[CQ-Contest] Boundaries Between ITU Zones 6/7/8

[Joe Subich, K4IK]

Nat,

> For the first time in years, I will be doing a full effort in 
> this weekend's coming IARU contest and for the first time ever, 
> I will be doing it from a simi-competative station. One thing 
> that I've always wondered about IARU is how one is to tell 
> whether a U.S. station is in ITU zone 6, 7, or 8. Sure, W6 
> is clearly zone 6 and Florida is clearly zone 8, but where 
> exactly are the boundaries between the zones? From the map 
> that I have, the boundaries are for the most part vertical. 
> In that case, are they scaled to the Maidenhand grid squares? 
> And if so, which grids are in each zone?

The sources are contradictory on this .. ARRL publishes one 
set of data here: http://www.arrl.org/contests/vev0vy.html#wkna.
Until recently, IARU Region 2 had another map on the web that 
showed the boundary between 6 & 7 following state lines and 
the boundary between 7 & 8 following the Mississippi River.  

I don't know of any information from the FCC on this (they can 
modify the boundaries for domestic regulatory purposes).  

73, 

   ... Joe, K4IK