If big brother doesn't help then little brother (in the form of homeowner
associations and litigious neighbors, among others) will make sure that what
we have taken for granted is forever lost. I know someone whose considerable
involvement in EMCOMM (a public benefit) means nothing to those with narrow
personal (pecuniary) interest.
On Wed, May 6, 2009 at 6:44 AM, bob finger <finger@goeaston.net> wrote:
> Not so sure this thread is tower related, but that said.
>
> It is so very sad that what US citizens once took for granted and did on
> our own now requires legislation and the BIG Government to study,
> oversee, spend money on, write regulations etc etc etc. Amateurs are
> volunteers. Always have been. We don't need big brother to "help us".
> 73 bob de w9ge
>
>
> David Jordan wrote:
>
> > <mailto:richard.reed@hq.dhs.gov> Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
> >Enhancement Act of 2009 (Introduced in House)
> >
> >HR 2160 IH
> >
> >111th CONGRESS
> >
> >1st Session
> >
> >H. R. 2160
> >
> >To promote and encourage the valuable public service, disaster relief, and
> >emergency communications provided on a volunteer basis by licensees of the
> >Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio Service, by
> >undertaking a study of the uses of amateur radio for emergency and
> disaster
> >relief communications, by identifying unnecessary or unreasonable
> >impediments to the deployment of Amateur Radio emergency and disaster
> relief
> >communications, and by making recommendations for relief of such
> >unreasonable restrictions so as to expand the uses of amateur radio
> >communications in Homeland Security planning and response.
> >
> >IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
> >
> >
> >April 29, 2009
> >
> >
> >Ms. JACKSON-LEE of Texas (for herself, Ms. BORDALLO, Mr. LUETKEMEYER, Ms.
> >KILROY, Ms. ZOE LOFGREN of California, and Mr. THOMPSON of Mississippi)
> >introduced the following bill; which was referred to the Committee on
> Energy
> >and Commerce
> >
> > _____
> >
> >A BILL
> >
> >To promote and encourage the valuable public service, disaster relief, and
> >emergency communications provided on a volunteer basis by licensees of the
> >Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio Service, by
> >undertaking a study of the uses of amateur radio for emergency and
> disaster
> >relief communications, by identifying unnecessary or unreasonable
> >impediments to the deployment of Amateur Radio emergency and disaster
> relief
> >communications, and by making recommendations for relief of such
> >unreasonable restrictions so as to expand the uses of amateur radio
> >communications in Homeland Security planning and response.
> >
> >Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
> >States of America in Congress assembled,
> >
> >
> >SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
> >
> >
> >This Act may be cited as the `Amateur Radio Emergency Communications
> >Enhancement Act of 2009'.
> >
> >
> >SEC. 2. FINDINGS.
> >
> >
> >The Congress finds the following:
> >
> >(1) Nearly 700,000 amateurs radio operators in the United States are
> >licensed by the Federal Communications Commission in the Amateur Radio
> >Service.
> >
> >(2) Amateur Radio operators provide, on a volunteer basis, a valuable
> public
> >service to their communities, their States, and to the Nation, especially
> in
> >the area of national and international disaster communications.
> >
> >(3) Emergency and disaster relief communications services by volunteer
> >Amateur Radio operators have consistently and reliably been provided
> before,
> >during, and after floods, hurricanes, tornadoes, forest fires,
> earthquakes,
> >blizzards, train accidents, chemical spills, and other disasters. These
> >communications services include services in connection with significant
> >examples, such as hurricanes Katrina, Rita, Hugo, and Andrew; the relief
> >effort at the World Trade Center, and the Pentagon following the 2001
> >terrorist attacks; and the Oklahoma City bombing in April 1995.
> >
> >(4) Amateur Radio has formal agreements for the provision of volunteer
> >emergency communications activities with the Department of Homeland
> >Security, the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the National Weather
> >Service, the National Communications System, and the Association of Public
> >Safety Communications Officials, as well as with disaster relief agencies,
> >including the American National Red Cross and the Salvation Army.
