Donations needed for Amateur Radio Antenna Defense Foundation

As we used to say in school, QED. Yes, I remember Mt. Wilson's collection from many years ago. When we lived in Bakersfield, in the really early days of TV in the '50s, folks that wanted a selection of stations paid for 30-40 foot masts with 4 large bow-ties and reflectors....before LPDs. MonstIR broadband arrays, pun intended. The knife edge over the top of Frazier Peak and the southern Sierras circa 7000 feet worked just fine.

The nice thing about OTARD is that is has NO size limits on broadcast TV antennas. The 1 meter diameter limit only applies to dishes.

Back then, Congress was more supportive of stopping monopolies (Cable TV) from killing consumer choice, since CATV was the source of antenna restrictions in new subdivisions.

One of the examples I'd like to see, but I don't think ever happened, was a dual-use case of a mast supporting a satellite dish that was used to support an amateur antenna as well. I'd love to see something like that go through the FCC's OTARD Declaratory Ruling process. Although, I guess the FCC would likely make it clear that any protective Order wouldn't apply to the amateur antenna, just the satellite antenna. However, one could certainly make a case for adding insulators to what could be claimed as satellite antenna mast guy wires.

 

Some Hints and Kinks

Here's a thought. Take along a few feet of 300 Ohm TV twin lead. Using a 40M dipole on 20M will work with a stub solution. No tuning required.

Terminate coax in 1/4 wavelength at 20M of twinlead, to which is connected the 40M dipole. Next, connect two 1/4 wavelength, open circuited, 40M twinlead stubs one on each side, along the length of the 20M line section. The stubs each short out the 1/4 wave 20M transformer when on 40. Then open up when operating at 20M. The 1/4 wave 20M section acts as a 50 to 1800 ohm transformer to feed the 1 wavelength long 20M dipole.

At least that way, you won't have to climb up to the roof to do any switching and enjoy a little gain over a 20M 1/2 wave dipole.

 

Our CC&R's had a 30 year sunset clause...which expired in 1997, the year before we bought our place and paid a premium because there were no CC&r's anymore.....

In fact, I believe that most of CC&R's in California contain either a 21 year or 30 year sunset clause unless they are renewed by a majority of homeowners. It actually makes sense to have such a clause, because things change over time... and CC&R's from the 19th or early 20th centuries likely have little relevance today.

From other experience I have had with CC&R's on rental properties, there may also be the case where CC&R are voided by lack of enforcement, or selective enforcement or the big one... the lack of an "Architectural Committee" to enforce standards...

Bottom Line.. if you have an active HOA association which collects substantial dues... you likely have a group that has the money to fight you and will keep the CC&R's up to date...

If your HOA is inactive as many of them become after a few years, collects minimal dues if any at all, then likely they do not have the money to fight you and likely they would not win in court anyways....

Your mileage may vary.....

 

Yep, that's true. I lived temporarily within in HOA when I first moved to L.A. and didn't know exactly where we wanted to settle; so we bought a place as a "temporary" location and stayed there about 18 months while seriously neighborhood hunting.

When we first arrived there, I found out the HOA staff were all volunteer and unpaid, so being "President" of the HOA was a silly job almost nobody wanted: Lots of work, for no compensation. Perfect. I ran for it, as elections were coming up only a month later.

I was brand new there and nobody knew me, so I went from home to home with my daughter (who was very small, maybe 4-5 years old, and really cute) "campaigning" to be HOA president. I introduced myself to everybody in the entire subdivision, shook their hands, and said, "Vote for me" at the next meeting, etc.

They did. And I was elected. Great job, probably 10 hours a week of silly paperwork, one staff meeting per quarter, and no pay. But I got to preside over meetings.

At the next meeting I made sure we had a quorum (a By-Laws requirement for a vote), which meant >33% of association members. We had it, about 40% showed up. Then I floated an idea: "Let's shelve the covenants for one quarter -- three months -- and let homeowners do whatever they wish and see what happens. If it turns bad, we can reinstate the covenants. If everyone likes it, we'll continue for another quarter." This became a formal proposal for the association, and it passed.

Within a few days, people started painting their fences and front doors, and doing all sorts of things that the covenants and by-laws would not have allowed. Several installed new roll-up, colorful garage doors, which were also previously prohibited. A couple even had late night parties at the pool, where the covenants had restricted any activity after 11 PM. People LOVED it.

3 months later, everybody voted to disregard the covenants and by-laws forever. I said, "Why don't we eliminate the gates and make life easier for all of us? We can also fire the two guards who are "guarding" the gates, since we won't need them anymore. This will save the association over $100K a year." And we had almost 100% vote in favor of my suggestion. The gates came down, the guards got laid off.

One year later, our neighborhood home values appreciated 19% in 12 months when the average in the area was about 8%. We exceeded the standard appreciation for the area by 11%. That made people "selling" their homes very, very happy. And it even made a few who wanted to re-fi happy as well, as their appraised values improved without them doing anything.

WB2WIK/6

 

Two great stories Steve and KY6LA! I'm unfortunately in the later with dues, makes sense!

 

Good operating tip...;

As you can surmise, when traveling weight is usually an issue so I rarely take antennas with me... rather I take connectors and improvise... Antenna wire is usually Lamp zip cord that I can find in any local hardware store then split in two.. Insulators is usually Perrier Bottles... which seem to work pretty good.... Coax... usually can find inexpensive 75 ohm CATV cable with Type F connectors which I then convert over to PL -259 using adaptors... matching usually hit and miss with stubs and judicious cutting....

Bottom line is that I can save 10 -20 lbs buying stuff when I get there....

Most recent acquisition was a 1.25lb 12V 22A power supply from http://www.gamaresearch.net... really light weight... and worked great from Cannes in December.... I used to rent cars and take the batteries out for power supplies, but frankly that was a lot of work especially if I had to recharge them too often by schelpping them back to the car...albeit I usually get the hotel bellman to do it at 5€ a trip....

I am also thinking of getting a Flex3000 which would eliminate a lot of cables and be much more compact than the IC-706....