Cost of DXCC Challenge Award plaque
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| Jul 29th 2011, 18:47 | |
N4KZTotal Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
I'm not an ARRL basher, not after being a member for 42 years. But the cost of the DXCC Challenge Award plaque is, in opinion, high at $97. Yes, I know nice looking plaques are expensive. I deal with some of those same issues in my day job. But maybe if I knew what one of these plaques looked like, I would feel better about the cost and would be more apt to get the award. How about posting some pix of these plaques and awards on the website? And if they're already there, I apologize but I haven't found them. 73, Dave, N4KZ |
| Jul 29th 2011, 19:20 | |
w1rfiSuper Moderator Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
I did a Google search on DXCC challenge plaque and selected "images" using the button near the top of the Google screen. There were several nice pictures of the plaque in the search results. See http://www.sdxa.org/?p=979 If you then click on the picture, you'll get a nice high-resolution image. 73, Ed Hare, W1RFI ARRL Lab Technical forums moderator |
| Jul 29th 2011, 20:59 | |
0007055157H80Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
If that is a real Marble base..... it it worth every penny. Decent marble is not cheap. Not to mention the engraving and all that. I am just speaking of the substrate. It would definitely not be cheap to produce. Ed, Correct me if I am wrong, but I think 97 bucks is almost "cheap: under that circumstance. Nice looking award, by the way. :) Mike AB7ZU |
| Jul 29th 2011, 21:09 | |
w1rfiSuper Moderator Total Topics: 0 Total Posts: 0 |
It's nice looking, but I don't know one way or the other about the marble. Just as we got the DXCC forums underway, Bill Moore needed some time off (minor illness, according to his out-of-office email response), so it may be a bit before he gets caught up enough to respond to the forums. I didn't want to see the post go unasnwered at all, so I chimed in. I'm home now, getting ready for a trip to Lowe's to buy some things we need for a work detail in the Lab tomorrow, but I'll see if I can find out. Faux marble is looking pretty real nowadays, so it's hard to tell from the photo. Marble is also pretty heavy, so for a plaque meant to be hung on the wall, a lighter alternative may be best. Still, you are right; a custom-engraved plaque like that is not going to come cheap. And even if you assume that 2/3 of the QSOs were confirmed via LoTW, at a single green stamp per Q, the cost of confirmation is several to many times the cost of the plaque and award. I'm sure ARRL is also looking to have the cost of the award cover staff costs to process the award. With that "pay for services" approach to some of the things it does, ARRL has managed not to have a dues increase in many a year. Most members don't seem upset with that, although it certainly can't last forever. Hey, at least the forums don't come with a price tag for members, although there were very real costs to ARRL to set this up and to keep staff monitoring it and answering questions. 73. Ed Hare, W1RFI ARRL Lab Technical forums moderator |
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