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Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act Re-Introduced

02/07/2025

Legislation Will Increase Communication Options During Natural Disasters

WASHINGTON – U.S. Senators Roger Wicker, R-Miss., and Richard Blumenthal, D- Conn., and Representatives August Pfluger, R-Tex., and Joe Courtney, D-Conn. announced their joint re-introduction of legislation in the Senate and House to restore the right to Amateur Radio operators to install the antennas necessary to serve their communities.

Homeowner association rules often prevent Amateur Radio operators from installing antennas at their homes even though Amateur Radio has proven to be essential in emergencies and natural disasters such as hurricanes when other means of communication fail.

“Mississippians should have access to every possible means of warning for natural disasters, including amateur radio operators. In an emergency, those warnings can mean the difference between life and death,” Senator Wicker said. “The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act would remove unnecessary roadblocks that could help keep communities safe during emergencies like tornadoes, hurricanes, and fires.”

“When disaster strikes, amateur radio operators provide vital, often life-saving information, which shouldn’t be hindered by prohibitive rules or confusing approval processes. The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act eliminates obstacles for ham radio enthusiasts, allowing them to continue their communications and serve their communities in the face of emergencies,” said Senator Blumenthal.

“Natural disasters and other emergency situations that hinder our regular lines of communication are unfortunately unavoidable, which is why we must bolster our emergency preparedness by removing the barriers amateur radio operators often run into when installing antennas. Amateur radio plays a vital role in public safety by delivering critical information to people at all times. My district is home to dozens of amateur radio operators ready to volunteer in the event of an emergency, and I am proud to lead this legislation,” said Congressman August Pfluger.

“As we know from recent natural disasters, amateur radio operators in Connecticut can be a critical component of disaster response and emergency management. It is in our communities’ best interest that we give them the capabilities to operate at the highest level, and with the re-introduction of this bill, we’ve taken a strong step in that direction,” said Congressman Courtney.

Background:

The Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act of 2025 (H.R. 1094 and S. 459) would require homeowner associations to accommodate the needs of FCC-licensed Amateur Radio operators by prohibiting the enforcement of private land use restrictions that ban, prevent, or require the approval of the installation or use of Amateur Radio station antennas. Homeowner associations have often prevented installation and use of such antennas through private land use restrictions. This has hindered voluntary training for emergency situations and blocked access to necessary communications when disaster strikes.

Among other provisions, this legislation would:

  • Prohibit homeowner association rules that would prevent or ban Amateur Radio antennas;
  • Specify an approval process for installing Amateur Radio antennas;
  • Provide a Federal private right of action to Amateur Radio operators in disputed cases.

On behalf of America’s Amateur Radio licensees, Rick Roderick, the President of The American Radio Relay League, re-confirmed the ARRL’s full support for the passage of the Amateur Radio Emergency Preparedness Act of 2025 and extended his thanks and appreciation to Senators Wicker and Blumenthal and Congressmen Pfluger and Courtney for their unflagging leadership of the bi-partisan effort to support and protect the rights of all Amateur Radio Operators.

The text of the House version can be found at this link: H.R. 1094

Source: ARRL

Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society Winter Hamfest 2025

Northern Ohio Amateur Radio Society will present its Winter Hamfest 2025 from 9 a.m. to noon March 9 in the Reaser Grand Room at Lorain County Community College’s Spitzer Conference Center, 1005 Abbe Road N., Elyria.

This gathering of amateur radio enthusiasts is a social event and swap meet. Tickets are $10 at the door, cash only, and children under 11 get in free.

Door prizes include either a CB or a 10-meter antenna from CompacTenna, with the choice up to the winner.

There will be equipment available for purchase, and those interested in amateur radio can learn more, join in, look at equipment and ask questions.

Seller tables are available for those looking to sell ham radio equipment or relevant items.

For more information or to rent a table, call club President John Dolinar at (216) 276-8871 before 9 p.m. or send an email to winterhamfest@noars.net.

EARTH-DIRECTED SOLAR FLARES

Fast-growing sunspot 3981 is directly facing Earth and crackling with strong solar flares. An M8.8-class explosion on Feb 3rd was only percentage points below category X. NOAA forecasters estimate an 85% chance of M-class flares and a 20% chance of full-fledged X-flares on Feb. 4th.

BIG SUNSPOT ALERT

A sunspot complex more than 500,000 km wide is crossing the solar disk and crackling with solar flares. In the past 24 hours alone there has been one near-X flare and a half-a-dozen shortwave radio blackouts. This sets the stage for a week of potentially high solar activity.

CQ World Wide WPX RTTY Contest

The CQ World Wide WPX RTTY Contest begins at 0000 UTC on Saturday, February 8, and concludes at 2359 UTC on Sunday, February 9. The objective is for amateurs world-wide to contact as many stations and prefixes as possible. Single Operator stations may operate for 30 hours of the 48-hour contest period. Multi-operator stations may operate for the full 48 hours. Complete rules are available at www.cqwpxrtty.com/rules.htm.