[SFDXA] [Dx-qsl] N1DG's DXpedition Costs powerpoint

[fish7days]

Ed,

I agree with your sentiment. I think most hams never really take the time 
to conceptualize what it could actually cost. Quite staggering, when you 
quantify all the details in terms of money!  Hey, does anyone need EL96? I can 
do it :-)

Andre
N1AJV




________________________________

For a week now I've been reading comments from people shocked at how incredibly 
high DXpedition budgets are, and my level of puzzlement has been steadily 
increasing.  When I saw this presentation, my response was, "Wow!  They did 3Y0X 
for under than $500k!  How'd they do that?!?"

I was under the impression that the budgets for these DXpeditions -- especially 
the Southern Ocean DXpeditions -- were far higher than it turns out they are.  
**I** certainly wouldn't want to be responsible for organizing 3Y0X, for example 
-- a three-year project that included the five-week lease of an Antarctic-rated 
vessel with fuel and crew, a helicopter with fuel and Antarctic-rated pilot, 
getting tons of Antarctic-rated shelters, equipment, etc. in a container shipped 
from NA to Ushuaia (and stored there until the expedition arrives), getting 
Iridium satellite phones (and air time), buying insurance for a Southern Ocean 
voyage, etc., not to mention the time and manpower needed to work through the 
environmental approval, landing permit and licensing hassles -- if I were given 
a budget of $475k.  I would have refused that job assignment outright, as being 
impossible on its face.  I'm not sure I would have done it for twice that 
amount.

I've always thought 3Y0X was one of the greatest DXpeditions ever organized.  
After hearing of its budget, I still do, but now also think that K4UEE and K0IR 
should receive some type of travel financial-efficiency Hall-of-Fame award.  
Just amazing.

(And that was the DXpedition with the *largest* budget, I think.  The *smallest* 
Southern Ocean DXpedition budget was $160k.  How was that financial miracle 
performed?)

Let me turn this question on its head:  How much did the average DXer think 
these expeditions cost?  Did people really think a group of 20 could be sent to 
a Southern Ocean island for two weeks for less than this?  Or is the expressed 
amazement we're hearing now just due to the fact that no one gave a thought to 
this issue before?

Ed Callaway, N4II