ARLA/CLUSTER: Bouvet Island DXpedition: Não sei porque, mas isto faz-me lembrar uma conhecida equipa de futebol da 1ª Liga em Portugal ali para os lados da segunda circular

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Bouvet Island DXpedition

Bigger chances for a bigger team at 3Y0

Following our previous announcement we have received a huge number of
requests and suggestions to make our project better and more
successful. We REALLY appreciate and consider them all.

Majority of the notes – understandably – refer to increasing a number
of bands and modes we'll be active on from Bouvet Island. This all
pushes us to expand our plans.

Even though we initially planned the 3Y0I DXpedition with a small (but
sturdy) power-sailor yacht and by a small, reliable and experienced
team, we can't deny we've also been looking for a chance to go there
with a bigger team. It's clear we should do so to meet the huge demand
of ATNO and to provide as many slots/modes worldwide as possible.
We've also been looking to different options to reduce expedition's
cost while utilizing maximum resources: operators, equipment + right
security measures.

As also announced before, we've found a suitable and – the most
important – reliable ship in a perfect shape with a responsible crew
with Southern Oceans and Antarctic experience – at much lower cost.
After negotiations with the ship's owner, we were able to reduce our
DXpedition's budget to – ATTENTION! – 225,000 USDs in total. YES –
we're talking about the REAL cost of bringing a BIG team and a GOOD
gear to the island. And another “YES”: we've already secured MORE THAN
A HALF of our estimated budget amount and signed an initial contract
with the ship's owner.

Since any other DXpedition to Bouvet Island isn't going to materialize
anytime soon, and most of the donations funded to previous Bouvet's
activation are being sent to DX Foundations around the world (and yet
they were dedicated by donors to this particular entity), we decided
to apply for grants to cover missing amount of our budget.
By doing so, we feel much confident that's a right decision-making and
we've got right arguments in hands:

* Drastically lower cost of the project while still maintaining an
experienced and reliable big team and equipment to meet DXers' demands.
At at least 1/3 of cost of any other similar expedition announced recently!

* After careful reading of application and grant rules of DX foundations
we apply to, none of them states they'd support a specific group of
operators/applicants but they're clearly in charge to support projects
that meet application criterias and ventures to bring rare DXCC
entities on the air and which continue ham radio legacy. It's our turn
and chance now, isn't it?

* As said before, the money collected by different organizations are
meant to be spent on the very precisely defined purposes: eg.
Bouvetøya on the airwaves for the ham radio community worldwide. Thus,
once granted, in this particular case and circumstances, we shouldn't
ask individual donors for donating to the same entity over again, but
expecting the support from the foundations themselves. Individual
donors already donated much to a project that turned out unsuccessful
and with the foundations' support received, we wouldn't feel ethically
"OK" and in charge to ask for private money for the same goal.

* At last, but not least, we wish to bring back life to DXpeditioning
and to make it more open for next ham radio generations by cost
reducing and opening – at last – "DXped doors" to new experienced
operators.

We strongly believe that DX foundations we've applied to will
understand our arguments and possibilities and will rise to the
challenge of our way of thinking: more ham radio, more attractive
activations from the most wanted entities and less money and business
involved. Crossing fingers for bringing Bouvetoya onto airwaves. It's
our chance now!

https://bouvetoya.org/

Fonte:via OPDX