The ARRL has teamed up with Texas HAM PAC to allow ham operators to send a message to their US Congresspeople to encourage passage of H.R.1094 (US House of Representatives) and S.459 (US Senate) which would make Homeowner Associations (HOAs) relax restrictions on antennas and towers in communities to allow for emergency communications.
All across the US, HOAs have restrictions in place to prevent outside antennas and supporting structures from being set up as they concern themselves with preserving property values and keeping aesthetics uniform across the community. While there is no true gauge on whether antennas affect property values or aesthetic quality (as it is ultimately just a matter of opinion) HOAs ban antennas and in some communities, do not even allow antennas that are stealthy (flagpole antennas, wires in trees, and even antennas in attics INSIDE A HOME) and even go so far as to no allow antennas on homeowners' vehicles!
By using the form, it's a 1-minute activity to enter your callsign, confirm the info, and click the "Send" button.
However, I would also encourage everyone to take it one additional step further by sending physical letters and emails that are personalized to your situation so that it carries more weight to your Congressional representatives in Washington.
I used the form to find my representatives, then I used Google to pull up their contact information for their Washington offices as well as their satellite office in my city (Knoxville). Fortunately for me, all three of my reps were in the same building in Knoxville.
I used SKYWARN and the impact of Hurricane Helene in nearby North Carolina as examples of why HOAs should allow residents to install antennas—when done respectfully and safely. Weather-related emergencies are the most common type of communications crisis in this region, and trained spotters play a crucial role, especially as some National Weather Service offices face staffing shortages.
In fact, an HOA community could benefit from having an amateur radio station as a reliable means of communication during disasters. When hurricanes strike, entire towns can become isolated from the outside world—as we saw with Helene in the Carolina mountains, and previously with Hurricane Ian’s devastation on Pine Island in 2022, where my late father lived. His HOA community struggled to get supplies after Ian made landfall. He also lived through Hurricane Charley in 2004, which hit his neighborhood directly as it tore through Punta Gorda. In both cases, a ham radio station could have been a vital link to emergency resources and information.
I expressed these concerns to my representatives and felt this was important to convey.
In some instances, I employed AI to help clarify my thoughts and put them in a concise and sensible letter. I did not copy/paste verbatim, but rather grabbed key elements to insert into my letters and make them make sense.
Since these letters were sent, I received correspondence from 2 of my representatives (so far). I feel this makes an important impact to getting this bill passed.
So please consider reaching out to your reps, especially if you're in an HOA and want to put up antennas to talk to emergency officials, or to the world!
