[TowerTalk] Important for CA Hams
Cherry, Mark
mark.cherry@quickstart.com
Fri, 25 Aug 2000 09:31:56 -0700
> Hello all,
> I realize that this list is an international list and this applies only to
> the ARRL pacific division. Please excuse me for the wide spread
> distribution. I feel that this is important enough that all California
> hams should email the enclosed sample letter to our governor and help the
> plight of hams with regards to tower restrictions.
>
> Thanks for your time
>
> Mark, WT6P
> Sacramento, CA
>
> ---------------------------------------------------------------------
> ARRL PACIFIC DIVISION UPDATE
> SEPTEMBER 2000
> By Jim Maxwell, W6CF, Director, Pacific Division, ARRL
> PO Box 473, Redwood Estates, CA 95044
> (408) 353-3911 (Phone and FAX)
> Packet: W6CF@N0ARY.#NCA.CA.USA.NOAM
> Internet: w6cf@arrl.org
> WWW Pacific Division Home Page - http://www.pdarrl.org/
>
> SB-1714: Passes Legislature Tuesday, August 22
> Letters to Governor Davis Urgently Needed
>
> SB-1714 finally worked its way through the
> California Legislature on Monday, Aug. 22. On that date
> the Senate agreed to the several amendments made after
> initially approving it almost three months ago. The
> Senate vote followed the Assembly's acceptance of SB-
> 1714 on Friday, Aug. 18. The bill is now on its way to
> Governor Gray Davis. We now must consider very
> seriously what will happen when the bill reaches the
> Governor's desk.
> Governor Gray Davis, as we all know, pays close
> attention to the cost of legislation, and rightly so.
> The Senate Appropriations Committee estimated that the
> study called for by SB-1714 will cost the taxpayers
> some $70,000 to $100,000, and the Assembly analyst
> accepted that figure. Although that cost is small in
> the context of the overall state budget, it's large
> enough to attract notice. We should therefore try very
> hard to convince the Governor that it is in the best
> interests of the citizens of California for him to sign
> SB-1714.
> We need letters!
> Please, if you agree with SB-1714, sit down, right
> now, and write a letter to Governor Davis. A sample
> letter to him is given below. You may write to him in
> three different ways:
>
> - Email to graydavis@governor.ca.gov
> - FAX to 916-445-4633
> - Snail mail to Governor Gray Davis. State Capitol
> Building, Sacramento, CA 95814.
>
> Full details on the bill itself can be found at
> http://www.leginfo.ca.gov/cgi-bin/postquery?bill_number=sb_1714&sess=CUR&h
> ou
> se=B
>
> The full text of SB-1714 is also appended to this
> Update.
>
> Please write!
>
> Sample letter
>
> (Note that any letter incorporating these ideas,
> particularly addressing the issue that it is going to
> cost the State some money to study this, and it is
> money well spent, should be helpful. State analysts
> estimate the cost of the studies required by the
> legislation at $70,000 to $100,000.)
>
> *****
>
> Dear Governor Davis:
>
> I am writing to you to urge your support of SB-1714, a
> bill designed to provide some relief to amateur radio
> operators who require antenna structures to pursue
> their interest in communications.
>
> The proliferation of cellular telephones has caused
> concern in many communities about the appearance of
> commercial antenna structures. In attempting to deal
> with this, municipal governments have tended to lump
> together all antennas, ignoring the roles the Amateur
> Radio service has traditionally played in providing
> public service and backup emergency communications in
> support of the Governor's Office of Emergency Services
> and of municipal emergency service organizations.
>
> I believe that this legislation addresses both the
> concerns of municipalities in maintaining for everyone
> a reasonable quality of life and the Amateur Radio
> service in maintaining its ability to communicate and
> to play the roles it always has.
>
> The provision of the legislation for study and report
> by the Governor's Office of Policy and Research should
> ensure that every interest will be considered and that
> an ultimate result in the best interests of all
> Californians will be achieved. The funds required for
> the study, considering the enormous value that the
> State and municipalities have received from being able
> to call on Amateur licensees to provide equipment and
> volunteer hours in emergencies, is money well spent to
> preserve a valuable asset.
>
> Please sign SB-1714 into law.
