NA-248 VY0M に関してのVE3LYCからのメッセージ

この朝にVE3LYC CezarがIOTA-chasers Forumに長文のメッセージを掲載されました。下記に転載します。早速websiteを訪問しましたが、ドネーション協力者が少ないと思いました。

Hi guys, If you checked recently the expedition website (http://vy0m.weebly.com), you know that all logistics are now in place for the trip to Melville Is., NA-248. Today I posted a note on the status of group sponsorship. The cost of the present project is projected at $20k or 44% of the Sandy Islet project. However, the 'per person' cost is 78% higher ($20k compared with $11.25k). With only one potential group sponsor remaining to get back to me after the meeting in Friedrichshafen this weekend, the current support received from group donors represents 57% of that received for Sandy Islet project. Please make no mistake, I am extremely thankful to each group donor for their absolutely invaluable contribution. However, this leaves me with a very high bill. I am very grateful to all individual chasers who donated to the Melville project. This being said, since my last request for support posted on this forum had very little impact - if any, I am not convinced that another request would lead to a different result. As such, I would like to ask you to share with me how do you see this type of activities in the future. Group sponsors are very important, but there are a lot of competitive projects looking for their funding, and only projects to rare DXCC have a serious chance of getting some. ClubLog's OQRS is a very nice and convenient tool. However, if we request $5 for a direct QSL card, there is a $0.50 paypal fee charge, costs of office supplies and cards, plus the cost of mailing the cards. Let's say the operators make $2 net on any request. In case of Sandy Islet project, we received about 720 requests via OQRS. This comes to about $1,400, not including additional donations. Vast majority of those who requested direct QSL cards by mail included $2-3, and thus do not contribute to project funding. I recall that boating to Sandy and back, Bob, Craig, Johan, and I talked about various options, among which: - Should we increase the OQRS fee commensurate with the project cost? Would have a $6 per VK6ISL QSL card been acceptable? How about $7, or $10? ClubLog discourages high amounts, but what is reasonable and what not, and how should this be announced/established? - Should we abandon the direct mail option and stay exclusively with OQRS? As such, if some people continue to send cards by snail mail we will have to return them to senders without replying? We received about 350 direct requests by mail for VK6ISL, or 33% of all direct requests [not including those from GDXF, SDXF, and DX Italia]. - Should we abandon confirmations via the bureau? We received about 750 bureau requests (including via ClubLog) to date for VK6ISL. This excludes the numerous confirmations received via the bureau from chasers who have also submitted direct requests. There are various chasers who regularly donate with their direct QSL request, either via OQRS or by mail. However, the vast majority of the chasers who request cards by mail or via the bureau do not contribute to funding an operation. I do believe that there is a difference between holidaying in S7 or YJ for example, with family and/or friends, taking the rig along and operate 'holiday' style, and going to a remote place on Earth with the only scope of doing amateur radio. My opinion is that the cost of the latter trip should be shared between activators and chasers, since none cannot enjoy the hobby without the other. What do you think? I am probably not going to travel again to the IOTA groups I have been to. But in order for the IOTA program to survive well into the future, someone else should, so that service can be provided for those in the community who have not been able to contact those references. Should we wait for high-rollers to organize and fund these projects? Should we wait for the occasional scientist who may also have an amateur radio interest at heart? Should we continue to rely on those relatively few chasers who contribute to virtually every single operation? Once they have that 'new one' confirmed, would they continue to support a second operation? There is no question in my mind that the operators have to cuff up a very important portion of the expenses. They benefit from the fun of being at the center of adventure, and of potentially gaining notoriety. However, as a chaser myself, I believe that chasers also benefit from these projects, in that they have fun too, and - through their results - can also gain notoriety. I am very interested in your feedback. While I am looking to any suggestions which can potentially bring additional support from the IOTA community for the upcoming Melville project, I am also very keen to find out how you see things developing in the future. Cheers, Cezar, VE3LYC      

私も直接にProject参加の依頼をいただきました。残念ながら私のアパマンアンテナではVY0エリアを20数年間、聞いたことが無いと申し上げました。個人的にはビームが必要と思います。どうぞ支援のご健闘をお願いいたします。