FCC and ARRL want your input on HOA Antenna Restrictions

Do you live in a CC&R- restricted community or participate in EmCom
activities? Have deed restrictions / HOA covenants prevented you from
erecting amateur radio antennas? Have these restrictions prevented you
from full participation in emergency communications activities during
disasters?

If your answer is "Yes", ARRL needs to hear about your experience.

As you are probably aware, Congress has directed the FCC to conduct a
study of the uses and capabilities of Amateur Radio Service
communications in emergencies and disaster relief. The FCC was
directed to identify " impediments to enhanced Amateur Radio Service
communications, such as the effects of unreasonable or unnecessary
private land use restrictions on residential antenna installations".
Finally, the study is to make "recommendations regarding the removal of
such impediments."

The FCC has issued a Public Notice - DA 12-523- soliciting input from
the public as part of their study. The ARRL is gathering comments from
the Amateur Radio community to present as part of its comments on the
public notice.

The ARRL is looking specifically for input in two specific areas:
- Recent Amateur Radio involvement in actual emergency communications
and disaster relief;
- Specific details about how CC&Rs and other private land use
restrictions have impaired licensed Amateurs to participate fully in
these disaster relief communications.

If your ability to participate in ARES, RACES, SKYWARN, CERT, or other
emergency and disaster relief communications has been limited because
the inability to have adequate antennas due to CC&Rs, you are asked to
provide that information to the ARRL.

First, we recommend that you prepare a narrative of your exact
situation, in as much detail as practical. Some areas for you to
consider in writing your story might be:
- Were there alternative properties without CC&Rs in the area you
wished to reside?
- What exactly does your CC&R allow / prohibit (please include a copy
of the specific wording)
- Have you applied for a waiver of the CC&R with the Home Owner's
Association / Architectural Review Committee but were denied? If so,
what was the reason?

To assist you in sharing your information with the ARRL, please visit
the special ARRL website built to allow you to readily provide the
pertinent information at CCR Study Information

This page will present you with an overview of what we are asking and
have links to the two forms for you to complete. Please be as factual
as you can with the information you provide and please provide only
information about events and activities in which you were directly
involved.

If you wish to write out the details of your situation in advance,
please do so. They can be either uploaded from the website or they can
be sent as an email attachment to an email sent to CCRinfo@arrl.org

Keep in mind that the FCC study does not apply to ordinances and zoning
laws implemented by the government - such as towns, cities or counties.
PRB-1 covers those situations.

TIME IS OF THE ESSENCE! Congress directed that the FCC provide the
report back within 180-days and that clock is already counting. The
FCC is only accepting comments for a 45-day period, which will end May
17,2012. In order for the ARRL to collate your information in a common
report, we ask that you send in your information no later than WEDNESDAY
APRIL 25. If you need more information, please contact reginfo@arrl.org
The time to act is NOW!

Dan Henderson, N1ND
Regulatory Information Manager
ARRL, the national association for Amateur Radio
860-594-0236
dhenderson@arrl.org

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ARRL Midwest Division
Director: Cliff Ahrens, K0CA
k0ca@arrl.org
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