[ADXA] Some DXped comments and changes over the decades ( SORRY for my LONG observations )

[Sandy Hutson]

ADXA
Bill K5FUV touched on a subject that can be long, individualized and a bit open to discussion; the contributions to DXpeditions, especially BEFORE the trip and being asked for on the front end. On rare DXpeds and especially those requiring several HUNDREDs of thousands of dollars for a boat rental, we all have seen that donations are asked for on the front end but agreeing that the DXped operators will be willing to put up to 50% of the total expenses, IF needed. So much depends on the DXpeds QSO count and total $ income after a trip from clubs, foundations and individuals. A long trip and rare DXCC DXped costing $500-800K and with 16-20 ops, will be asking each op to contribute up to $25,000 on the front end if needed! As pre-trip donations come in, that operators amount might be lowered considerably before “take off” of the DXped.. And after a trip, further DX operator initial contribution might be down to almost nothing or lowered considerably. This is why some trips do not have younger, working ham DXers on a trip as an operator because finances and wives will not allow (1) high front end expenses and (2) being away from home for 4-8 weeks, especially when work vacation time is usually only 2-4 weeks!

Years ago, and a couple of our members can vouch for this, we took DXpeditions and all expenses were paid for and guaranteed by the individuals on the trip, whether a solo or 2-4 person trip. We did NOT ask for pre-trip contributions and relied on doing a ‘good job’ and making a reasonable # of QSOs to satisfy band and mode and DXCC count needs. The addition of a number of ARRL DXCC certificates and plaques several years ago made QSO demands go up considerably. In the 60-80s, working someone on CW and SSB satisfied the need for mixed, CW and Phone DXCC or perhaps a special 160m or 6m DXCC. When WARC bands were approved in 1979, things really changed, since so many DXers wanted “band” DXCC counts to be kept track of, shooting for 5 Band DXCC awards initially and then even more multi band DXCC awards later, etc... All of this lead to almost all DXped trips being mandated to make SO MANY more QSOs, stay longer on a trip and spend much more money overall. The pre-trip donation situation started up BIG TIME in the 1990s and 2000s and especially with VERY RARE entities being planned, usually requiring a big Braveheart type boat. And then there’s the easy to get to P5 but crazy administrative political issues keeping it isolated. The ARRL has discussed a few times the potential of deleting a country if not activated in 10 years. That way all serious DXers would be on TOP of the HR in just 10 -12 years or so. I am against that, as each DXer has to ‘pay his dues’, and usually that means a LOT of time spent almost daily and a several years of chasing DX.. It was serious discussion in the early 1980s until 3 of the 4 least active countries were activated within a year! So, it’s worth the wait was the final decision! 😊 

K5FUV, AI5P, W5SJ and I can agree that the “old days” have gone by on DXpedition funding.. In my 25 DXpeditions to 50 DXCC entities (7 in the top 10 and  2 #1 ranked countries), I NEVER asked for pre-trip donations and only once asked for a POST TRIP donation of 3000 QSLs printing cost that was approved by the NCDXC. But I did have to send a copy of my logs to them which I did. That was after the 1976 D6A and K5QHS/FH Mayotte and /FL8. And post trip donations were so minimal in nature, covering postage and a small donation by some ‘thankful’ DXers. HI HI  No real club donations pool of $$ in the early days! Once W5SJ Bill Priakos personally donated some QSLs for my K5QHS/CE0 trip to Juan Fernandez in 1973 and was appreciated so much. ADXA member, AI5P Rick, can vouch for the seldom pre-trip donations or post trip help from clubs or foundations, especially in the earlier years. Our expenses were all on us, so to speak and post trip SASE or IRCs enclosed sometimes had a buck or two for a “thank you”. I always thanked the donor in my QSL comments. 😃

So, I agree with FUV for the most part, watching out for too many pre-trip donations when proper planning has not been done or if by some “known person or two” who are head of that rare entity trip and have had bad experiences of failings in the past. K4UEE and his past groups have had  great planning, and we all know that DURING a trip things can happen beyond anyone’s control. Those situations are understandable. Bob’s overall trip guidance for years always proved to be well planned and outcomes were as expected. And if necessary, refunds would always be offered 100% to everyone, as in the case of boat failure at Bouvet a few years ago. Sorry for these long observational and experienced comments by me, but some of our younger ADXA members may not have known about the historical things decades ago that govern what we as individuals consider today as to how and when we contribute to a DXpedition’s cause.. 👍  

San  K5YY    (thanks again Bill Priakos for the printed /CE0Z QSLs in 1973) !!!! 😁 👌





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