Why don't DXpeditions run modern digital modes?

[VK3BSF]

Didn't see the WIA as a donor for the upcoming Mellish Reef Dxpedition??

http://vk9mt.com/index.php?option=com_c ... &Itemid=70

[VK4TS]

Why would they ?

[VK5BC]

DXpeditions to remote locations, especially not those served by regular commercial airlines are very expensive because the cost of the boat charter is huge. You could probably look up the FT5ZM financials somewhere, but I would guess that 3/4 of the $450,000 budget is transport. The DXpeditions are funded up front by the expedition team members, with some of the costs later covered by sponsorship and QSL returns. I read somewhere that the FT5ZM team members had put up about $15,000 each to make this possible. Budgets shown are usually the costs from a common embarkation point, so fares and accommodation to this point and home again are considered personal expenses.
I'm up for around $14,000 to participate in the VK9MT expedition in March. The boat charter is around $90,000, with a total budget around $130,000. The team members may get a little back, depending on the level of sponsorship and support, but by far the bulk of the cost is borne by the DXpedition team members. This will be no "holiday". There are no pubs, restaurants or cafes on Mellish Reef. Nothing! What's there to see? Birds and bird s**t. It will be a long, hot, hard slog from start to finish.
If you think that the big DXpeditions are a money-making exercise, you're bloody dreaming. The amounts requested for QSL cards usually just covers the cost of printing and mailing the cards all over the world. Many people will throw in a couple of bucks extra to show their appreciation. Some will just whinge that they have to pay any money at all to receive a card, which will cost the DXpedition something, even if sent via the Bureau.
73 and have fun,
Luke VK3HJ

Thanks for highlighting the real costs associated with DXpeditions. I think too many operators take the DXpeditions for granted and expect too much from them while assuming they are having a great time and are making $'s when as you have outlined it will cost you $'s. I request cards online and add a couple of extra bucks.

Looking forward to hearing you from Mellish.

73's Brian
VK5BC

[VK2AAH]

Yes I can see Luke lazing in his deck chair sipping a cool ale next to the pool at the luxury resort they are staying at on Mellish....

We now return to reality... I told Luke yesterday he was insane to do this. You have to be slightly demented to spend considerable money to travel to a place full of sand flies and crabs and not much else...

Cheers


Richard
VK2AAH

[VK4WDM]

I have never been to Mellish, but I have been to other remote islands and atolls in the Pacific. Insanity is not an absolute requirement but it sure helps.

I think that the dxpeditions do a great job. I certainly would not like to deal with pileups day after day, especially with some of the abuse and bad behaviour they have to put up with. I don't have the funds to make donations, but I always send more than enough "green stamps" with my QSL request.

73

Wayne VK4WDM

[VK2VEL]

I've never liked RTTY and haven't ever had much success with it with a modest station, compared to PSK and JT65. A little more fiddling around, getting the freq offset right etc compared to PSK as a soundcard mode through DM780 for me, and admittedly I don't do it often enough to be on the ball with it.

I'm curious as to why PSK63, PSK123 specifically aren't more popular for the major Dxpeditions? They are just as fast, and more efficient for bandwidth and decode and point and shoot for the user in the software. Is it a 'legacy thing', with the ARRL only recently opening DXCC up to data other than RTTY?

The Russian and Ukrainian special events seem to churn through PSK63 and 123 QSOs like nothing else!