Contact your senators now in support of the Amateur Radio Parity Act

We made it through the house, now we need to make it through the Senate. Please use the link below to contact your Senators. Lets get this done!

https://arrl.rallycongress.net/ctas/urge-senate-to-support-amateur-radio-parity-act

 

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Robert, K6FNI

 

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Here's my letter...

As a constituent and one of more than 13,336 FCC - licensed Amateur Radio Operators in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts , I am writing to ask that you not support H.R 1301 as amended when it comes to the Senate for action.


This Bill, which replaces S. 1685, was passed unanimously by the House of Representatives on September 12, 2016. It provides a mutually satisfactory compromise reached between the American Radio Relay League (ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio) and the Community Associations Institute (CAI, which represents home owners associations). This bill allows for effective outdoor Amateur Radio antennas for public service and emergency communications while protecting the prerogative of community associations. Now there is universal support for the Bill as amended. In fact, CAI has stated that “(O)n behalf of the 68 million Americans who live in community associations and members of the Community Associations Institute (CAI), we express support for H.R. 1301, the Amateur Radio Parity Act, as … amended.”


The Bill has also received the endorsement of the American Red Cross, which stated that this “legislation will greatly enhance the volunteer communications efforts by radio Amateurs that have benefited public safety organizations for many years.” The National Hurricane Center added their voice in support and wrote that “(A)mateur radio operators are sometimes the only sources of eyewitness information from inside the storm.” And The Salvation Army wrote “(W)e rely on Amateur Radio, and this legislation is urgently important to the continued provision of their volunteer services in emergency communications. We urge the passage of H.R. 1301…”


Massachusetts has always relied on and benefited from Amateur Radio’s critical communications support in time of need. We have been prepared for, and involved in the response to virtually every disaster in Massachusetts volunteering to provide communications, at no cost to anyone. The Bill will allow Amateurs to continue to provide the same critical communications service to our communities as we have for over the past 100-plus years.


The Bill intent equitably balances the interests of all parties. It ensures that community associations permit effective outdoor antennas, and protects community associations’ authority to adopt and enforce reasonable written rules concerning the installation, placement, and aesthetic impact of external amateur service station antennas. It also requires notification to the association and their prior approval of antenna installations; and prohibits installation of antennas on common property. The rights and responsibilities of community associations and association residents are completely protected.


However, as presently worded, the bill poses a major burden on radio amateurs that live in rural areas where HOA agreements involve roads, common driveways, trash, water ways, and so on, and are not intended to consider aesthetics, common property, nor antennas. Commonly such HOA agreements are worded to stress these specific components, but also contain language such as: ’…and other matters that may arise’. The HR1301 amendement, as worded, imposes both the obligation of those HOA's and a burden on radio amateurs, to secure and consider, expensive, questionable, and unneeded delays, and undesired restrictions for both parties, on antenna structures. Indeed, such HOA’s will now allow neighbors to invoke prohibitions on other neighbors, and prevent de facto use of practical outdoor antennas, previously unaffected. The bill needs to be tabled this session pending more accurate wording to exclude this unfortunate loophole.


I ask that you not support the passage of this consensus Bill when it comes to the Senate floor for a vote.


Thank you for your consideration.

 

I don't have a dog in this hunt because I don't live in a housing subdivision with a Marxist HOA and/or CC&R's that prevent me from putting up any outside antenna that I choose too but it took me one year of searching here in central Florida to find this place. But best as I understand it HR 1301 will only hurt hamateurs that have to deal with Marxist HOA's and CC&R's as far as installation of reasonable outside antennas, including legally obligating one to tell the Marxist HOA people that one already has an undiscovered "well hidden" outdoor antenna.

I am very sympathetic to hamateurs in this predicament because 13 years ago on short notice I had to rent a house in a subdivision with the Marxist HOA nonsense. I lived there for 3 years before I bought my current house. I'm not one of those guys that coldly and callously say stupid things like "well you shouldn't have moved into that subdivision".

 

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This makes THREE threads posting the same URL.

My point is that government agencies mentioned have stated ham radio HAS helped but, they have not stated that there was. is (or might be) an increased need for more hams on the air at home. The only thing I've seen in that regard was a lament that more hams were needed AT disaster sites during the recent flooding in LA.

 

I have canceled my megastation/antenna farm in rural KY the minute the House passed this terrible HR1301 amendment.

This station was going to offer a free setup for remote operation. The intent was to offer it to the ARRL for members, as a pilot for other ARRL sponsored remotes for members.

That will now no longer happen through me.