[CQ-Contest] ARRL DX Contests

[Kutzko, Sean, KX9X]

-----Original Message-----
From: Pete Smith [mailto:n4zr at contesting.com] 
Sent: Wednesday, December 03, 2008 7:43 AM

> Speaking of which ... why does ARRL continue to count 14 VE provinces
and 
> territories, while the RAC and the Canadian Government consider 
> Newfoundland and Labrador to be one entity?  Is it simply a desire to 
> maintain comparability with scores from many years past?

While drinking my morning coffee at HQ today, I pondered this question
and did some homework.

Newfoundland-Labrador was admitted into Canada in 1949. At that time,
the format for the ARRL DX Contest was that ALL stations sent a signal
report and transmitted power, not just the DX stations. Beginning in
1955, the ARRL DX Contest rules changed so that W/VE stations sent their
state or province. From the very first event, Newfoundland and Labrador
were separate multipliers. Why are they separate multipliers in ARRL DX
and not for Sweepstakes?

The short answer is most likely the simplest: because it provides more
multipliers for the DX stations to work. There is precedent in having
inconsistent multiplier lists: the District of Columbia is part of
Maryland in Sweepstakes, but stands alone for the ARRL 10 Meter Contest.
More mults generally means more fun. 

If you feel this is a problem, you are welcome to contact your CAC
representative and request the multiplier list be changed.

73, 

Sean Kutzko, KX9X
Contest Branch Manager

ARRL - The national association for Amateur Radio
225 Main Street
Newington CT 06111-1494
Telephone: 860-594-0232
Fax: 860-594-0259
email:skutzko at arrl.org