Re: Administravia, part II

[Vance Tyree <tyree@xxxxxxx>]

This message is sent by Vance Tyree <tyree@xxxxxxx>
to hard-core-dx@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx:


I am one of the "guilty" lurkers on this list. To date I have not
contributed anything to its goals. I'm not likely to do so in the near
future because I am just beginning to acquire some serious DX
receiving equipment and the necessary antennas. I have just acquired
an NRD-535GS receiver that I believe is more than adequate to the
task, but I have still to find adequate antennas that will fit into
the limited space that I have at home. I have some good ideas for how
to achieve my goals of a good antenna system, but in the mean time I'm
using this list to get a clear idea of what can be achieved at
various locations and with different equipment.

If I am dropped from this list it would mean that I will have to learn
"open loop" without the benifit  of the obviously very experienced
DXers on this list. My first reaction to the proposed restriction
of list members to "active contributors" was that I don't need to
belong to an elitist group. I would much prefer the warmth of a
cogenial, supportive group that fosters participation by example.

Then the real probelm surfaced in Risto's recent message. His
maintainence of this list is obviously a labor of love, but it's
costing him considerable money. I fully understand his wish to
restrict his out of pocket expensed to only those who can contribute
to his and every list members enjoyment of hearing the rare DX. We
clearly need to help him find a way to reduce his expenses so that
lurkers like myself can get up to speed to begin contributing to the
hobby. We all need to begin solving this problem.


> This message is sent by Risto Kotalampi <rko>
> 1) I HAVE TO PAY ABOUT THE LIST!!!
> 
> Yes... common argument on your emails seemes to be that "lurkers"
> don't cause any problems. That is not true. Hard-Core-DX-lists
> have about 130 subscribers at the moment. I will have to pay about
> my international traffic. I have estimated that the list will cost
> me about $30-40/month beginning of November, 1995 if number of traffic
> remains at the level it is now and number of subscribers is 130.


I don't immediately have any way to serve as a relay in any automatic
mode. If there were a way then I would be happy to serve as the USA
relay for this list. I will contact my system guru to see if I can
create such a service. The problem is that USC may not permit a hobby
list to be hosted on our computers. Is there someone else on this list
that can help Risto deal with his expenses. There is no reason why we
can not help to reduce his expensed in exchange for his willingness to
maintain the list.

> 
> One solution to this problem would be a relay site in the U.S.A.
> Anybody who could offer me such? Relay site = only one email
> will be sent to that address and distribution to States would be
> done from there. That would reduce traffic caused by the list
> dramatically.

I see no way that we can conveniently send payments to him because
this is an international list. Money exchanges will be a mess. The
best solution is to have relays set up in any remote list members
where Risto is exposed to undue expenses.

> And of course... I have already mentioned in the beginning of the
> list that some subscriber fees may be collected later. Are you
> ready for it? How much would you be ready to pay about the list?
> If some payments comes, Andy's (lawendel@xxxxxxxxxxx) suggestion about
> separate fees for active and inactive members is worth considering.

Let's gather together our collective resources to solve this problem
as soon as possible. I will contact our system guru at USC to see if
there is even a remote chance that we can host the relay in the USA.
Risto, if you could post to this list what the cost parameters are
(i.e., under what conditions are charges to you on a per message
basis) for you, then the members of this list can begin to address
issues of how to minimize your costs by setting up relays elsewhere.

Does this sound reassonable to everyone?

Regards,
	Vance Tyree

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| Vance C. Tyree			Internet: tyree@xxxxxxx        |
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