[TowerTalk] hams-only communities etc.

[RICHARD BOYD]

When W3UR moved in next to W3LPL, with many hams already living within a mile, I joked that they should turn it into a hams-only community.

When I asked W3LPL how far away a serious contester should live from another serious contester (especially from an active multi-multi), he said he thought 10 miles or more was sufficient.  W3LPL is 35 miles from me and K3ZO is 15 or so.

On "nice houses" being near junkyards...when I was looking for rural acreage to build, hopefully, both a new house and to put up multiple towers, I considered this and saw it as not necessarily one-way disadvantageous that there was a junkyard, liquor store, and other commercial operations either nearby or as contiguous neighbors.  Extensive parkland adjoining was a plus too (nearest neighbor to the NE is over a mile away).  So, though the towers aren't up yet, I'm in the nice house and hope and expect the towers will also be compatible with "the neighborhood."  I'm willing to "eat it" that some would say the house is overbuilt for the "neighborhood."  Out in the countryside this is quite often the case with nicer houses side by side with "subsistence houses," and is accepted to some extent.

Some people seek out "estate areas" where their "estate home" (tongue-in-cheek allusion to the complaint from one of W3LPL's neighbors, quoted in the local newspaper, when 'LPL was first built -- a neighbor who called his own split level "an estate home" -- a neighbor who has since moved away) is side-by-side with other estate homes, so no one has to cast eyes upon anything beneath them.  And you pay a premium for this privilege.  That's not for me.  Actually, the real "estates" I've been around always seem to have guest houses, tenant houses, etc. of lesser stature, and real "estate people" want to pursue their sometimes arcane interests (like ham radio) and don't necessarily give the #1 priority to keeping their property picturesque.  So, I've seen multi-millionaires and billionaires do some wild things on their property, but I suppose they can afford to have a few thousand acres (or at least a few hundred) and hire the professionals (e.g. attorneys) to allow them to do it with minimal fuss from neighbors.  I suppose some of the conflicts arise when we try to pursue our dream, like the multi-millionaires and billionaires do, but we don't have the wherewithal to buy a couple thousand acre estate to do it on, so our towers are in closer proximity to neighbors.

Anyway, I'm glad to have the junkyard and liquor store and such nearby.  I can shoot deer and turkey and quail and geese in the backyard too -- not always really popular things to do if you're living in a development and have neighbors nearby!  See, ham radio is not the only pariah activity!

Sorry to be so long -- I had intended to stay out of this kind of "mucky" discussion and am trying to avoid controversy so I don't get sucked into it.  But I thought I might be able to add a couple points to entertain and amuse.  

hihi.  73 - Rich, KE3Q