> >
> >(5) The Congress passed Public Law 103-408 which was signed by the
> President
> >on October 22, 1994. This included in Section 1 the following finding of
> >Congress: `Reasonable accommodation should be made for the effective
> >operation of amateur radio from residences, private vehicles and public
> >areas, and the regulation at all levels of government should facilitate
> and
> >encourage amateur radio operation as a public benefit.'
> >
> >(6) The Congress passed Public Law 109-295 which was signed by the
> President
> >on October 4, 2006. This included a provision in the Department of
> Homeland
> >Security Appropriations legislation for fiscal year 2007 that directed the
> >Department's Regional Emergency Communications Coordinating Working Group
> to
> >coordinate their activities with `ham and amateur radio operators' among
> the
> >eleven other emergency organizations such as ambulance services, law
> >enforcement, and others.
> >
> >(7) Amateur Radio, at no cost to taxpayers, provides a fertile ground for
> >technical self-training in modern telecommunications, electronic
> technology,
> >and emergency communications techniques and protocols.
> >
> >(8) There is a strong Federal interest in the effective performance of
> >Amateur Radio stations, and that performance must be given support at all
> >levels of government and given protection against unreasonable regulation
> >and impediments to the provision of these valuable communications.
> >
> >
> >SEC. 3. STUDY OF ENHANCED USES OF AMATEUR RADIO IN EMERGENCY AND DISASTER
> >RELIEF COMMUNICATION, AND FOR RELIEF OF RESTRICTIONS.
> >
> >
> >(a) Authority- The Secretary of Homeland Security--
> >
> >(1) shall undertake a study on the uses and capabilities of Amateur Radio
> >communications in emergencies and disaster relief; and
> >
> >(2) shall report its findings to Congress not later than 180 days after
> the
> >date of enactment of this Act.
> >
> >(b) Scope of the Study- The study required by this section shall--
> >
> >(1) include recommendations--
> >
> >(A) for enhancements in the voluntary deployment of Amateur Radio
> licensees
> >in disaster and emergency communications and disaster relief efforts; and
> >
> >(B) for improved integration of Amateur Radio operators in planning and in
> >furtherance of the Department of Homeland Security initiatives;
> >
> >(2)(A) identify unreasonable or unnecessary impediments to enhanced
> Amateur
> >Radio communications, such as the effects of private land use regulations
> on
> >residential antenna installations; and
> >
> >(B) make recommendations regarding such impediments; and
> >
> >(3)(A) include an evaluation of section 207 of the Telecommunications Act
> of
> >1996 (Public Law 104-104, 110 Stat. 56 (1996)); and
> >
> >(B) make a recommendation whether that section should be modified to
> prevent
> >unreasonable private land use restrictions that impair the ability of an
> >amateur radio operator licensed by the Federal Communications Commission
> to
> >conduct, or prepare to conduct, emergency communications by means of
> >effective outdoor antennas and support structures at reasonable heights
> and
> >dimensions for the purpose, in residential areas.
> >
> >(c) Use of Expertise and Information- In conducting the study required by
> >this section, the Secretary of Homeland Security shall--
> >
> >(1) utilize the expertise of the American Radio Relay League, representing
> >the National Amateur Radio community; and
> >
> >(2) seek information from private and public sectors for the study.
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >
> >
> >
> >_______________________________________________
> >TowerTalk mailing list
> >TowerTalk@contesting.com
> >http://lists.contesting.com/mailman/listinfo/towertalk
> >
> >
> >
>
> --
> Bob Finger
> 8511 Swann Haven Road
> Easton MD 21601
> cell 703 408-2176
> e-mail to: Finger@GOEASTON.NET
>
> _______________________________________________
>
>
>
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>
--
Jack, W6NF
Silver Springs, NV
DM09ji
Migrating my e-mail to vhfplus@gmail.com. Please update you address book.
Thanks!
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