Steve - I visited at ARRL in person and talked to them about this at some
length in 1980. I'm not sure but believe I may have even left an audio tape-
not sure. The other parts of this are to get everyone available to participate
with you at public and non-public meetings. Get the civil defense officials,
Red Cross officials, etc. to be there and write support letters etc. I used an
impressive tornado helpout award plaque presented to a local ham club by the
local
government folks to show that we were the good guys, and wondered (to them)
what we would be if THEY didn't do what was right. We presented a total
unified package
of all the hams being together, including lawyer help and presentations etc.
The
Stanford Research Institute, August 1966 SRI Project No. M-5436 was used also.
One very key point--tell them what you want--the whole banana--not a compromise,
and WRITE up the whole thing for them. Do their work for them!
We wrote it as meeting FAA and FCC rules. (Some CBer's didn't like that.) And
there was no requirements for permits or inspections; they don't inspect the
other things-like trees-so why us? Remind them that they already have the
power to
take care of anything unsafe per the BOCA code, and we all want things safe.
Remind them towers are not permanent structures-they leave when people move.
There was also some concern about guy wires in the front yards. I told them few
hams would do this, but that I didn't know what the big deal was as the power
company had put three of their guy wires in my front yard.
I also explained to them that there was less chance of TVI, etc. with higher
towers.
A key point was that if height were limited then the ham would use a bigger
antenna
to compensate--spending the same amount of money--and this would be worse, not
better, for everyone.
Distances from property lines? Doesn't make sense unless you do it for
everything-
like trees. Don't allow discrimination. Take a firm stand. Don't compromise.
Take it up the ladder in the legal system if necessary. If we don't stand
up for
our rights without discrimination who is?
Realize that this was for a county wide and city wide type of thing-not
subdivisions.
I don't believe in compromises. When I made the joint clubs presentation, I
had all
the answers and all the backing and support. And I used them all! And it
was a TEAM
effort by a large amount of people. And by the way I have all the
credentials you
would ever need and that may have impressed them some.
I hope this is what you wanted. If not I've got all the answers.
Check around headquarters for the old information.
Questions?
73 Paul N4XM----and yes I make XMatch Antenna Tuners.
At 07:32 AM 8/18/96 -0400, you wrote:
>
>Hi Paul. I frequently appear before zoning boards and appeals boards on
>behalf
>of local hams.
>
>Your approach is an interesting one and I wonder if I could talk you into
>putting your
>thoughts/approach into writing so I can pass it on to other League officials
>who
>do the "tower" circuit.
>
>Thanks for both helping other hams and working to keep our hobby alive.
> -73- Steve Mendelsohn, WA2DHF , ARRL 1st Vice President
>
>
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