So You Think You Can Put Up an Antenna? Dream on

[k4kyv]

20% of Americans are subject to homeowners associations, which have sweeping powers to dictate almost anything you want to do to your own home.

Clotheslines and Antennas

[k3zrf]

Not to mention small townships in PA mandating similiar actions in  trying to control expanding rural communities.

[Ed/KB1HYS]

but buying a house in an area not covered by covenants might be sooo inconvienient...

[k4kyv]

but buying a house in an area not covered by covenants might be sooo inconvienient...

And nearly impossible within 50 miles of where most people work.

[Todd, KA1KAQ]

And nearly impossible within 50 miles of where most people work.

So work somewhere else. Take responsibility for personal choices, and avoid choosing something already defined that you know will make you unhappy instead of expecting others to change to suit you. Seems simple enough? Not in the new-age, politically-correct America, apparently.

Having just bought a home near a rapidly-expanding metropolitan area, we had the choice of numerous new developments (complete with restrictions and nearby neighbors) or looking elsewhere. We looked elsewhere, and found a far better property (to us) for less money. Sure - it's a half hour drive into the 'big city', but so what? There are new developments on either side of the island we bought on, and plenty more on the route to the city. In a sea of self-imposed restrictions, our land and town has virtually none. I can even erect my 65' forest fire lookout tower if I choose to. Seems that freedom will be a plus in the future if we sell.

Not so many years ago, hams often chose not to live in developments or close proximity to potential interference from other source. Now more and more, they seem to be losing the ability to use reason and instead want to whine like the rest of the PC crowd. Boo hoo. No one is forcing you to buy one of those evil houses, and you shouldn't expect the people who do (oftentimes for the very covenants they see as protection) to change the rules to suit your special interest.

Considering the huge RUSH to amateur radio by the masses, it would do these hams well to think twice before buying their next home. With hams sliding even further into the minority and plasma screen TVs, restrictive developments, and more cheap chinese electronics for the masses, wanna bet who's gonna win?   

[W2ZE]

So work somewhere else. Take responsibility for personal choices, and avoid choosing something already defined that you know will make you unhappy instead of expecting others to change to suit you. Seems simple enough? Not in the new-age, politically-correct America, apparently.

Apparently not. When I moved to Maryland last year, My wife and I looked for a house that met both of our needs (as much land as possible,no CC&R's, 3 bedrooms).
I have a long commute of about 40 miles one way, but enjoy the house we live in tremendously. I don't like the commute, but the locale more than offsets for it. I now have an antenna that is higher and longer than my old NY QTH (160 meter 1/2 wave up about 90 feet). I too also had a choice of various developments, each with its own HOA, and associated fee's. Once the issue of CC&R's were brought up, the conversation would end. I made it very clear that I wanted no HOA involvement whatsoever.
I have no sympathy for someone who buys a house with an HOA, then P&M's when the HOA nazi's come banging on the door about an "illegal" antenna, and have to take it down, or build/buy a compromise ant.

[WB2UFO]

Come to Hannibal Missouri.  I live 12 miles from work, on 3 acres with no covenants.  I can do anything I want to do with my land.  (almost )

Of course I am 100 miles north of the closest real city, St. Louis. But that might not be so bad.

Larry

[W1ATR]

And nearly impossible within 50 miles of where most people work.

So work somewhere else. Take responsibility for personal choices, and avoid choosing something already defined that you know will make you unhappy instead of expecting others to change to suit you. Seems simple enough? Not in the new-age, politically-correct America, apparently.

Having just bought a home near a rapidly-expanding metropolitan area, we had the choice of numerous new developments (complete with restrictions and nearby neighbors) or looking elsewhere. We looked elsewhere, and found a far better property (to us) for less money. Sure - it's a half hour drive into the 'big city', but so what? There are new developments on either side of the island we bought on, and plenty more on the route to the city. In a sea of self-imposed restrictions, our land and town has virtually none. I can even erect my 65' forest fire lookout tower if I choose to. Seems that freedom will be a plus in the future if we sell.

Not so many years ago, hams often chose not to live in developments or close proximity to potential interference from other source. Now more and more, they seem to be losing the ability to use reason and instead want to whine like the rest of the PC crowd. Boo hoo. No one is forcing you to buy one of those evil houses, and you shouldn't expect the people who do (oftentimes for the very covenants they see as protection) to change the rules to suit your special interest.

Considering the huge RUSH to amateur radio by the masses, it would do these hams well to think twice before buying their next home. With hams sliding even further into the minority and plasma screen TVs, restrictive developments, and more cheap chinese electronics for the masses, wanna bet who's gonna win?  

Oh No! Big time rant comin'. Can't hold it!  

