Good Morning,

As you can see from the list below, along with Mr. Kinzinger (R-IL), the sponsor of HR 4969, we now have a total of 18 names on the Bill.  That’s nearly 2/3 of our original goal of 30.  We accomplished this basically with only a few people and our D.C. consultants in a week and a day.  Imagine what we can accomplish with 15 or more of us over the next 4 weeks.  Frankly, there is no reason why we can’t obtain 50 or more names on the Bill. 

To do that requires the participation of every Division.  And so to you, my colleagues on the Board, I issue this challenge; that each of us pick up 2 new co-sponsors this month.  That would add 30 names to the Bill.  It is doable with a moderate amount of effort on our part.  Certainly all of us have enough support within our own Divisions to get help from key members whom you would trust to get the job done with you.

This issue is arguably the most important issue Amateur Radio has faced in the past 30 years.  At the current rate of growth, it is only a matter of a few short years before deed restricted communities cover over 1/2 of the entire U.S. population.  No antennas will be the death of Amateur Radio as we know it.

I don’t mean to sound preachy (or maybe I do), but I am sincere in my belief that we have the opportunity to get this done.  Now.  Today.  And that opportunity will likely not be there come next Congress.

It’s incumbent upon us to get it done now.  Let this be our legacy to Amateur Radio and the ARRL.  That we, as Directors, Vice-Directors, and Officers, accomplished the extension of PRB-1 rights to those living in developments hampered by HOAs and CC&Rs.  I know, personally, that if I am a part of a successful effort, I will be satisfied with my term in office no matter what I do in the future.

As we would say here in Brooklyn (actually, it would be more colorful), “let’s get off our collective asses and get this done!”

With My Vy 73,

Mike