There are some places where a trailer park can look like the bad side of town, yet you meet the nicest people there. Then you can find some 55+ "senior" parks that are also nice and you meet the nicest people there as well. I've been watching this show on TV called "Building Off The Grid" and I've seen some very nice places with solar installations. One was by a lighthouse in Maine. I'm of the opinion, ham radio can work anywhere, but as I previously stated, I just can't live in a place where some "association" can put a lien on your property and fine you for doing something "against the rules". I've been looking at trailers, and you can find some nice ones that are newer, but most of the ones I've found were built in the 60's or 70's. Another consideration for those that are fully retired is full time RV'ing. I'm still trying to figure out how to do ham radio here without selling my 430 to get an FT-818. Something about this old rig...the digital display, VFD instead of a hard to read LCD. The trick is to think outside the proverbial box. Where there's a will, there's a way.
We had to relocate in 2014 to a new house in the city to accomodate my XYL's health requirements (bad car crash, long story). It was only on the day at the lawyer's to sign the papers that I learned it was a HOA area. After 2 years of searching for the right house - with the hand of the medical experts choosing which property was suitable for XYL's long term needs - I had to make do with what I was handed. Fortunately I have some trees in the backyard. So after experimenting with different stealth wire antennas I settled on something (multiband fan dipole) which gives me fairly consistent results and it's invisible in the canopy of the trees. I would have preferred a proper tower and a proper antenna on top of the tower. But I'm not on the air often enough to distract neighbours so it's been FB. 73s
If you have not closed on the deal run like hell....go find some property and a house where you can be free to put up a tower and some beams. I bought into an HOA 20 years ago.....never again....don't do it!
Anyone that allows their hobby to trump what is likely the biggest investment of their lifetime needs to reassess their priorities.
Regarding walking into a HOA or "covenant" situation knowing you're a ham operator and you're gonna want to operate ... tough to say which applies more here: Personal responsibility or due diligence. Probably some combination of both.
Some (myself included) would argue that interests, hobbies, and passions matter far more than how much a particular piece of real estate appreciates or doesn’t. To each his (or her) own.
"Yes, we could have moved into a HOA community located in a great school district. But, I needed land for a tower and a 160m loop! The kids will do OK."... Ummmmm
Who said anything about a school district or "the kids will do OK"? I responded to the comment regarding those who "allow a hobby to trump what is likely the biggest investment of their lifetime." And my response was that each should be respected for his or her own choices. Do you disagree with that?
I don't believe that an avocation should drive one's life. Especially if it affects one's family. "Passion" is too nebulous!
I never said avocations should "drive one's life," much less that they should be allowed to affect one's family. Please re-read my post and the one I quoted. I responded to the notion that "Anyone that allows their hobby to trump what is likely the biggest investment of their lifetime needs to reassess their priorities." I said that interests, hobbies, and passions matter more to some people than do a home's investment value. Again, to each his or her own.
A hobby is a avocation! You wrote "I said that interests, hobbies, and passions matter more to some people than do a home's investment value." I agree and such activities affect that person's family...
I agree. And I never suggested avocations should drive one's life or be allowed to affect one's family.
