Amateur Radio FAQ

Occam · Feb 22, 2021

jc1240 said:
That's a good use and I'll have to think about trying it with someone. I've toyed with it enough to know it's only as good as someone with an appropriate receiver can hear the signal. From my home, I have to go upstairs for the closest guy (a few miles away) to send it to the aprs.fi gods.

I should mention that I was pleasantly surprised to find every single beacon transmission making it through to APRS.FI - from inside the beltway all the way out past Leesburg and into the valleys between the steeper hills right down to my destination nearly in the Shenandoah River.

I suppose it helped that I was using the truck's Yaesu rig at 50W (though with a magnetically mounted 1/4-wave roof antenna) to send that data out. Next time I drive that route, I'll try the exact same thing with its little brother HT and see if any of that comes close to working at handheld power levels. Nothing like actually getting out and trying stuff in the real world where you might need it to work some day.

jc1240 · Feb 23, 2021

DMR question that may or may not have an answer.

Repeaterbook.com shows 27 DMR repeaters for Maryland. Only 3 are listed as being on the Brandmeister network yet all instructions I find for anything neat/fun to try (like SMS messaging) all are for Brandmeister.

Does anyone know why so few repeaters around us are on Brandmeister, yet it seems to be so popular that instructions all say to to go Brandmeister?

dblas · Feb 23, 2021

https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0663?ys=2021RS

Maryland trying to codify FCC tower preemption into state law. This is a good thing.

K31 · Feb 23, 2021

dblas said:
https://mgaleg.maryland.gov/mgawebsite/Legislation/Details/hb0663?ys=2021RS

Maryland trying to codify FCC tower preemption into state law. This is a good thing.

Sounds like preemption of local and municipal laws but it doesn't say anything (at least in the linked description) about HOAs which are a bigger problem.

jc1240 · Feb 23, 2021

^^^^^ Ha - HOAs. They're nothing compared to my wife. grumble grumble.

I'm trying to think of a stable way to put up an antenna with some height that is also "temporary" like a telescopic pole lashed to the deck railing. But I'm not happy with anything yet.

On another note, I was on the phone with the fellow who owns about 15 repeaters sprinkled around Maryland and Pennsylvania (delmarvadmr.com). He was extremely friendly and helpful.

He cleared up a lot of things how that Interstate Network works, that I can't really use most youtube videos because they are mostly Brandmeister and this network uses c-Bridge, and much to my dismay - DO NOT use repeaterbook.com for any of the repeaters in the Interstate Network as the info is all wrong and he has not been able to get the info corrected at repeaterbook. That was one of my biggest headaches - using the wrong info.

Mark75H · Feb 24, 2021

The HOA problem is they are a voluntary contract that you knew about ahead of time. Don't like HOA's? Don't buy a house in a HOA neighborhood. Legally its akin to trying to make McDonald's change their menu; you didn't have to go into McDonalds.

K31 · Feb 24, 2021

Mark75H said:
The HOA problem is they are a voluntary contract that you knew about ahead of time. Don't like HOA's? Don't buy a house in a HOA neighborhood. Legally its akin to trying to make McDonald's change their menu; you didn't have to go into McDonalds.

Well ANAL, but it seems to me a state law could invalidate contract provisions. My understanding of the Federal law is that they have to make reasonable allowances for antennas.

ToolAA · Feb 24, 2021

I put up a dual band Diamond antenna on my chimney. Only 2 neighbors could see it from their homes. My understanding is that HOA’s must allow home owners to install Satellite dishes or antennas for HDTV reception. So I figured if anyone gave me any crap I would just plug one if my TV’s into the feed and tell them to pound sand.

K31 · Feb 24, 2021

The ex-wife was showing my HF antenna to a neighbor one day. An OCF that, at it's peak, is about 40 feet up. She had to point it out to the neighbor against blue sky to get them to see it.

HOAs can suck my balls.

