Comm Site Fees to Significantly Increase for Ham Radio Repeaters

Wow. 1400 bucks for a repeater location. Hard pass. This really is a dying art.

 

I hope you will be proven right.

 

You can always participate in the organization and change it, but you probably would have to be a member to do that... As W5OV pointed out, even Wayne Green was an ARRL Life Member..

Glenn AE0Q

 

it most certainly IS different. But if you look at the history of congressional action, they almost always favor corporations and big business over individuals, charities, and small buisinesses. Thus arguing along those lines, whilst factually and morally correct, is not likely to cause them to change their ways. Beaurocracies don't really care about right and wrong.... only what is on their little pieces of paper.

 

Exactly why the ARRL is, and why we all should likewise file comments in opposition to the proposal, as recommended.

 

W2JLD: Just curious, since you've apparently never been a member of the ARRL, what exactly brought it to your attention? What is it that has you so unsettled about an organization that would welcome your membership? Why waste time falsely criticizing something you know so little about? I've been a critic of the ARRL over my nearly 50 years of being a member for various reasons. I think there's enough going on that you actually might find something that you could legitimately have a differing opinion on, but thus far all you and the other non-members cite are false or baseless accusations, or in some cases, something that may have occurred, was addressed, and corrected. Sorry, I just don't get what your beef is.

 

we should be asking for permits to frack and drill for oil , then install towers for antennas and just keep looking for the oil as long as it takes never finding it...

 

This doesn't really affect most hams, but for those of us in the mountainous states like Colorado, it affects almost ALL repeaters. My small mountain town has already had one ham repeater taken down (with the remaining two coming close), a GMRS repeater, and the SAR team have lost there's as well. It's... scary.

 

Why? This is not in effect - it’s in the comments phase.

 

Anyone who posts their thoughts during the comment period is well advised to CC your elected representative via direct communication.

Why? Being a law, there's good reason to engage your congressperson (the House) preferably via writing concerning anything at all concerning the running of the federal government. Congress has an "oversight of the Executive" role that has some teeth to it. Ask anyone in government who's experienced the dreaded "Congressional" query. It is NOT fun. Every elected representative has staff to handle exactly this. Obviously the poor contractor who hasn't received payment for a valid invoice in 90 days will get top priority, but all queries are valid nonetheless.

This ^^^
Okay I'm just going to say it...

I'm afraid the value of vertical real estate is what it is and repeater operators may well have to build in such costs into their budgets or make a move. Perhaps a reduced fee for true non-profits might make sense, but no one should expect such discounts. If one does get a discount, don't be surprised to be treated second class on that hill. I'd much rather organize the repeater operation with a good non-profit club that helps to fund the full costs and have the repeater operation treated as an equal amongst the other tenants on the hill. This includes doing a professional job on repeater design and build... but that's another, often horrifying, story.

 

Does anyone know if this new fee would affect repeaters on private property?

 

No, it will not.

 

Good. (...at least for the time being. I suspect state land will follow. LOTS of repeaters on state land.)

 

Here you will get answers from people who think they know about this, or who want to paint a picture to fit their own agenda here. Asking the question here will not get you an answer.

What will get you an answer it so ask your ARRL Division Director what he or she envisions as the next steps. If you have ideas on what can practically be done, share them. If you are able and/or willing to do specific things that will help the League do what needs to be done, offer to do them.

I can't answer this question about the Forestry Serivce, but I can think of the many times that I have been involved in various technical aspects of ARRL's advocacy efforts and I can speak from personal experience that those that have been willing to help and who actually did so made a major difference in the outcome. I am going to guess that about 500 hams pitched in to various degrees in the 15-year effort it took to stop broadband over power lines from being a major interference source to amateur radio. Those people did more than ask leading questions on an QRZ forum; they showed up and did the work of documenting S9+ noise levels across multiple amateur bands along miles of power lines. They worked with their local utilities to help them understand why BPL was not viable and they work with local regulators and state agencies as needed. Most are unsung heroes who did what was needed to help, not what was needed to try to make ARRL look bad through each backwards step that was part of a process that ultimately resulted in good international standards and industry specifications that have in-premise BPL not using the amateur bands.

 

Sent my own version from Boise Id. thanks..