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HamRadioNow: Attorney Fred Hopengarten K1VR talks about the WW8N Tower Case

Discussion in 'Amateur Radio News' started by K4AAQ, Mar 7, 2014.

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  1. K4AAQ

    K4AAQ Ham Member QRZ Page

    [​IMG]
    HAMRADIONOW.tv

    Episode 135: WW8N Tower Case
    or So You Want to Put Up a Tower... Good Luck With That

    A couple of weeks ago a story appeared on QRZ.com about the WW8N tower court case. Gary Wodtke WW8N sued his Ohio village when it denied him a variance to erect a 60 foot tower. He won, but the village appealed, and that appeal is pending. To date, the QRZ post has gathered over 21,000 views, and a ton of comments (of varying quality).

    Lots of interest. So I interviewed Gary's lead attorney, well-known antenna law expert Fred Hopengarten K1VR. Fred wrote the book Antenna Zoning for the Radio Amateur, and he's represented hams in many antenna cases. He's very bullish on a ham's chances to prevail in court based on PRB-1 and a host of supporting legislation in 29 states (so far). That is, if the ham does it right! But Fred warns that if litigation is involved, it could easily cost more than the tower and antenna system itself.

    In episode 135, you'll get to spend an hour with Fred for free. The book is $50, and your next hour with Fred will run around $1500. Still want to put up that tower?

    And in case you missed it, Episode 134 brings you the USA ARDF Championships. ARDF - Amateur Radio Direction Finding - is European style on-foot fox hunting. This program is a documentary we produced for DVD in 2006, and this is the first time it's been made available on the web.


    73, Gary KN4AQ





    Watch these episodes on our web page:
    [COLOR=#0000FF]HAM[/COLOR][COLOR=#FF0000]RADIO[/COLOR][COLOR=#0000FF]NOW[/COLOR]
    .tv

    HamRadioNow is supported by viewer contributions
    If you enjoy the programs, visit www.HamRadioNow.tv and "click the pig"


    [​IMG]


    THANK YOU to all our contributors!
     
  2. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Fred does not charge $1500 an hour....lots of tower folks have used Fred's services with great satisfaction and they still created their dream stations.

    73
    Chip W1YW
     
  3. W4PG

    W4PG QRZ Lifetime Member #279 Platinum Subscriber Life Member QRZ Page

    No, but I do!!! :)
     
  4. N9DSJ

    N9DSJ Ham Member QRZ Page


    Billable moderator hours?

    [disclaimer, I am all for billable hours, helps the family income here]
     
  5. K4AAQ

    K4AAQ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Fred said his retainer is $1500. You get more than one hour as he works that off. But to get that first hour could be $1500.
     
  6. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    i hope folks realize that is actually a modest retainer, and he isn't trying to gouge anyone. I don't know any lawyer that can resolve a problem in one hour, and I am sure Fred doesn't claim that. My point is, you should run the wording by Fred, as IMO the wording does not represent the facts.

    Fred is extremely helpful in tower matters.
    73

    Chip W1YW
     
  7. K4AAQ

    K4AAQ Ham Member QRZ Page

    Chip, apparently you are reacting to a short and deliberately cute "headline." I know not everyone will take the time to watch the program, but anyone with a little interest in the issue should. What you say about Fred, and much more, is all there. If someone wishes to write, or even edit the video, into a short synopsis, they can. I'll be happy to link to it if they do a good job.
     
  8. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Gary,

    The video is fine. But there is no truth to the statement that: "your next hour will cost $1500". So why not just correct it?

    73
    Chip W1YW
     
  9. NN4RH

    NN4RH Premium Subscriber QRZ Page


    He alluded to his reason for not correcting it in the post just above yours.

    He wants people to watch the video. People are more likely to watch videos of there's a shocking teaser, such as "$1500 an hour".
     
  10. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    The facts are interesting enough Ron. Retainers are not rates.

    Fred has very interesting stories to tell. My impression is that the tide against ham antennas is slowly waning, but all towns want to pretend that it's always the hams burden.

    73
    chip W1YW

    --------------------------------------
    "You work hard you make your own luck... N'est-ce pas?" --Caddy pool guy
     
  11. AD0AC

    AD0AC Ham Member QRZ Page

    "In episode 135, you will spend an hour with Dr. Smith, a board certified cardio-thoracic surgeon. His book on eating healthy is $25, your next hour with him in the cath lab will cost $15,000. Still want to eat that side of bacon?"

    Why yes I do! Towers and bacon are good for every ham.

    I bought Fred's book at a hamfest used for around $10. If it were a legal publication published by West or Lexis, the book would probably cost aroun $300 and you'd need a lawyer just to interpret the book! Nobody is getting rich off amateurs here.
     
  12. W1YW

    W1YW Ham Member QRZ Page

    Exactly.

    73
    Chip W1YW
     
  13. W8JI

    W8JI Ham Member QRZ Page

    I agree 100% with Chip. There is no need to disparage Fred just to "sell drama".
     
  14. W6OGC

    W6OGC Ham Member QRZ Page

    Yep!

    The media soups things up to dramatize or build interest at great violence to actual facts or reality. The people who know something about it realize it is baloney and disrespect the media for it, the people who don't know something about it don't realize it is baloney and accept it as accurate, and everyone is worse off than if they hadn't seen it at all.

    I can't remember the last time I read an account of an event in the newspaper, one that I had actually been present and experienced with my own eyes and ears, that I could recognize from the newspaper report. It is like the game we often played, where everyone sits in a circle and one person whispers a well-known saying to the next person who whispers it to the next person and so on around the circle. What starts off "Remember The Alamo!" comes out "Lucky Strike Means Fine Tobacco!" or something.

    Remember this as you read the newspapers, or listen to "news" on TV, etc.
     
  15. K0JS

    K0JS Ham Member QRZ Page

    Good interview, similar to ARRL Webinar from not long ago.
    Depressing to hear that after nearly a generation's passing, the ham who longs for an efficient antenna can still expect to pay more for administrative and legal services pursuant to approval, than for the actual antenna inself.
    While I hope that the tide is indeed favoring the restoration of amateur radio as a normal residential activity, it's too late for the Baby Boomers.

    Jeff K0JS.
     
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