TopBand: Re: Dxpedition comments

[Dan Flaig,K8RF]

Chris R. Burger wrote:
> 
> 
> What sparked some of this international mud-slinging was a series of
> comments about perceived inadequate operating skills on a certain
> DXpedition.  As these comments are thoughless and virtually identical
> to the misplaced comments in the early days of the K7K expedition, I
> don't think I'll even try to address those concerns again.  Let me
> just point out:
> 
> *  It is a fact of life that the people that have the inclination,
>    time and money to go on DXpeditions are not necessarily the
>    best equipped for the job.
> 
> *  It is also a fact that someone who sacrifices significant time,
>    money and energy to go on a DXpedition cannot be dictated to.
>    Quoting the organiser of a recent low band DXpedition:  "My
>    time, my money, my energy, my sleep, my equipment, your rules?
>    No way!".  The Golden Rule applies:  "He who spends the gold,
>    makes the rules".
> 
> It's a free world.  You're welcome to organise the best DXpedition
> the world has ever seen, using your own time and your own resources.
> If you cannot do that, at least sit back and allow the other guys to
> do their thing.
> 
Very well put Chris!

I am at CONSIDERABLE sacrifice going along with Nick VK2ICV to VK9LX
November 34 to Dec 1.
 I need a new car.(I'am not kidding,I drive a 1980 Ford)
But I'm going on this trip anyway,and I am really looking forward to
hearing a lot of people complaining about how Nick and I slept through
so and so's greyline opening,aren't working RTTY or don't listen for USA
or EU or whatever.
 I won't probably work much SSB either,but guess what? You won't be
driving my piece of @#$% car for another six months beacuase of this
trip,I will.
 Its real easy to sit back and complain abt how someone else isn't doing
things how we would like but last I heard, Nick had received donations
of $17 and I have rcvd $5 from VE7BS; this is for a trip that will cost
me at least $3500,so as far as I'm concerned those few people such as
VE7BS who have been kind enough to lend a helping hand are the only ones
who have the right to whine abt anything.(Also W8UVZ and friends have
kindly loaded us the "Battlecreek Special" antenna,TNX)
 So if you would like to complain abt our little operation at least be
so kind as to send us two cents before you put your 2 cents worth in!

But seriously, I have a bad case of QRN addiction and will do my best to
work 160 for all its worth before the contest,I hope to give everyone a
new one!

> One final perspective:  Even Rudi Klos was not born a perfect
> DXpeditioner.  Looking back at my own DXpedition efforts, I must
> concede that some of the early operations were embarrassingly small
> scale.  Nevertheless, people like the NCDXF supported us, and we
> learned new tricks.  By the time the opportunities for bigger things
> came along with Walvis Bay and the Penguin Islands, the painful
> lessons had been learned and we were ready to do reasonable
> operations with tens of thousands of contacts and with a reasonable
> presence on the low bands.
> 
> What would have happened if those first 500-QSO efforts at H5AYB and
> ZS6BCR/A22 were subject to the same kind of scornful public rhetoric
> that the current expeditions are?  Who knows?  But I can venture a
> guess.  A nineteen-year old packing his jalopy with modest equipment
> and driving a few hours to a neighbouring country would probably not
> have reacted too well.  Would that nineteen-year old's untested self
> image have survived the assault of a barrage of ill-considered
> comments by armchair operators with a beer gut?  I doubt it.  Would
> he have been around when more worth while opportunities presented
> themselves?  I doubt it.  He may well have taken up stamp collecting.

AMEN!!!!!! 

> 
> So, guys:  We all understand your frustration at missing a new
> country.  
Funny how the "Best run DXpeditions" are always the one you worked on
the first call!
And the ones you miss are run by a bunch of Lids!?
We all understand that you absolutely must work all
> countries by your next birthday.  Just cut the operators some slack.
> And if you really must vent your spleen, do it in the privacy of your
> own home.
> 
> Chris R. Burger
> ZS6EZ
BTW, I will rembember to listen for you
Chris!!!!!(ZS6EZ,ZS6EZ,ZS6EZ....!!!)

Best 73 and see you in the VK9LX pileups!!

Dan Flaig K8RF, Second Op VK9LX
2101 Ronaldson Ave.
Cincinnati, OH
45230-1510

(513)232-2182

-- 
73
Dan
K8RF

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