[NCARC] Need your voice heard: Presentation at NCARC club meeting today
Steve Henry
[email protected]
Sat, 17 Aug 2002 13:31:52 -0600
Hi folks-
We need your help on a matter which will take about 15-20 minutes. Today at
the NCARC meeting we had an excellent presentation by Mark Baker. KG�PA
(ARRL government state laision at [email protected] ) on a key issue we're
currently facing in Colorado: Hams that move into new homes frequently
can't install outdoor antennas. Most homeowner's associations have
covenances that do not permit ham radio antennas to be installed outside, or
significantly curtail their use. Some agreements evidently even will enable
legal action to be taken even if "stealth" antennas Even though the FCC
PRB-1 regulation exists that requires "reasonable accomodations be made", it
doesn't apply to private land-use regulators. Mark indicated that there
are over 300 acres of new housing development PER WEEK being built in
Colorado today.
Mark reminded us that "Hams are not second class citizens and have a right
to buy a new home". He also reminded us that we perform a very valuable
public service-- whether it be in tinkering on new technology ideas,
strengthening our ability to communicate, teaching others, volunteering in
emergencies, or helping groups raise funds.
Many of us have personally participated in helping with flood situations,
bike races, etc. where having a beam antenna to hit the repeater is
important. There are undoubtedly many of us who help with HF traffic nets
and other services where outdoor antennas are critical.
There are two areas of activty to help change this situation: Putting in
place a Colorado PRB-1 law and strengthening the current PRB-1 regulation to
cover private organizations.
Putting in place a Colorado PRB-1 will be a big effort, but already 14
states have done this, including Wyoming and New Mexico. See
http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2002/03/06/1/ as an example of a great
success story at doing ths. Ted, N0RQV will be adding information to our
club website at www.ncarc.net with more information. A key step will be for
us to personally contact our local state representatives. Stay tuned for
more information about this.
Strengthening PRB-1 at the federal level is also a critical effort. You can
help right now in this activity. This legislation is known as house bill
HR-4720.
a) Contact both of our Colorado Senators. Although you can't ask them to
co-sponsor anything yet, you can ask them to consider SPONSORING legislation
to help strengthen PRB-1. You can also refer to similar legislation,
HR-4720, in house committee. See the sample letter below for the senators.
b) If you are outside of Colorado district 4 (Weld and Larimer are in
district 4, Jackson is in district 3, see
http://wwwa.house.gov/schaffer/4th_district_map.html), contact your
representative. If you are in district 4, contact as many of our Colorado
House Representatives as you have time with a letter (except for
Representative Schaffer who has already co-sponsored this legislation). It
is ok to contact Representatives even if you aren't in their district (which
will be true for most of us in NCARC since we are in House District 4). It
probably won't be as effective but it is worth the effort. Ask the to
co-sponsor house legislation HR-4720 (see sample letter for representatives
below).
If you go to http://www.arrl.org/news/stories/2002/05/14/102/ there is an
excellent article and information on where to write and a sample letter here
as well. The same sample letter is also listed below. You can send this
letter as is (just changing the signature, etc.) or better yet, write it in
your own terms using this letter as a guide. Any personal anecdotes or
stories about your personal involvement in ham radio can really help. From
my own experience at meeting with representatives and lobbyists and staff
members, a typed or hand-written letter mailed to the representative is much
more effective than an email. However, if you only have time for an email,
listed below are both the addresses and links.
Addresses and links:
For emailing representatives, go to http://www.house.gov/writerep/
For mailing (preferred), here is the info:
Diana DeGette (1st district)
The Honorable Diana DeGette,1530 Longworth HOB,Washington, DC 20515-0601
Joel Heffley (5th district)
The Honorable Joel Hefley,2230 Rayburn HOB,Washington, DC 20515-0605
Scott McInnus (3rd district)
The Honorable Scott McInnis,320 Cannon HOB,Washington, DC 20515-0603
Bob Schaffer (4th district) (maybe thank him for co-sponsoring this
legislation)
The Honorable Bob Schaffer,212 Cannon HOB,Washington, DC 20515-0604
Tom Tancredo (6th district)
The Honorable Thomas G. Tancredo,418 Cannon HOB,Washington, DC 20515-0606
Mark Udall (2nd district)
The Honorable Mark Udall,115 Cannon HOB,Washington, DC 20515-0602
The Honorable Wayne Allard
525 Dirksen Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
http://allard.senate.gov/contactme/
The Honorable Ben Nighthorse Campbell
380 Russell Senate Office Building
Washington DC 20510
http://campbell.senate.gov/email.htm
If you can, also please send out to this list a copy of your letter as a
sample for others to use.
