Dear ARRL Pacific Division Members,
Many of you have seen that the Amateur Radio Parity Act has been
introduced in the U.S. Senate as S.1534, and has been referred to
committee for review. This is wonderful news following the unanimous
passage of H.R.555 in the House of Representatives this past January.
Vice Director Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, and I recently returned from the July
ARRL board meeting at headquarters in Connecticut. There we learned
that an estimated 90% of all new housing in the U.S. contains covenants,
with the majority of those having boilerplate antenna restrictions.
This means that as housing expands, Amateur Radio will face increasing
restrictions.
It is important to realize that H.R.555/S.1534 is a bill resulting from
negotiations between ARRL and the Community Associations Institute
(CAI), both of whom have approved the wording of the bill. Some have
questioned whether this bill goes far enough to favor Amateur Radio. It
does! At this time, deed-restricted neighborhoods have the authority to
absolutely deny outside antenna installations, with no recourse. This
bill will guarantee the right of an amateur radio operator to have an
effective outdoor antenna. It is time for ALL of us to come together,
and get this important bill passed!
We are now the closest we have ever been to obtaining antenna relief in
deed-restricted neighborhoods. If passed and enacted, the Amateur Radio
Parity Act will be the most important piece of Amateur Radio legislation
since the FCCs 1985 PRB-1 regulation. That’s over 30 years, or an
entire generation, of no added antenna relief. To make S.1534 pass,
however, we need your help again. Below is a hyperlink to an app called
RALLY CONGRESS. By clicking on the link (or copying and pasting in your
browser) and completing some contact information, within two minutes you
will generate a letter that will let both of your respective U.S.
senators know that you want them to vote for this bill. Time is critical
as we expect the bill to be heard before committee soon, and if passed
in committee, it could go to the floor of the senate for a vote within a
matter of weeks. Please take a moment NOW to click on the hyperlink and
share with your senators your support for S.1534, the Amateur Radio
Parity Act. Thank you.
I just completed and sent my letter inside of 60 seconds. Please take a
minute and do so also!
73, Bob W6RGG
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ARRL Pacific Division
Director: Robert B Vallio, W6RGG
w6rgg@arrl.org
