Apologies if you have already seen this editorial -- it appeared in the March 8 issue of the Wilmington (NC) Star-News and is a rare support for amateur antennas vs. CC&Rs. Bill Morine, N2COP is a member of the ARRL Pubilc Relations Committee. Dave K1ZZ Scenery, or security? Those of us who live in hurricane alley need all the help we can get during emergencies. Amateur radio operators can provide it - unless we allow prissy restrictions to keep them out of our neighborhoods. That's been happening more in recent years, as local governments and famously prissy homeowners associations have banned satellite dishes - and often in the process, amateur radio antennas. Not smart. In some cases, maybe even suicidal. In the first place, technological advancements have shrunk the size of antennas. Wilmington ham Bill Morine says they can consist of nothing more than horizontal wires that can't be seen from the street. Surely the neighbors could tolerate a visual outrage of that magnitude, particularly if they understood that when the Big One arrives, that unobtrusive wire might transmit information about their plight to FEM - um, to somebody who might help. In older neighborhoods without excessive prissiness, even big ol' antennas on tall masts might look beautiful if they bring boats, helicopters, food and water. Few of us realized that shortsighted zoning and rule-making were driving potential helpers out of our neighborhoods. Local, state and national lawmakers ought to make sure they don't. And if your homeowners association has such rules, you might want to suggest repealing them.