Couldn't have said it better myself. The mindset that go and move into these HOA controlled concentration camps are the type that need to be led around by the nose. The thought of actually having to make a choice will have they're spines quivering like Jello. We're not just talking about antenna' here either. The HOA nazi's are against pretty much everything. You may have some nosey soccer mom on the HOA board that believes it's only right to drive a fugly minivan and stay at home to pump out rugrats, like some machine in a toy factory barfing out Cabbage Patch Kids, while her darling high school sweetheart husband is off on a bizness trip. (When he's actually off to the bizness of tapping the secretary because that's the ONLY thing keeping that poor bastard from killing himself.) She believes this is the right way to live, therefore, that's what everyone else in the neighborhood should be doing. Forget all about your cars in the driveway, a flag on your porch, and God forbid, your house isn't the right color. I say the heck with them and anyone who believes that lifestyle is right. There's too many followers in this world. Too many lemmings willing to run off a cliff just because the first one already did.

Ahh, now I feel better.   

[AMroo]

OOOKAY cant resist either so here comes a rant from downunder.

This an argument that cant be won because everyone argues for their particular situation.

Bit like when I was young and we argued about who had the best car, insulting some ones car was taken as a personal insult, bit childish when I look back.
The guy who had the VW and urged his was the best cause it used less gas was just as right as the guy who had a V8 rocket.
Its just what is relevant to you.

Yep sure I work and I need to live in a city, will retire to the bush and become a country yokel when the time comes.


 For me the fun and skills are developed by using what you have and doing amazing things with it.

[ka3zlr]

Well then,... there's alot to be said about picking the right job with the right secretary,

We bought our place 24 years ago, farm house and a little bit of land out away from town...This estate Thing that has some kind of draw to prospective home owners is not our cup of tea, we have changed jobs down through the years but we were firm on this not bouncing from house to house deal..


Of course today Housing is more business related than home and family, look at rent lately WOW...there's No benefit to renting to get started. I really feel for young kids starting out today looking for housing.....

[W3RSW]

Well the fun starts when the talking points start occuring between the wifey and the secretary....

Fun rants too.  - 'Roo, you get 25 points for being from down under. 

1.  How can you stand upside down without falling off?
2.  Did'ja ever get in a fight with a Roo?  (Is it true they can gut you instantly?)
3.  It must be late winter, still snowing in the hills?

So much for the serious stuff; bet your sick of all the jokes too. 

There's a fascinating documentary 'up here' on HDTV lately, very beautiful pictorial of Australia, geologic history, continental drift,  isolation of flora and fauna over the eons, etc., but the most interesting thing I learned about the current interior desert is the great, land-locked watershed where it rains once in a blue moon, drains to huge, shallow lakes where populations of everything climb enormously.  The photography was spectacular, flying over tremendous flocks of pelicans...   very otherworldly, probably even for Aussies.  "I had no idea...   just no idea...."

Back to CCR's...

When I transferred to WV from the wilds of N. Central Pa, I had to downsize from 80 acres to 5.  But they're mine, no CCR's, half wooded with more woods behind and a lot of mowing in the front half.  You'd think with decent acreage, no restrictions, decent finances and a lot of trees I'd have a jillion antennae, but right now only an "L" loaded wire and 10 mtr. tubular are up.  The story of the cobbler, I guess.

I'd always admired the great antenna arrays I've seen over the years but thought of all the hassle and maintenance... and so the years rolled by.  Probably never will get up the arrays I had up north 

[AMroo]

Yer I been I been a fight with a Roo- cop this for an unbelievable but true story.

When I wus a young un I wus out rabbit shooting with friends when one of the idiots took a shot at a 6' + Roo with a .22.  It got real angry and chased him, he went for his car and it followed him into the car.
The car a Datsun 180B that was provided with his job,  he was an insurance sales man (nuff said) .
He jumped out the other side an the Roo was stuck in the car.
It shredded all the seats and the plastic dash and bashed in the roof and door panels. Any one in that car would have been dead.
The brand new car was a total right off.

Sure is still snowing in the hills and we just had the first snow in Sydney for 36 years.

[W3RSW]

Wow!
just like Chicago,
coldest summer since '32.

& Great story.  Yeah, I'd've loved to see his accident report to his company.

Only thing I can think of that comes close is an engineering buddy of mine going to work in a wooded area in early morning hours; got hit by a deer jumping over the road, which was blinded by his head lights.  The car was already traveling about 60 mph (100 'klicks'/hr).

The damn deer (luckily for the eng'r.) crashed through the right side (passenger side here.)  The guts flew inside the car. The rest of the carcass scraped over the roof.  The car was a total mess of bloody crap all over the inside, front, hood (bonnet) and top a bashed up mess.  It was one heck of an accident report.  Don't mean to be patronizing with all the conversions.. hey, half of 'em probably wrong.

