[CQ-Contest] Changes to Canadian Sections may have consequences for Four ARRL contests

[Jeff Clarke]

I've never really understood what the relationship is between RAC and 
the ARRL .  There is nothing on either the ARRL or RAC webpages that 
speaks to this issue. So I Googled "rac and arrl partnership" and this 
is what AI returned:

/The Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) and the ARRL (American Radio Relay 
League) have a partnership and work together in several ways, 
particularly within the realm of amateur radio in North America
.
Here are some key aspects of their relationship:

Field Day: ARRL Field Day, a major amateur radio event, is open to 
amateurs in the areas covered by the ARRL/RAC Field Organizations and 
countries within IARU Region 2.
Contest Sections: Both organizations utilize a system of "Sections" in 
their contests, with specific designations for ARRL/RAC Sections used in 
contests like Sweepstakes, the 160 Meter Contest, and Field Day./

/Reciprocal Operating Agreements: The US and Canada have an automatic 
reciprocal operating agreement that allows licensed amateurs to operate 
in the other country with minimal issues. US   amateurs need to carry 
proof of their citizenship and valid license and use the US call sign 
followed by a stroke and the appropriate Canadian prefix.
Historical Connection: The Canadian Radio Relay League (CRRL), which 
later merged to form RAC, was originally a division of the ARRL before 
becoming autonomous.
Collaboration on ARRL News: The ARRL website has reported on RAC 
announcements, such as the creation of a new Section.

In essence, RAC and the ARRL maintain a cooperative relationship that 
facilitates the enjoyment and development of amateur radio across North 
America, particularly concerning contests and emergency preparedness 
activities.
/

/
/

I also Googled "rac and arrl relationship" and here is what was returned :

/The relationship between the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) and the 
American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is one of distinct national 
organizations that share a common origin and collaborate in certain 
aspects of amateur radio
.
Historical Background:

     Early Days: The American Radio Relay League (ARRL) was founded in 
1914 and initially encompassed Canadian amateur radio activities as well.
     Canadian Division: In 1920, the Canadian Radio Relay League (CRRL) 
was formed as a division of the ARRL, with a Canadian director on the 
ARRL board.
     Autonomy: The CRRL gained more independence over time, and in 1988, 
it became fully autonomous from the ARRL.
     RAC Formation: In 1993, the CRRL merged with another Canadian 
organization, the Canadian Amateur Radio Federation (CARF), to form the 
Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC).

Current Relationship:

     Distinct Organizations: Today, the ARRL and the RAC are independent 
national organizations representing amateur radio operators in the 
United States and Canada, respectively.
     IARU Membership: Both organizations are member societies of the 
International Amateur Radio Union (IARU).
     Collaboration: While independent, they collaborate in some areas, 
including:/

/        Field Day: The ARRL and RAC jointly sponsor Field Day, a 
popular amateur radio operating event.
         Reciprocal Operating Agreement: The United States and Canada 
share an automatic reciprocal operating agreement, simplifying 
cross-border operation for licensed amateurs.
         Contest Section Structure: The organizations maintain a section 
structure for their respective countries, used in certain contests.
         Advocacy: They may collaborate on issues affecting amateur 
radio at international levels through the IARU.

In essence, the RAC and ARRL have a historical connection stemming from 
the ARRL's early role in Canadian amateur radio. While now distinct 
entities, they maintain a relationship through their shared interests 
and participation in international amateur radio activities/


I really don't understand the RAC's rational to even break up the 
northern provinces of Canada into three sections. That area of Canada 
has maybe 500 amateur radio licensees.

A search on QRZ.com shows the following :

VY1 call-signs (YT)  - 276 matches

VY0 call-signs (NU) - 63 matches

VE8 call-signs (NT) -161 matches.

By comparison the DC section alone has 531 amateurs. The state with the 
lowest number of amateurs is North Dakota with 1470.


In my state of Georgia there are 18,769 amateur radio operators. We are 
just one ARRL section. States such as Massachusetts (13,131) , New 
Jersey (12,848)  who have fewer amateur have two sections.  (Source is 
http://www.arrl.org/fcc-license-counts .) Georgia's population is 
heavily concentrated in the Atlanta metropolitan area, with about 57% of 
the state's residents living there. I don't know what the criteria is to 
create a new section. I know it has nothing to do with radio contests 
but representation in the ARRL. Georgia would be a good candidate to 
break into more that one ARRL section.

I agree with AF5CC that this change was made to create a new section for 
ARRL contests. Also, does the ARRL CAC vote on this or can the RAC just 
create new sections on a whim?

Personally, I think the RAC has made some bad decisions lately - 
Boycotting the Dayton Hamvention based on non-ham radio reasons and now 
this. I'm sure the ARRL wasn't very happy about the Dayton boycott but 
keep that to themselves. Maybe the ARRL should just drop the Canadian 
sections from their contests. Then they would be independent from the 
ARRL like practically every other amateur radio society in the world is.

Jeff KU8E