South Carolina Hams fight to amend homeowner association restrictions

I'm watching this bill very carefully. It is my intention to move to S.C. in the future. There are many developments there that do have HOA's but then there are others where the fact it is not an HOA is a selling point! I understand the premise behind gated communities and HOA's. Unfortunately, they have fallen victim to the adage, "Power corrupts, absolute power absolutely corrupts!" Where I move to hinges on how my hobby will be received, (pun intended!). I certainly am not going to buy a piece real estate with the idea I will have to mobilize a legal army in order to get an aerial in the air. If an HOA says I can put up a dipole, I will be ok with that.

 

its about every state

 

On a national level,
Senator Wicker (R) and Senator Blumenthal (D) have introduced the "Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act of 2024" (Senate Bill 3690) to amend the Communications Act of 1934 to prohibit the application of certain private land use restrictions to amateur station antennas, and for other purposes.

 

If you choose to not move into a community because of hearsay about HOAs, then you've made a mistake. There are many informational vehicles available to you when shopping for a house in a specific community. I relocated from an HOA community in the Myrtle Beach area to a HOA community near Raleigh NC. and both communities are great! Oh yes, both have antenna restrictions. Look at my QRZ page and see how many people have looked me up. These contacts weren't from "mind melds"!

 

I personally approached ARRL while visiting Hamcation in Orlando. They new nothing about our effort in South Carolina. I ask them if they planned to attend. They had no reply. I actually created a great deal of noise and many HAM's paid attention to my claim that ARRL is it for their good only. I am personally fed up with them. Just my thoughts David – K4CAE

 

Interesting comments David (K4CAE)! As important as this legislation is for the So. Carolina Hams, and as supposedly as prominent as the ARRL is, I would think they would be front and center on this issue. Like you, I'm fed up with the ARRL as well, as I've had issues with them over the years.

 

Just reached out to both of my Senators

 

I am hoping that they pass this once and for all. HOAs take things out of context, typically made up of individuals with control issues. Difficult to work with in some cases. Where I live there are no antenna restrictions on the by laws, I have a copy that I signed when I bought the house. But HOAs are a problem for many Hams.

 

That is effectively untrue in many areas. When every available property on the market that you can afford is in an HOA, then YES you're forced to live in an HOA.

 

There are ways, perhaps not optimal, that a creative ham can build an antenna in a HOA. Perhaps you are coming from the perspective of plug and play ham radio.

 

No need for an HOA, city zoning ordinances will get you to0!

 

Hi - Glad you go your tower, but you applied when you weren't in an HOA were you? So, what is the point of your post? You got approved for a non-commercial tower outside an HOA? Well pointless to this conversation? Right? None of the ARRL sponsored bills have ever worked to resolve antennas for Hams in HOAs. We don't need towers, but it sure would be nice not to to "hide the wire", "play flagpole" etc. I did review a presentation deck prepared for Congress by the ARRL on this matter when I lived in Connecticut and was close to ARRL. Absolutely the worst, guaranteed non-starter, I've ever seen. Someone at ARRL thought the presentation should show the Earth and demonstrate how towers can enable communications around the globe. NO! Any Congressperson, or Governor in a State like Florida (for example) that has real estate backers and huge commitments for State development projects would run, run run away. The ARRL has missed its mark in communications in these matters and that's why we continue to suffer as "second class" citizens. And, why I will never support ARRL again despite years of membership. No more of my money!

 

None of the ARRL sponsored bills have ever worked to resolve antennas for Hams in HOAs. We don't need towers, but it sure would be nice not to to "hide the wire", "play flagpole" etc. I did review a presentation deck prepared for Congress by the ARRL on this matter when I lived in Connecticut and was close to ARRL. Absolutely the worst, guaranteed non-starter, I've ever seen. Someone at ARRL thought the presentation should show the Earth and demonstrate how towers can enable communications around the globe. NO! Any Congressperson, or Governor in a State like Florida (for example) that has real estate backers and huge commitments for State development projects would run, run run away. The ARRL has missed its mark in communications in these matters and that's why we continue to suffer as "second class" citizens. And, why I will never support ARRL again despite years of membership. No more of my money!

 

I've always built antennas, including HOA environment.

None of the ARRL sponsored bills have ever worked to resolve antennas for Hams in HOAs. We don't need towers, but it sure would be nice not to to "hide the wire", "play flagpole" etc. I did review a presentation deck prepared for Congress by the ARRL on this matter when I lived in Connecticut and was close to ARRL. Absolutely the worst, guaranteed non-starter, I've ever seen. Someone at ARRL thought the presentation should show the Earth and demonstrate how towers can enable communications around the globe. NO! Any Congressperson, or Governor in a State like Florida (for example) that has real estate backers and huge commitments for State development projects would run, run run away. The ARRL has missed its mark in communications in these matters and that's why we continue to suffer as "second class" citizens. And, why I will never support ARRL again despite years of membership. No more of my money!

 

COMING WORLD WAR?
I just want to certain I've understood you correctly, when you've stated in your post: "the coming world war in 2027". Well its 2024 now, so we don't have much time. Can you recommend any deep caves in Tennessee or Utah that are still available?