[CQ-Contest] There goes the Clean Sweep

[Jeff Clarke]

No disrespect to my Canadian friends but....

I remember during the last couple years that some stations in the 
Maritimes complaining (on this reflector) because each provinces didn't 
count as a separate multiplier. Some even threatened to boycott the SSB 
Sprint if they didn't get their way and the rules were changed to 
appease them. I think the multipliers for the CW Sprint and NAQP were 
changed as well. Despite this the Canadian participation is very poor in 
most ARRL contests , with the exception of VE2/VE3. There are usually no 
more than a few from each area of Canada besides VE2/3 in ARRL sponsored 
contests.

I'm not sure how the ARRL determines if they should split a 
state/province into multiple sections? If you go by population you could 
make an argument that Illinois, Ohio, Georgia, North Carolina and 
Michigan which are in the top ten in population in the US, should be 
split into multiple sections. The population of Pennsylvania is almost 
the same as Illinois but it has two sections (EPA and WPA) and IL has 
one. The population of Ontario is 14.57 million. Toronto's metro 
population is 5.9 million and the Toronto region has a population of 9.2 
million. This is 64% of the total population of Ontario and they have 
four sections (ONE,ONN,ONS and GTA)

I could make an argument that Georgia should be split into two sections. 
The population of Georgia is 10.6 million. Of that 6.5 million is the 
Atlanta metro area. So 61% of Georgia's population is in the Atlanta 
area. Pretty much the same distribution as Ontario. I'm sure if you did 
the calculations you would find the majority of Illinois is in the 
Chicago metro, in North Carolina the Charlotte metro and Michigan the 
Detroit metro area. Ohio is split between the Cleveland, Columbus and 
Cincinnati metro areas which have similar populations.

I'v never understood why there are Canadian sections in the first place. 
I guess that's just the way it's always been? If I'm not mistaken isn't 
the RAC separate from the ARRL?  They have their own domestic contests 
with Canada Day and the RAC contests. Why can't  Sweepstakes be the 
domestic contest for the USA? Multipliers are USA sections and you could 
work stations outside the US (including Canada) for QSO credit.

Jeff


On 1/3/2020 10:18 AM, Steve London wrote:
> For Sweepstakes purposes, why does the ARRL remain committed to 
> honoring new RAC (Radio Association of Canada) ARES Sections ? RAC 
> ARES is splitting PEI from Maritime, hence the new SS section.
>
> This is the same reasoning that Ontario was split into 4 SS sections a 
> few years ago.
>
> Of course, the ARRL contradicted their own reasoning by splitting 
> Alberta and Yukon into different SS sections, even though they are the 
> same RAC ARES section.
>
> https://www.rac.ca/ares-sections/
>
> 73,
> Steve, N2IC
>
>
> On 01/03/2020 03:43 AM, Mike Smith VE9AA wrote:
>> Although I did not enjoy the slag by Pete, he's actually right.  
>> Folks in
>> general (there are exceptions) don't enjoy having to send "MAR" when 
>> they
>> could be sending PE, NB or NS, so participation is a little lower for
>> SS/ARRL160 and CQP up here with good reason.
>>
>>
>> Everyone else in NA gets to do this.  Some states/provinces have 
>> multiple
>> sections.
>>
>>
>> So, while Pete seemingly forgot about me, VE9CB, VE9HF, VE9DX, VE9XX, 
>> VE9ML
>> and everyone else in NB..until the ARRL allows me to send "NB" (where I
>> really am) I won't make much of (or any) showing in the ARRL160 or
>> Sweepstakes. (ditto the California QP)..the last 3 holdouts worldwide
>> clinging tenuously to RAC "sections."
>>
>>
>> Mike VE9AA "New Brunswick"
>>
>>
>> Mike, Coreen & Corey
>>
>> Keswick Ridge, NB
>>
>>
>> From: Mike Smith VE9AA [mailto:ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca]
>> Sent: January 3, 2020 6:32 AM
>> To: 'cq-contest at contesting.com'
>> Subject: Re: [CQ-Contest] There goes the Clean Sweep
>>
>>
>> ".PEI is a thoroughly delightful place with a couple of big stations.  I
>> suspect the real effect will be to make the Maritime section harder 
>> to get.
>> It's enough to encourage a road trip to New Brunswick
>>
>> 73, Pete N4ZR."
>>
>>
>> Yeah, cuz we all know.there are no contesters at all in New Brunswick 
>> Pete!
>>
>>
>> Myself, if I was worried about sections it would be VY1 or NNY or 
>> something.
>>
>>
>> MIKE VE9AA
>>
>>
>> Mike, Coreen & Corey
>>
>> Keswick Ridge, NB
>>
>>
>> _______________________________________________
>> CQ-Contest mailing list
>> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
>> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>> .
>>
> _______________________________________________
> CQ-Contest mailing list
> CQ-Contest at contesting.com
> http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/cq-contest
>