Subject: [NEXTEL-1] "Amateur Radio Emergency Communications Consistency Act"]

From: [email-masked]
Date: Wed, 04 Jun 2003 22:22:13 -0400

Hi, below is a copy of the letter that I sent to my U.S. Representative . We
need more hams to get busy and contact their elected Representatives if we
want this bill to pass.

If you like this letter, you may copy it and/or change it to fit your
specifics and send it to your U.S. Representative.  To find your U.S.
Congressman, go to: http://www.house.gov/.

73s de Jorge, K4KB

====================================

Dear Mr. (your U.S. Representative):

This is to request your support for the "Amateur Radio Emergency
Communications Consistency Act", which  aims to ease our antenna
restrictions from private Homeowners Associations' Covenants and
Restrictions, CC&Rs, regarding the placement of amateur radio antennas. It
has been re-introduced this year, again by Rep. STEVE ISRAEL(D-NY).

Designated as HR 1478, this bill would require private land-use regulators,
like homeowners' associations, to "reasonably accommodate" amateur radio
antennas, in line with the PRB-1 limited federal preemption. Wording if this
bill is identical to when it was introduced last year: "For purposes of the
Federal Communication's Commission's regulation relating to station antenna
structures in the Amateur Radio Service (47 CFR 97.15), any private land use
rules applicable to such structures shall be treated as a state or local
regulation and shall be subject to the same requirements and limitations as
a state or local regulation".

Amateur Radio operators, are licensed by the Federal Communications
Commission. Many of us provide Emergency Communications in case of disasters
or National Emergency, when conventional communications are unable to handle
the radio traffic, i.e.: the 9/11 tragedy in which thousands of amateur
radio operators in New York, Washington, DC and nationwide, picked-up the
slack and provided a reliable communications outlet when Public Service and
Commercial systems were overloaded or non-existent.

I am a member of the Amateur Radio Emergency Service in my County, we have a
ham radio station set up at the County EMA. In addition another ham radio
station has been set up at the National Weather Service.

Emergency Communications are also provided. by Amateur Radio operators, to
agencies such as the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army, and we also
provide support for, FEMA and the National Hurricane Service, when
requested.

Please support this bill so we may be able to obtain "reasonable
accommodation" in the placement of our antennas, so we may continue to
provide this FREE and VOLUNTEER SERVICE to Georgia and our Nation.

Respectfully yours,

Jorge Mestre

FCC License Call Sign, K4KB
Douglasville, GA 30134

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