Thanks much and '73!
Steve Henry, N7GN
[email protected]
NCARC club secretary
N7GN
Sample letter for Senator:
Senator. _______________
United States Senate
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Senator _____________
I'd like to encourage you to sponsor or author legislation similar to H.R.
4720, the "Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act,"
sponsored by Rep. Steve Israel currently in the House of Represenatives.
This legislation would alleviate a problem facing many federally licensed
Amateur Radio operators living within development communities who are
subject to unreasonable restrictions or outright prohibitions regarding the
installation of external antennas.
Under current law, the FCC applies a policy that instructs states and
localities that they must reasonably accommodate Amateur Radio antenna. The
policy, however, fails to address situations affecting private land-use
groups. Rep. Israel's bill would ensure consistent application of these
regulations.
This legislation seeks to insure that Amateur Radio operators are available
for emergency communications in all sections of the country, regardless of
whether they live in a development, such as a retirement community, or
townhouse subdivision. Restrictions against antennas render Amateur Radio
operators unable to utilize their licenses, which in turn may ultimately
hinder their emergency communication role during times of disaster or
national crisis.
Amateur radio provides a vital public safety communications service to the
public at no cost to taxpayers. Would you consider authoring or sponsoring
similar legislation in the senate?
I look forward to hearing from you as you consider this important matter.
Sincerely,
<Include your name, callsign and mailing address>
Sample letter for representative:
Rep. _______________
United States House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Rep. _____________
I urge you to co-sponsor H.R. 4720, the "Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Consistency Act," sponsored by Rep. Steve Israel. The bill
would alleviate a problem facing many federally licensed Amateur Radio
operators living within development communities who are subject to
unreasonable restrictions or outright prohibitions regarding the
installation of external antennas.
Under current law, the FCC applies a policy that instructs states and
localities that they must reasonably accommodate Amateur Radio antenna. The
policy, however, fails to address situations affecting private land-use
groups. Rep. Israel's bill would ensure consistent application of these
regulations.
This legislation seeks to insure that Amateur Radio operators are available
for emergency communications in all sections of the country, regardless of
whether they live in a development, such as a retirement community, or
townhouse subdivision. Restrictions against antennas render Amateur Radio
operators unable to utilize their licenses, which in turn may ultimately
hinder their emergency communication role during times of disaster or
national crisis.
Amateur radio provides a vital public safety communications service to the
public at no cost to taxpayers. I hope you will join Rep. Israel in
co-sponsoring his bill.
I look forward to hearing from you as you consider this important
legislation.
Sincerely,
<Include your name, callsign and mailing address>
Letter-Writing Tips
You can write a letter in 90 seconds! Just follow this simple outline:
Be personal
A mailed handwritten letter receives much greater attention than a
preprinted letter or card, or an e-mail. Include your postal address on both
your envelope and letter so you can receive a reply.
Be concise
Express clearly and briefly what action you would like. One or two
paragraphs should be enough.
Request specific action
See the above sample letter
Put the situation in concrete terms, add any personal connection to the
issue
"I personally volunteered in the Fort Collins flood in disaster relief for
the Red Cross. Use of my home antenna was critical to stay in contact with
the local radio repeater. Without this connection I wouldn't have been able
to volunteer to help as effectively or for as many hours."
Sign and print your name and address
Whether you're sending a handwritten note or an email: It's very important
that your member of Congress knows this letter is from a constituent in his
or her state or district.