So, this isn't a self serving question, just curiosity.
What's going to get you to 25 BTC faster, mining or dedication to a signature campaign with a high rank (Sr Member or Hero)?
Maybe the better question is how long does it take for a miner to get their first block reward (of 25 BTC)? I can figure out the breakeven on the sig campaigns.
Based on your timing guess, how much equipment investment is required?
I have earned about 4 coins in a year with signature campaign. I post like mad I did this before I ever signed up for a campaign .
I do not think 4 coins a year is easy but 3 via signature can be done.
As for mining. Much harder to figure. But lets say you grabbed the sp-tech 15 miner farm for 5500usd.
Lets say you run 10 at 1200gh and sold 5 for 450 usd each.
All of the above is possible but not likely. this would mean the 10 you mine with cost you 3250 usd . toss in 5 good psu's and you are 4000 out of pocket.
you started jan 1 . so you mined for 72 days so far.
your power = 10 x 600 x 24 a day that is 144 kwatts or 14.40 a day at 10 cents make it 15 bucks a day in 71 days you spent 1065 + 4000 = 5065
what did you earn? hash rate was about 44.4 for those 71 days and 12th earns .1358 btc x 71 = 9.6418 btc x 293 usd = 2825 usd against 5065 spent so you are losing 2240 usd. next 71 days you spend the same 1065 on power you are 3305 in the hole
lets say diff is slow grow and you get 9 coins lets say that coins go to 300 that us 2700. so 142 days into this year you are 3305-2700 or 605 in the hole.
71 more days 1065 for power so 605 + 1065 = 1670 in the hole earn 8 coins slow diff grow coins go up a little bit to 325 8 x 325 = 2600
so 2600 - 1670 = 930 ahead 213 days into 2015 which at 325 a coin = 2.861 coins at july 31st 2015.
all gear paid off 10 machines on hand