Dear ODV Members:

At the risk of appearing impudent as a back row member, I agree with Riley, Art and Bonnie – ARRL needs to go forward with private land use antenna relief. Otherwise, we run the risk of losing faith from current and prospective members, as well as federal officials. Over the past three years representing the Roanoke Division, I have run across three groups of Hams seeking HOA antenna relief. I call these Hams, who currently have no recourse or voice, the “Disenfranchised”. Broadly they can be classified as:

WORKING HAMS – those with careers where frequent transfers or assignments make convenient HOA housing most expedient. The latest sub-group in this category to contact me are active military. They have shared there is a nationwide shortage of on-base housing, especially for those with families. They are relegated to off-base housing, much of which has HOA restrictions.
SENIOR HAMS DOWNSIZING – Among this group are some venerable 1X2 calls with established legacies. No longer able to maintain a large home or yard, they move to patio homes, town houses, condominiums or independent/assisted living facilities. Many of these older Hams have told me they don’t want to get involved or become reliant upon remote operation.
YOUTH – In conversations I have had with parents, teachers and Boy Scout leaders, children exposed to Amateur Radio become excited about getting a license, but they enthusiasm is dampened when they find out they cannot erect an antenna. I helped a 12 year old year get his Technician license, only to be told by his parents’ HOA architectural committee to take down his 4 foot tall 2 meter PVC encased antenna. The threat of fines discouraged him and his parents so much he abandoned Ham Radio altogether.

At the West Virginia Section Convention this year, ARRL headquarters representative Steve Ewald, in speaking about the Entry Level License (ELL) initiative, told those at the ARRL forum that an estimated 87% of all ARES® HF nets take place between 3.9 and 4.0 MHz, frequencies which have been put in the ELL petition for Technician Class access. As someone adversely impacted myself by Hurricane Florence this year (my shack flooded and is still offline), I learned of numerous repeaters in the path of the hurricane which became nonoperational during and after the storm, thereby increasing reliance on HF. In widespread disasters where cell service and internet are compromised, we need Amateur Radio operators of all classes capable of emergency response, across a large spectrum of frequencies with an effective outdoor antenna. For every Ham with a large lot in a non HOA area, I suspect there are dozens of Hams – the Disenfranchised – who long for the ability to operate from their own home.

The number of federal Amateur Radio licensees has been growing at 1% per year for the past few years, but ARRL membership is declining. Technicians make up 50% of all licensees, but I believe only 10% of League membership. If ARRL does not want to wither into a glorified DX/Contest club, we need to proceed forward with private land use antenna relief – and soon. The time is ripe. Let’s not snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.

73 de Bill Morine, N2COP

Vice Director – Roanoke Division

Representing ARRL members in North Carolina, South Carolina, Virginia and West Virginia

www.arrl-roanoke.org

Facebook Page: ARRL Roanoke Division

ARRL – The National Association for Amateur Radio™