[W1ATR]

Well then,... there's alot to be said about picking the right job with the right secretary,

We bought our place 24 years ago, farm house and a little bit of land out away from town...This estate Thing that has some kind of draw to prospective home owners is not our cup of tea, we have changed jobs down through the years but we were firm on this not bouncing from house to house deal..


Of course today Housing is more business related than home and family, look at rent lately WOW...there's No benefit to renting to get started. I really feel for young kids starting out today looking for housing.....

Yer I been I been a fight with a Roo- cop this for an unbelievable but true story.

When I wus a young un I wus out rabbit shooting with friends when one of the idiots took a shot at a 6' + Roo with a .22.  It got real angry and chased him, he went for his car and it followed him into the car.
The car a Datsun 180B that was provided with his job,  he was an insurance sales man (nuff said) .
He jumped out the other side an the Roo was stuck in the car.
It shredded all the seats and the plastic dash and bashed in the roof and door panels. Any one in that car would have been dead.
The brand new car was a total right off.

Sure is still snowing in the hills and we just had the first snow in Sydney for 36 years.

lol, I could only imagine a kangaroo going nuts inside one of those little rides.

On a side note, you can't even touch one of those Datsuns around here. They suck 'em up real fast for whatever money it takes. For racing, they'll stuff a pumped up fire breathing Mazda rotary engine in the stripped out Datsun chassis and make an 8 second rocket ride out of it.

[WB3JOK]

Great story.  Yeah, I'd've loved to see his accident report to his company.

Only thing I can think of that comes close is an engineering buddy of mine going to work in a wooded area in early morning hours; got hit by a deer jumping over the road, which was blinded by his head lights. 

A few years ago in Pa. I took care of a home health care aide who was pretty banged up. She'd lost control of her car and ran it in the ditch - because a cow ran straight into the SIDE of her car! Her injuries would probably have been much worse if she'd hit it head-on. Deer you expect to leap into the road, but a full size dairy cow? Turns out the farmer was chasing the cow, and it spotted a break in the fence and headed right onto the highway at full throttle... I think they had to shoot it.

The most miraculous escape I've ever read about was this 2004 moose accident.

Still I think that's a really neat kangaroo story. They always remind me of that Far Side cartoon: "Just jump, fool! you don't have to go 'boing, boing, boing'" 
-Charles

[k4kyv]

The damn deer are suicidal.  They will stand around at the side of the road till a car comes by, then jump right out in front of it and destroy the car as they get splattered all over the road.  Besides vehicle damage and a certain amount of loss of human life every year from car crashes, they cause millions of $$$ in damage eating up crops.  And that's not to mention a new strain of disease-bearing ticks they brought a long with them.  Before we had deer in abundance here, our ticks very rarely attacked humans.  Old timers called them "dog ticks" because they would attach to dogs and farm animals, but rarely to people.  But with the advent of white-tail deer, you can now hardly step out the door certain times of the year without picking up a tick or two.

What's so infuriating is that the damn things were deliberately "reintroduced" into this area by the wildlife management agency.  They captured animals in other parts of the country, trucked them here and turned them loose, about 50 years ago.  Once native to this area, they had about died out ever since the mid 1800's, but back before then there were natural predators, wildcats and wolves, to keep the population in check.  Now the wildcats and wolves have all but  completely died out, so the  deer have no natural predators and the population has grown out of control.

I don't understand why they even bother to enforce a limited hunting season, or more fundamentally, why they brought in those pests to begin with.  To me, bringing deer into this area made about as much sense as it would be to "reintroduce" snakes into Ireland - even worse so, because most snakes are harmless.

[ka3zlr]

With all the corn that went in this year the Turkey sure have prospered in my area, I was never a big fan of transplanting but the mgt folks have to justify their jobs I guess.

I noticed as well a larger amount of Raccoon on the highways this year in our area.

[ab3al]

now if we could just get a few slop buckets to run in front of my truck i wouldnt need this henry 8k im picking up next week

just sayin

[KC4KFC]

I've heard that the wildlife people also re-introduced Timber Rattlesnakes into Middle Tennessee (Williamson County). Don't know if I believe it, though. I do know that I saw the biggest rattlesnake I have ever seen while putting up my 80 meter dipole. I now carry a big stick walking up there.....

[N3DRB The Derb]

Mazda rotary engine

is Mazda still producing the rotary? I read a story about a turbocharged RX2 that shifted out at 18 grand on the strip. 

[W3RSW]

Yes Derb. Google the RX-8.  Sedan with suicide rear doors, etc. Very cool machine. Has a gen3 two chamber rotary ; milage not too hot in this day and age but much better than the RX7.

http://www.mazdausa.com/MusaWeb/displayPage.action?pageParameter=rx8Revved&bhcp=1


I've had a '99 Miata for years and it's the most reliable car I've ever had, bar none.