so is an amateur radio license not governed at a federal level in the US?
Or is it just antenna support structures for use with ham radio transmitting 
and receiving antennas that aren't governed at a federal level in the US?
I ask this because in Canada, not only is the amateur radio service, and the 
licensing of it's operators,  overseen by the federal government, but also 
antenna support structures used for amateur radio antenna systems are also 
governed by the federal authority, not provincial or regional authorities.
what that means is that since amateur radio antenna support structures, IE 
towers, are federally regulated, that any provincial or regional by-law 
against towers on personal property do not apply in a legal sence.  You must 
only abide by the restrictions and criteria as set out by the federal 
regulations.
Most places do like to implement by-laws surrounding tower height, and 
placement, but they are generally set at the same minimum criteria as the 
federal regulation.
Things like county, or even neighborhood or subdivision  policies or even 
civic legislation that tries to limit antenna support structures to less 
than what is set out by the federal government have absolutely no strength 
in law or enforcement.
For instance, if a ham lives in a high priced area of town, perhaps a newly 
developed subdivision on a golf course, he still has the legal right to 
erect a tower for use to support amateur radio related antennas, on his 
property, as long as he abides by the federal regulations...that is, the 
tower must be in the back yard away from the main street, if it is free 
standing it has to be so many feet or meters away from the nearest building 
or property line, it must have such and such amount of concrete at the bass, 
and must be guyed in such and such a way if it exceeds a certain height etc.
there are a number of criteria that must be met under federal law.  At any 
rate, if his regional authority then decides to fine him or attempts to make 
him take it down, they have absolutely no grounds to do so, no matter how 
much they don't like it there.
I guess we have things a bit better up here in the land of the free hi hi.
The only restriction any regional authority is allowed to put on these 
support structures is height...in our city, the height restriction is 68 
feet from ground to the feedpoint of the antenna.
and you can easily get a permit from the city to go higher if you so desire, 
as some have.

at any rate, I'd like to hear how the patriotic sorts around here feel about 
just one more freedom being taken away from them in the good old US of A, 
when that terribly socialist, near communist country to the north of them 
seemingly has more personal and individual freedoms than their own 
countrymen enjoy anymore.

73
Colin, V A6BKX
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Fred Adams" <[log in to unmask]>
To: <[log in to unmask]>
Sent: Wednesday, November 24, 2010 3:09 AM
Subject: Ham Radio Restrictive Tower Ordinance in NC!!


> Just passing this on for infor purposes.  Looks like this county is 
> putting
> up as many obstacles as possible.
> http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2632263/posts