[TowerTalk] Do you tell them?

[Alan AB2OS]

I just came from the Township Building Dept., where the building 
inspector said he doesn't do towers and the zoning guy said he didn't 
think anybody wanted to mess with towers (as long as they are below the 
70' limit) even if I wanted it inspected -- but I have a number to call 
the Chief Building Inspector tomorrow and ask.

The zoning guy said he thought their attitude was "if anybody puts up a 
tower and it injures or kills anyone, that's the owner's problem."

I am going to follow the tower manufacturer's foundation specs., so I 
hope all will be OK. My antenna will be about half the tower 
manufacturer's claimed permissible surface area for 120mph winds with 
1/2" of ice.

I commented to the zoning guy on the township's rather lenient approach 
to amateur radio towers. He said their legal people took one look at 
PRB-1 and said, "We're not going to mess with the FCC."

Alan AB2OS


On 06/20/04 10:31 am Jeff Chambers put fingers to keyboard and launched 
the following message into cyberspace:

> About two years ago I was in a very similar situation. Just bought a new 
> house with no CC&R's about antennas, and a City that was indifferent 
> about non-commercial towers. I didn't know any of my neighbors at the 
> time and had the same thoughts as you are having now.
> 
> I decided to pay the $22 for a building permit after the suggestions 
> that if I have the unfortunate experience of making an claim with my 
> insurance company if some loss occurred because of the tower. I can't 
> imagine it falling down, but it has happened to others.
> 
> If you don't go the route of a building permit, I would strongly suggest 
> that you document that your installation complies with the 'Prime 
> Directive', just in case.

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