On 8/10/2012 9:34 PM, George Fremin III wrote:
> On Fri, Aug 10, 2012 at 08:59:28PM -0400, Jeffrey Embry wrote:
>
>> If this is indeed the case, then perhaps Virginia, Massachusetts, Kentucky,
>> and Pennsylvania, while politically different are technically Commonwealths
>> and not States.
> Whatever.
>
> I think they are states.
>
> Let me see
>
> US States have two senators each in the congress:
>
> http://www.senate.gov/general/contact_information/senators_cfm.cfm/
>
> Choose a State...... Those states are all listed.
>
>
I think a LOT of the debate here gets mired in politics - which is
unfortunate. DC is a unique city. Its not a state. Its not a
province. Its not part of Maryland, or Virginia. Nor will it ever be.
Nor, given the literal language of the Constitution and the Rules of the
House and the Senate, should it obtain a senatorial presence.
Instead we're talking about amateur radio and, in particular, amateur
radio contesting. Amateur radio and amateur radio contesting are funny
things. We create "entities" and multipliers for the oddest of reasons
and for the oddest of entities. There is a Navy base down in Cuba that
is a DXCC entity and a multiplier in contests. There is a 39 story
building on the east side of Manhattan that is a DXCC entity and a
multiplier in contests. There is a collection of coral rock (the volume
of which could fit into my house) that is less than 100 miles from the
country that claims it as its own possession, but is still a DXCC entity
and a multiplier in contests. Finally, there is a lovely palazzo
located at Via dei Condotti 68 in Rome which is a DXCC entity and a
multiplier in contests. We don't follow political rules - necessarily.
We don't make sense - sometimes.
That being said, I don't see the problem with advocating for DC as an
entity in contests. The ARRL 10 already does it; the ARRL DX already
does it; the CQWW 160 meter contest already does it. If they can, why
is it that a mid tier QSO party seems so resistant to it? Hell, all of
the aforementioned events do "states" yet they managed to include DC.
The earth did not shake; the skies did not fall.
Its not a programming issue because the contest software developers
managed to change their programs to add in about 40 multipliers for
Mexican provinces in the ARRL 10 and will have to change their software
again for the new Ontario provinces. Its not a ARRL section issue
because no one in DC feels the need to form a separate ARRL section.
Its not a volume issue, because we know there are at least 4 or 5 active
contesters on in DC (which is more than what I can say for certain
actual states in certain contests). So, what really is the problem?
Especially given that we are more than happy to confer entity status to
navy bases, coral rocks, Italian mansions, and office buildings in
Manhattan.
Put it to you this way, why WOULDN'T you want DC as a mult?
73 Rich NN3W
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