Ham Radio needs your support! Please write to your Representative. If you do not know who is your Rep. Please Use the Link Below.
http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/

What is HR 4969? 
In June, 2014 with Congressman Adam Kinzinger (IL-16) as the sponsor and Congressman Joe Courtney (CT-2) as co-sponsor, HR 4969 – the “Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014” – was introduced into the 113th Congress.  This bipartisan effort would direct the FCC to extend the “reasonable accommodation” provisions for Amateur Radio antennas to include all types of land-use regulation, including deed restrictions and restrictive covenants.

What will HR4969 do?
Most importantly, it will ensure that every ham in the US, regardless of the community they live in, will have the opportunity to practice their avocation from their own homes without breaking any rules or fear of reprisal.
If enacted, HR 4969 would direct the FCC to extend the the reasonable accomodation protections to those amateurs who are living in deed-restricted communities.  Known as “CC&Rs” (covenants, conditions and restrictions) are the prohibitions and limitations placed on properties by builders or home-owner associations (HOAs) which prevent licensed Amateurs from erecting even modest antennas.
HR 4969 would would not give Amateurs “carte blanche” to do whatever they wished. It would require HOAs and other private land use regulations to extend reasonable accommodation to Amateurs wishing to erect antennas.

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Dear Representative ___________________________________

As a constituent and a licensed Amateur Radio operator in your district, I am writing asking that you support HR 4969 – The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014 – and request that you become a co-sponsor for this legislation.

For over 30 years the FCC and Congress have repeatedly acknowledged the “strong Federal interest” in effective Amateur Radio communications. The FCC found that municipalities often unreasonably restricted Amateur Radio antennas in residential areas. In its declaratory ruling now codified at 47 C.F.R. §97.15(b) – the FCC determined that:

“Except as otherwise provided herein, a station antenna structure may be erected at heights and dimensions sufficient to accommodate amateur service communications. (State and local regulation of a station antenna structure must not preclude amateur service communications. Rather, it must reasonably accommodate such communications and must constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the state or local authority’s legitimate purpose.”

HR 4969 will extend limited reasonable accommodation provisions to include all types of land use regulations, including preclusive homeowner’s association regulations and restrictive covenants. The FCC has jurisdiction to provide these protections when there is a conflict with Federal policy. This was established when, at Congress’ instructions, it enacted regulations that preempted municipal and private land use regulation over satellite dish antennas and television broadcast receive antennas in residences.

HR 4969 will provide a basis for radio Amateurs to negotiate reasonable accommodation for at least minimal outdoor Amateur Radio antennas with their homeowners’ association. This legislation is critically important to me and to the hundreds of other federally licensed Amateur Radio operators residing in your district. Please sign-on as a co-sponsor of HR 4969.

Sincerely,