[PVRCNC] RE: NC Antenna Bill Update!

[Barry Baker, K4CZ]

I'm usually politically apathetic but I reviewed this NC House bill and
think it's worth calling and sending a letter of support to my NC House Rep.
In Durham County, non-commercial antenna towers are limited to a maximum
height of 50' in most residential areas and there is also a 1:1 setback
requirement.  Even if this law does not ease those restrictions, it should
help reduce the likelihood of even tighter restrictions.

If anyone would like a copy of the email I sent (which is virtually
identical to the one suggested by NC ARRL), please email me off-list.

73, Barry K4CZ

 


-----Original Message-----
From: ARRL Web site [mailto:memberlist at www.arrl.org] 
Sent: Monday, May 07, 2007 4:51 PM
To: k4czusa at attglobal.net
Subject: NC Antenna Bill Update!


As many of you know, there is an antenna bill before the North Carolina
General Assembly, H1340, and voting on the bill may hit the floor of
the house THIS WEEK!  Your help is needed NOW to make sure it will
become law.  Although this bill doesn't help us with restrictive
covenants and homeowners associations, it would require city and county
zoning boards to make reasonable accomodations for our antennas.

You need to contact your local state representatives immediately and
tell them you want them to vote for H1340, the "Amateur Radio Antenna"
bill.  The bill may come up for a vote before the full House in the
next few days.  To find out who represents you in the North Carolina
House, go to http://www.ncleg.net and look in the lower right corner of
the home page for the area "Who Represents Me?"  Plug in your full 9
digit Zip Code, including the hyphen between the 5th and 6th digits. 
The name of your state representatives will appear, including a
hyperlink to his or her webpage and how to contact them.  Please
contact your representative in the House.  A telephone call during the
day is the preferred way, with an email to them as a follow-up. 

Points you can make are: 1) there are 18,000 licensed amateur or "ham"
radio operators in North Carolina; 2) federal law prohibits ham
operators from receiving pay for services, so amateur radio emergency
services are donated free of charge; 3) hams own their own equipment,
saving taxpayers money; 4) H1340 will not cost the taxpayer any money;
in fact, ham radio saves North Carolina taxpayers tens of millions of
dollars in equipment and labor the state doesn't have to buy; 5) in a
disaster, regular phones, cell phones and the internet can and do fail
to function; 6) the U.S. Dept. of Homeland Security calls amateur radio
the most "Fail-Safe" form of emergency communications;  7) antenna
restrictions prohibit hams from practicing and operating, thereby
potentially cutting off communication from neighborhoods and citizens
in need of services, such as medical help.

More details will be sent when available.  In most other states it's
taken three to four years for an antenna bill to make it to the floor
of the legislature for a vote.  We are fortunate here in North Carolina
to make it on the first try.  Don't let this golden opportunity slip
by!  Show your support by contacting your state legislator today!

Bill Morine, N2COP
North Carolina Public Information Coordinator

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