Topband: “FAA Extension, Safety, and Security Act of 2016” to affect

[Rob Atkinson]

Folks, this could be serious if a concerted response from hams and the
ARRL to the FAA isn't made.  Perhaps the few members of Congress who
are hams can be prevailed upon to add a revision to a later bill.  I
believe ham radio was not under consideration and that we have become
part of a poorly worded and too broad in scope piece of legislation.
I think the concern that precipitated this bill was weather sensing
towers that would suddenly go up in the middle of a farm field far
from any building.

But regardless of that, the current wording could result in ham towers
as low as 50 feet being in the scope of this.  That's not very high.
You may say all you want about how, "Oh, all the ham towers are near
houses and other structures on non-agricultural property so we're
okay, and I'd like some more ice cream while your up please..."  but
here are some cases you may not consider:

You plan some day to live in the country and your dream is a guyed or
free standing tower, 120 feet or so high and skirt fed to make a 90
degree monopole on 160 m. with a full ground system that would place
it 120 feet from your shack.  What if the rule winds up placing a
distance limit of 100 feet from the nearest structure for exclusion?

You can't handle all the noise on 160 m. and buy a few acres of
undeveloped farm land where you plan to set up a remote antenna site.
Maybe it is only receiving but what if you eventually decide to erect
a phased vertical transmit system?   What, a bunch of 43 foot
verticals and some stupid loading coils and baluns?  Yeah, have a nice
time with that big gun signal, hi.   Or maybe you can afford the real
deal all painted and lamped.  Any idea what that maintenance costs?
And you have to have a monitoring system to make sure it is working
from dusk to dawn, file a notice with FAA when a light bulb blows and
get a rigger to climb up and replace it.  Now you are running
essentially a broadcast tx plant.  For ham radio.   Time to sell your
boat and airplane, if you have them.

This isn't just about a relative few hams lucky enough to be in the
country with tall towers.  This could be about you and your 60 footer
holding up one end of a long wire or something, if it winds up being
out in the open by law.

It could also wind up being one more thing you have to deal with when
you want to plan a new antenna farm or just a single new tower
somewhere.  Do you want one more hassle or restriction?  Wouldn't you
rather have more freedom?

Are you in VE land or somewhere else?  What the FAA does can have legs.

I know naysayers will poo poo all this, and they'll be right, IF HAMS
TAKE ACTION.   If we all sit back and blow it off, we'll get the
regulation we deserve.

73

Rob
K5UJ