TapRackBang · Feb 24, 2021

ToolAA said:
I put up a dual band Diamond antenna on my chimney. Only 2 neighbors could see it from their homes. My understanding is that HOA’s must allow home owners to install Satellite dishes or antennas for HDTV reception. So I figured if anyone gave me any crap I would just plug one if my TV’s into the feed and tell them to pound sand.

The relevant FCC rule is "Over-the-Air-Reception Devices" (OTARD). It covers satellite and terrestrial TV antennas, and "fixed wireless signals" only. It also explicitly does not cover ham and CB antennas.

Mark75H · Feb 24, 2021

K31 said:
Well ANAL, but it seems to me a state law could invalidate contract provisions. My understanding of the Federal law is that they have to make reasonable allowances for antennas.

States, counties and municipalities have to make reasonable allowances; not neighbors you have a contract with.

Same kind of state law could let your bank call your mortgage or car loan.

The only legal way would be for FUTURE contracts, not existing ones.

TheBert · Feb 24, 2021

K31 said:
Well ANAL, but it seems to me a state law could invalidate contract provisions. My understanding of the Federal law is that they have to make reasonable allowances for antennas.

Just like the did for small vsats.

JPG · Feb 24, 2021

K31 said:
Well ANAL, but it seems to me a state law could invalidate contract provisions. My understanding of the Federal law is that they have to make reasonable allowances for antennas.

Feds and States do make laws that override HOA rules.

Feds say it’s ok for satellite dishes and solar panels. HOA docs say those not allowed, but Feds overrule.

Maryland says it’s ok to have clothesline in yard. HOA says no clothesline, MD law wins.

At anytime Feds could allow antenna which would overrule any HOA that says antenna not allowed.

ToolAA · Feb 24, 2021

TapRackBang said:
The relevant FCC rule is "Over-the-Air-Reception Devices" (OTARD). It covers satellite and terrestrial TV antennas, and "fixed wireless signals" only. It also explicitly does not cover ham and CB antennas.

I know that, and you know that, but if I stick a 75ohm connector adapter on the end of my feed and as far as the HOA is concerned it’s an HDTV OTA antenna. Honestly even with the impedance mismatch it would actually work.

Pinecone · Mar 8, 2021

Where the FCC preemption works is where the HOA has a rule that prohibits all antennas.

That is overridden.

But if they specify which antennas, the FCC rule only applies to the parts about TV/sat antennas.

Pinecone · Mar 8, 2021

Where the FCC preemption works is where the HOA has a rule that prohibits all antennas.

That is overridden.

But if they specify which antennas, the FCC rule only applies to the parts about TV/sat antennas.

mac1_131 · Mar 8, 2021

K31 said:
Well ANAL, but it seems to me a state law could invalidate contract provisions. My understanding of the Federal law is that they have to make reasonable allowances for antennas.

That's always the rub. They are very reluctant to legally override contracts. The builders lobby is pretty powerful too. If one can make a very compelling argument it might happen, but I wouldn't count on it.

mac1_131 · Mar 8, 2021

ToolAA said:
I put up a dual band Diamond antenna on my chimney. Only 2 neighbors could see it from their homes. My understanding is that HOA’s must allow home owners to install Satellite dishes or antennas for HDTV reception. So I figured if anyone gave me any crap I would just plug one if my TV’s into the feed and tell them to pound sand.

That has worked in the past.

ToolAA · Mar 8, 2021

mac1_131 said:
That has worked in the past.

I feel like in my case I’m probably ok. I think that in order for this approach to work, the antenna needs to probably be no more than 6-10ft tall. You can easily sell the “For TV use” defense as long as it’s similar size to what would be used for OTA reception.

If I were to erect a 40’ tower in my back yard, I could still actually use it for TV reception but I might piss off my neighbors and HOA enough to inspire then to sue me.

The sweet spot would be to setup an antenna that allowed you to gain some real signal improvement without causing ire to your more “reasonable” neighbors.

jc1240 · Mar 8, 2021

All kinds of HOA "friendly" antennas in here:

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