[CQ-Contest] DC in NAQP, WHY? - End of Thread

[Eric Rosenberg]

Thanks to all who have contributed to this thread. My hope is that we 
can end this discussion and get ready for the next contest.

- Thank you to K0XQ, who said, "This did not happen overnight, there 
have been requests from Eric andothers for a number of years. And their 
concerns were shared on this forum"

Thank you for acknowledging our fight, which started at least 10 years 
ago. I've saved the most out outrageous comments I received over the 
years. To say that some of them are beyond description (or repeatable) 
is an understatement. I need to acknowledge the groundbreaking work of 
K3ZJ and W4KM who convinced the ARRL to add DC as a multiplier in the 
ARRL DX contest (and possibly the ARRL RU and 10m contest, along with 
the CQ160 contest) long before I took up the cause with the NAQP 
management.

- Thank you to N2IC for his comment, "Can't believe anyone is getting 
their feathers ruffled over this. DC is not a state. DC is not part of 
Maryland. DC has far more contest activity than most of the North 
American countries that have always counted as multipliers in the NAQP."

Looking at a map illustrates Steve's point. If you want to know more 
about the District, look us up in Wikipedia. Our political structure, 
governing status and representation in Congress are unique within the 
continental United States. While I wasn't the only DC station on for the 
RU (N8HM, MNN3RP and 4U1WB made token efforts), I did make more than a 
feeble attempt (5+ hours). As we say in Washington, my best laid plans 
were OBE - Overtaken By Events. In this case a family medical emergency.

And yes, "DChas far more contest activity than most of the North 
American countries that have always counted as multipliers in the NAQP." 
I can think of *many* states that have a lesser number of entries (or 
rather, no greater number) in any given contest.

- Thank you to K9YC who wrote "Modern cities are a terrible place to try 
to do ham radio." Jim speaks the truth! Of the list provided by Rich, 
NN3W (who works in DC) NN3RP, KE3X, N8HM and I operate from our homes 
while 4U1WB, K3VOA and W3HAC are club stations. None of our stations are 
large by any measure. KE3X and I have small roof-mounted tribanders at 
the outer edges of the District; NN3RP has a roof-mounted tribander and 
W3HAC has wires. Both are halfway between my QTH and downtown; K3VOA and 
4U1WB are located downtown DC, which, as with NN3RPs QTH, is an 
incredibly noisy RF environment. N8HM, lives near Nationals Park (just 
south of the Capitol), and managed to put every DC NPOTA entity on the 
air, no mean feat in this somewhat paranoid city (especially when law 
enforcement sees antennas and radios they aren't familiar with). Paul 
has also made 4000 QSOs on the amateur satellite from his apartment. 
N3QE often operates from KE3X or joins, N8HM (and Marylander W2CDO) at 
my place for the ARRL DX contest (or any other one they want to do). Our 
multi-single efforts are "tag team" style. One person in front of one 
radio at a time. And if conditions are bad and we're not having fun, 
we've been know to walk away for a few cold ones!

- And thanks to K0HB, who summed it up for me. "We all will benefit 
somewhat (an additional mult), and hams in DC will benefit by being more 
sought as a mult. Even MD hams will benefit because they will slightly 
more rare, AND a new "easy" mult next door." I'm *never* going to win 
any prize for my contesting efforts. I just want to have fun, by both 
giving YOU another mult to chase and being on the other end of a pileup!

So there you have it.

If you're coming this way, give us a shout. The PVRC has multiple lunch 
and dinner meetings both in the District and neighboring metropolitan 
area every month. We always welcome newcomers.

See you in the next one!

73,
Eric W3DQ
Washington, DC (and proud of it)