[CQ-Contest] Move to disband MAR section in Canada (for contesting)

[David Siddall]

Multipliers were not created out of thin air to benefit some and disadvantage others. Rather, they are based on boundaries created for other purposes. 

Where sections are multipliers, that is what it should be.  Where states and provinces are multipliers, that is what it should be.  This is fair when there are  no exceptions to the rules.

DC IS part of ARRL's MDC section, so when sections are multipliers that is what it should count for. There has never been any movement whatsoever to split DC from the MDC section.   B U T  DC has not been part of the State of Maryland since the 1790's, well before ham radio existed, so when states are multipliers DC either should be counted separately or not at all.  In other words, everyone live by whatever the rules are.  The status of W3DQ (or KE3X, N8HM, NN3RP, W3HAC, K3VOA, etc.) is irrelevant.  

73, Dave K3ZJ



>> On Oct 30, 2014, at 9:41 PM, Jim Brown <k9yc at audiosystemsgroup.com> wrote:
>> 
>> On 10/29/2014 1:09 PM, Mike & Coreen Smith VE9AA wrote:
>> A group of us contesters here in the "MAR" section feel the time has come to
>> announce the end of the MAR section in not only ARRL contests but all
>> contests. When our Department of Communications (now Industry Canada)
>> granted us separate prefixes for New Brunswick (VE9), Nova Scotia (VE1) and
>> Prince Edward Island (VY2), they recognized they we were distinct Provinces
>> with enough Amateur Radio operators to support a distinct call sign. And as
>> multipliers go, why wouldn't you want to have three new districts to work
>> when multiplied by six bands you have a substantial increase in your scores.
> 
> Hi Guys,
> 
> You are missing a couple of VERY large points here. First, adding multipliers like this is only justified if it benefits the entire contesting community. The addition of the three new VE3 sections HURT competition in SS, because those sections are far easier to work for W1, W2, W3 than for W6 and W7. The same would be true for NAQP and NA Sprint. Second, if you want to add sections, you must justify that by having a critical mass of stations on the air from those sections. I've got a big station, and it's rare that I work more than one or two MAR in those contests. DC wants to split from MDC, but it's also rare to find a DC station workable from the west coast, especially since W3DQ has been laid up.
> 
> Third, many contests have 100W and QRP categories. From a contesting point of view, to justify adding those multipliers, you've got to have multiple stations capable of HEARING stations at that power level from all participating sections.
> 
> Think of this -- count the active contesters in MAR, count those in CA. I want the same number of sections per contester out here as you have there.
> 
> Finally -- for those of us on the left coast, WPX and NA contests are almost the only ones where we can be competitive. All the DX contests, including those on 160, are a waste of time. Don't screw that up for us!
> 
> 73, Jim K9YC
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