Team Leaders’ Guidelines

DXpedition Organizing

I – DXpedition Funding

Basic Principles

1. Make sure careful records are kept. Use proper accounting methods.
2. Make sure that everyone is kept advised of what is going on. Stress Transparency.
3. Make sure everyone agrees. Written agreements are advantageous.

Expenditures and Revenue – Checklist

Definitions

1. What are expedition-specific expenses? (Common expenses vs individual expenses)
   
2. Expected cost of expedition-specific expenses
   
3. Initial per member investment required for expedition-specific expenses
   
4. Expected total cost per individual for common expenses.
   • Travel to a common point not covered.
   • Hotel and accommodations prior to departure in tent and generator expeditions not covered.
   • Individual expenses for fly-in and hotel expeditions should be negotiated prior to the expedition. Expedition-specific or individual expense.
     
5. Status of contributions – Prior to, during and after the expedition.
   
6. Distribution of excess funds.
   
7. Funding – Accounting and Visibility
   • Soliciting funds
   • Who has provided funding and how much has been contributed?
   • How are people compensated?
   • Will the accounting be visible to team members?

II DXpedition Organization and Planning

Checklist — things to think about

1. Expedition Description.
   • Destination
   • Operating authority and other necessary permits and documentation.
   • Clearly state — in public — the goals of the expedition. Max uniques, band-modes, low bands, etc.
   • Transportation considerations.
   • Station configuration vs goals
     
2. Who is in charge?
   • Who are the leaders?
   • What are their functions?
   • Who makes decisions?
     
3. Equipment Arrangements.
   • List of equipment and goods from major and minor contributors
     (Required advertising and PR?)
     
4. Publication Agreements
   • Agree on who can publish and what.
   • Agree on related subject.
     Necessary agreements.
5. QSLing
   • Will OQRS be used?
   • b. Will a contribution be required.
   • How much?
6. Will logs be uploaded to LOTW
   • When? Delay?
   • At what cost?
7. Will QSL cards be handled via the Bureaus.
   • (OQRS?)
8. Will direct QSL Cards be available?
   • When?
   • Contributions required?
9. Will arrangements for LOTW uploads or OQRS confirmations be made when individuals contributions are made via organizations?

III – Operator Selection and Management

1. Establish an operating authority — an experienced DXpeditioner.
   
2. Select experienced operators as well as some with less experience but with good attitudes, i.e. a willingness to learn. The DXPP.
   
3. Be sure each operator is aware of the overall operating strategy — who to work, how to prioritize, managing pileup size, etc.
   
4. Schedule the appropriate operator for each significant band opening. Some operators are better working Europe, some are better working Japan, some the USA, etc.
   
5. Schedule shifts long enough to become comfortable with the pile, but…
   
6. Not so long as to produce fatigue or a cranky attitude.
   
7. The managing operator(s) should observe each operator frequently.
   
8. Temporarily replace operators who are not managing well.
   
9. Be careful of the changes in operating style during operator changes: Maintain continuity in operating style, working districts, speed, instructions, etc.