[NCC] PRB-1 Expansion

[John S Comella]

Ray, good points and nicely stated.

I agree!

John, N8AA


On Fri, Jul 18, 2014 at 8:59 AM, ray.fallen <ray.fallen at gmail.com> wrote:

> Dear Ms. Craigie:
>
> I watched with great interest your appeal to the ham radio community
> regarding support for the extension of the PRB-1 reasonable accommodation
> rules the FCC established over 30 years ago.  While I find that rule to be
> reasonable and justified, I cannot in good conscience support extending the
> provisions of PRB-1 to deed restricted areas.
>
> First and foremost, every ham living in an antenna restricted area was made
> aware of those restrictions when he or she purchased their property.
> Nobody held a gun to their head and made them sign that contract.  I own
> property in The Villages, Florida.  Restrictions against outside antennas
> and other restrictions established to preserve the value of my investment
> were made abundantly clear to me, when I purchased the property.  I rely on
> those restrictions and the sanctity of that contract, as do my neighbors.
>
> It is no more fair or reasonable to ask Congress to nullify those
> restrictions through legislation than it would be to ask Congress to
> nullify deed restrictions or homeowner's association rules concerning
> property maintenance, the establishment of an in-home business or for that
> matter, raising pigs in the front yard.
>
> It is obvious that these deed restrictions do NOT pose a great threat to
> the hobby.  If, as you say, there are more and more areas covered by deed
> restrictions, how can it be that there are more amateur licenses in the
> United States than at any other time in the history of the sport?
> Bloviation of this sort, while it stirs up the faithful, does not support
> your wobbly case.
>
> Your problem is this: antennas and towers are ugly and if improperly
> installed, potentially dangerous.  If I weren't a ham, I really wouldn't
> want to live next to a neighbor with an 80 foot tower in his front
> yard...especially if I have a significant investment in my home and
> property.  All that being said, I do have a 50 foot crank up tower and quad
> at my non-deed restricted home in Ohio.  But it's in the rear of the
> property and made intentionally difficult to see from the front of the
> house.  Not all hams are that considerate of their neighbors.
>
> Asking Congress to trample on the rights of property owners (and yes, they
> have rights, too), is just plain bad PR for the hobby.  While I don't
> expect you to agree with any of the above, just be aware of the hornet's
> nest you are poking.  Just about everybody's largest single investment is
> their home.  You just don't want to mess with that, now, do you?
>
> Sincerely,
> Ray Fallen - ND8L
> DXCC Honor Roll-Mixed
> 5BDXCC
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