[CQ-Contest] NAQP Rules and the District of Columbia - Time For Action!

[Eric Rosenberg]

Fellow Contesters,

As one who cannot devote much more than 12 hours per contest, I really 
enjoy all aspects of the NAQPs... except that the District of Columbia, 
where I live, appears to be the only north American US entity 
(certainly in CONUS) that does not count as a separate multiplier.

The NAQP rules state:

"Multipliers: Are U.S. states (including KH6 and KL7), 13 Canadian 
provinces/territories (British Columbia, Alberta, Saskatchewan, 
Manitoba, Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, PEI, 
Newfoundland/Labrador, Yukon, NWT and Nunavut) and other North American 
countries. District of Columbia counts as Maryland. Non-North American 
countries, maritime mobiles and aeronautical mobiles do not count as 
multipliers, but may be worked for QSO credit.

---------------

My question is what are the "other North American countries" in the 
rules above.

If Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are considered "other North 
American countries" -- they appear to be -- and are counted as 
multipliers, and noting that both (along with Guam, a "Non-North 
American country") have the same political standing and representation 
in the US Congress as does the District of Columbia (i.e., one 
non-voting Delegate in the House of Representatives; subject to federal 
taxation; Congressional (House and Senate) approval of local 
legislation, etc.), is this enough ground for DC to count as a 
multiplier, too?  We residents of the District are no more citizens of 
Maryland than residents of Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands are.

A recent callsign demographic survey showed the following 
population/number of licensed amateur radio operators (from 
http://www.ah0a.org/FCC/ARRL/State0A.html)

District of Columbia = 572,000 / 417
US Virgin Islands = 97,000 / 289
Puerto Rico = 3,800,000 / 5534
American Samoa = 63,000 / 103
MP (Commonwealth of the Marianas) = 59,000 / 377
Guam = 157,000 / 520
AA (Military - Americas) = 46
AE (Military - Europe) = 268
AP (Military - Asia) = 256

I made a similar query/request some years ago of the NAQP managment and 
received a terse "no way" to any consideration adding DC as a 
multiplier.

I'd appreciate a better understanding of the rules as stated above, and 
a path we as contesters might follow to rectify this situation!

73,

Eric W3DQ
Washington, DC