Field Day rule question

[N3EF]

  Could someone explain the meaning of the following sentence from Field Day 2004 Rules from paragraph 4. "Entry Categories:" The sentence reads: "Switching devices are prohibited." Does this mean "switching devices" as in antenna switches? or changing transmitters?

Thanks,
Eric  N3EF

[N7DM]

Good  Question ....    And I thought I knew ALL about  F/D [My All Time Favorite Ham Activity]..

The guts of the issue is that when you have  switched bands, you have to stay on that band...for 15 minutes. If you hear a signal on Ten... and conduct a QSO with them, you then have to stay there for 15 minutes...   Even if nothing else goes on there.  So.... it 'pays' to snoop around a little before committing to the 'new' band... That is unless it is Tube-Steak  'n' Brew time, anyway...

dm

[K0RS]

What this refers to is a device that in the past was know as an "octopus."  In essence, it is a switching device that switches or votes between multiple transmitters.  What such a switching device was intended to accomplish was a skirting rules.  Imagine a station with three opertating positions, but the octopus only allows any one station to transmit at a given time.  What some enterprising contesters believed was such a device would allow them to claim single transmitter category (only one transmitter on the air at any time) and enhance their competitive advantage.  It didn't take long for contest sponsers to decide that this was not only a violation of the spirit of the rules, but an actual rule violation.  Three operating positions equal three transmitter class.  Obviously this doesn't apply to antnna switches and the like.