Team Leaders’ Guidelines

Basic Principles

Make sure careful records are kept. Use proper accounting methods.

Make sure that everyone is kept advised of what is going on. Stress Transparency

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.

1. Travel to a common point not covered.

2. Hotel and accommodations prior to departure in tent and generator expeditions not covered.

3. 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

Distribution of excess funds

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?

Checklist — things to think about

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

Who is in charge?

Who are the leaders?

What are their functions?

Who makes decisions?

Equipment Arrangements

List of equipment and goods from major and minor contributors

(Required advertising and PR?)

Publication Agreements

Agree who can publish and what

Agree on related subjects

Necessary agreements

Will OQRS be used?

1. Will a contribution be required?

2. How much?

Will logs be uploaded to LoTW?

1. When? (Delay?)

2. At what cost?

Will cards be handled via the bureaus?

(OQRS?)

Will direct cards be available?

1. When?

2. Contributions required?

Will arrangements for LoTW uploads or OQRS confirmations be made when individuals contributions are made via organizations?

Establish an operating authority — an experienced DXpeditioner.

Select experienced operators as well as some with less experience but with good attitudes, i.e. a willingness to learn.

Be sure each operator is aware of the overall operating strategy — who to work, how to prioritize, managing pileup size, etc.

Schedule the appropriate operator for each significant band opening. Some operators are better working Europe, some are better working Japan, some the USA, etc.

Schedule shifts long enough to become comfortable with the pile, but…

Not so long as to produce fatigue or a cranky attitude.

The managing operator(s) should observe each operator frequently.

Temporarily replace operators who are not managing well.

Be careful of the changes in operating style during operator changes: Maintain continuity in operating style, working districts, speed, instructions, etc.