect to recover what they personally put into the expedition.
For smaller DXpeditions getting loans of equipment is more expensive than it is worth.Again, the largest DXpeditions may get donations of rigs which they then leave in country for the newhams in return for full page QST ads. But, for the normal places you must put the gear on your credit card, pay shipping both ways, and when the gear is returned they take the charge off the card. I don't know of any Dxpedition operator getting equipment donations and keeping it after the trip. If they did getany outright donation of gearthey would sell it after the trip towards the expenses, maybe I'm wrong.
The motivation is not to make money. If so, it would be best to choose another business, because it won't happen. It is fun to go to different places, be the wanted station, and I personally get great satisfaction from the qsls indicating the person is very grateful for the contact or new country, especially qrp or whatever. Why else would I travel thousands of miles, climb giant boulders trying to put up an antenna, pay 37 Euros for a piece of codfish for supper, to sit in a motel room to pull out one more 229 OK1 station on CW during the crappiest band conditions ever encountered? I guess I need to go to the seminar to learn how to make money on DXpeditions because I'm definitly doing something wrong!
Just my 2 cents.
73,
Duane, WV2B
"Therewardofathingwelldoneistohavedoneit."-RalphWaldoEmerson
Re: [DX-CHAT] DXpedition support
Didn't this used to be a pet peeve of KH2D's? Seems I've heard this complaint before... Problem is, there's DXpeditions and then there's DXpeditions. If someone is planning a nice two week jaunt around the Caribean or similar area, operating in between applications of sun screen at the hotel pool, well no, I don't feel real obligated to help pay for the trip. Return postage for the card is one thing, but the trip? That's your holiday or vacation, it should come out of your pocket. But then there's trips like K1B, 3Y0, VX0LIX, etc. These aren't vacations. These are truly expeditions to the remoter reaches of the globe, to activate these rare spots for The Deserving (and the rest of us poor schlubs too). I don't mind helping out with the costs of these with a small donation, when I can. Where do you draw the line? Aye, there's the rub. 73, ron w3wn - Original Message From: Charles Harpole [EMAIL PROTECTED] To: dx-chat@njdxa.org Sent: Wednesday, 23 August, 2006 9:55:15 AM Subject: [DX-CHAT] DXpedition support The remark about a guy wanting hams to pay for his vacation via DXpedition donations, brings me to a comment I have thot abt for a long time: Today, much of DXpeditioning is only for the rich... rich enuf to finance the trip, and enuf to be off work (or retired) for the duration. That is a sad situation because I have encountered several possible wanted entity DXpeditions that could not happen because the key person(s) could not afford to spend personal funds to make the trip. So, much as I dislike funding someone's vacation, there is often a difference and I fully understand that some of us hams are in a vy gud position (via contacts or location or whatever) to go to some highly wanted entities, but simply lack the funds to do so. I know that I feel somewhat ashamed to ask for donations, loaner gear and other help for my DXpeditions, but it is do that or not activate the entity.. I do not know the answer but hope a small discussion about this matter can bring out some good ideas. tnx and 73 Charles Harpole [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org Subscribe/unsubscribe, feedback, FAQ, problems http://njdxa.org/dx-chat To post a message, DX related items only, dx-chat@njdxa.org This is the DX-CHAT reflector sponsored by the NJDXA http://njdxa.org
