[CQ-Contest] Excessive power (in USA)

[Doug Smith W9WI]

Am I blind, or naive?

I've been contesting for over 25 years, have operated from or at least
visited several of the best-known & most successful stations.  (K4VX, K3LR,
N4ZZ, W0AIH, K4JNY (usually used with the W4PA call), W9YT in the 1970s,
among others)

The only place I have ever seen a power amplifier capable of more than 1.7kw
output is at work.  (unfortunately the dual 50kw rig won't go below
66MHz and is only capable of A5 emission<G>)  

Are there in fact contesters in the States running this kind of thing? 
Judging from the operating ethics of a small number of operators it wouldn't
surprise me.  But it's certainly nowhere near universal, or even common, at
least around here..
-- 
Doug Smith W9WI
Pleasant View (Nashville), TN EM66
http://www.w9wi.com