>
> Sincerely,
>
> <your signature>
> <Your name and address>
>
> *****
>
> Thanks to Harry Styron, K6HS, for preparing the
> sample letter given above.
>
> RF Safety Regulations Fully In Force Sept. 1
>
> The time has come. Effective September 1, every US
> amateur will be required to be fully compliant with the
> FCC's RF Safety regulations. For many, perhaps most US
> hams, compliance means only reading and understanding
> the regulations themselves. Others, however, effective
> September 1 are required not only to read and
> understand the regulations, but must also perform a
> technical evaluation of their station in order to
> determine that their stations are compliant with the
> new regulations. Compliance isn't difficult in most
> cases; the vast majority of amateurs will find it to be
> a "slam dunk." However, compliance with the regulations
> is NOT optional. Even aside from the fact that every US
> amateur is required to follow the RF safety
> regulations, in my opinion amateurs owe it to
> themselves, their families, their neighbors, and the
> general public to follow the regulations to the letter.
> Those who do not clearly understand their obligations
> can find a complete description of the rules on the
> ARRL web site, as well as tools to make your station
> evaluation quite painless. If you have additional
> questions, please drop me an email at w6cf@arrl.org or
> a letter to my home address, listed in QST, page 10.
>
> Hawaii QSO Party - Aug. 26-27
>
> The Hawaii QSO party is scheduled this coming
> weekend from 16:00 UTC Aug 26, 2000 to 22:00 UTC Aug
> 27, 2000. Details of the contest rules of operation can
> be found on the web at
> http://www.pdarrl.org/pacsec/QSOParty.html
>
> Coming Events
>
> - Foothill Flea Market - 2nd Saturday of each month
> from March to October at Foothill College, Los Altos
> Hills.
> - Livermore Swap Meet - 1st Sunday of each month at
> Las Positas College in Livermore, 7:00 AM to noon, all
> year. Talk in 147.045 from the west, 145.35 from the
> east. Contact Cliff Chiba, KF6EII, (209) 835-6715,
> email larkswap@ usa.com.
> - Sonoma County Hamfest The Sonoma County Radio Ama-
> teurs is again holding their popular hamfest this year.
> It will be held on Saturday, Sept. 16, 6:30 AM to 1:30
> PM. The location is at the Lewis Adult School, corner
> of Lewis Rd. and Lomitas Ave., in Santa Rosa. Talk-in
> on 146.73 (-). Contact Rick Reiner, K6ZWB, 707-575-4455
> or at k6zwb@cds1.net. Details may also be found on the
> web at http://www.cds1.ner/scra.
>
>
>
> *********************
>
> Text of SB-1714 as Amended:
>
> THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF CALIFORNIA DO ENACT AS
> FOLLOWS:
>
> SECTION 1. Section 65850.3 is added to the
> Government Code, to read:
>
> 65850.3. Any ordinance adopted by the legislative
> body of a city or county that regulates amateur radio
> station antenna structures shall not preclude amateur
> radio service communications. Any ordinance that
> regulates amateur radio station antenna structures
> shall reasonably accommodate amateur radio service
> communications and shall constitute the minimum
> practicable regulation to accomplish the legitimate
> purpose of the city or county.
> SEC. 2. On or before July 1, 2001, the Director of
> the Office of Planning and Research shall do all of the
> following:
> (a) Prepare and publish a technical assistance
> bulletin suitable for use by local officials and
> planners in the preparation and adoption of local
> ordinances that regulate the placement, screening, and
> height of amateur radio service antennas. In preparing
> this bulletin, the director shall consult with
> individuals and groups with experience in amateur radio
> service communications and land use regulation,
> including, but not limited to, the American Radio Relay
> League, the American Planning Association, the League
> of California Cities, the California State Association
> of Counties, and the Federal Communications Commission.
> (b) Prepare and publish a model ordinance suitable
> for adoption by the legislative bodies of cities and
> counties for the regulation of the placement,
> screening, and height of amateur radio service
> antennas. In preparing this model ordinance, the
> director shall consult with individuals and groups with
> experience in amateur radio service communications and
> land use regulation, including, but not limited to,
> those groups listed in subdivision (a).
> c) Report to the Legislature and the Governor
> regarding any recommendations for changes to the state
> statutes regarding state or local regulation of amateur
> radio service antennas.
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