California Gives Big FU To Hams

Plain English Version: CA used to give tower coloc space etc for FREE to various ham repeater groups or whatnot, now they want to charge money for the same shit. Typical CA revenue money grab deal.

-Mike
 
It's like they go to school and don't bother with what has got them to where they are. Then how to keep it in a state of emergency.

It reminds me of Obama reminding us that bayonets are obsolete. [thinking]

They may as well get rid of the 'individual fire fighter' who only has a Pulaski, McLeod and a hand pump extinguisher.

 
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They think that wonderful Verizon emergency responder network is going to save their bacon, so they can toss the HAM's overboard.
 
Watching the downfall of CA is so bad it's almost surreal.
Before moving back to MA 10 years ago I spent 27 years in CA. Silicon Valley was an awesome place in the 1980s and 90s, the wine country hadn't turned into Disneyland yet, camping and fishingat 6,000' was heavenly and skiing at 10,000' in short sleeves in spring...well, you get the idea. Occassionally I miss the grandeur of the landscape, but my only regret in moving east is that we didn't do it 5 years earlier. My heart goes out to the friends I left behind.
 
Back on topic, the passionate hams will find a way to get antennas up high. As a group they're smart, like to make things, like independence and aren't too fond of authority. A year from now the repeater situation might not be quite as good as today, but CA won't go dark.

Too bad we can't earn $ with amateur radio licenses. " Hey Cal Fire, sure I'll help in this emergency, as soon as you write a check for the tower I had to erect."
 
WTF?

Cali is going to have to come up with
local simplex frequencies. It’s going
to end up resembling CB.

Not sure if serious, Cali has metric assloads of repeaters. Plenty of people will still run them, this is mostly a blow to emcomm stuff.

Also, the CA repeater scene at one time wasn't much different than CB probably still is in some parts. Because the machines can go tons of miles due to lots of hill/ mountain vs open area... the mt disappointment repeater was a total on air shithouse in the 90s..


One really good major earthquake and CA will wish those repeaters were still on the air.

Not really, the quakes are infrequent and overrated... the damned fires on the other hand....

-Mike
 
Everything you need to know to understand ham radio in California
was published nearly 15 years ago:

The ARRL Letter
Vol. 23, No. 48
December 10, 2004
...
==>FCC PROPOSES ADDITIONAL FINE FOR FORMER CALIFORNIA AMATEUR LICENSEE

Fast on the heels of a $10,000 Forfeiture Order (FO), the FCC has now
proposed to fine Jack Gerritsen, ex-KG6IRO, of Bell, California, an
additional $21,000 for interfering with Amateur Radio communications.
Gerritsen has been the target of copious complaints of insistent
interference to numerous ham radio repeaters. The FCC affirmed the $10,000
forfeiture in October. The latest proposed fine stems from further
specific alleged instances of interference earlier this year.

"Gerritsen's threats against other operators and his abusive use of
amateur frequencies are the antithesis of good amateur practice and
engineering," the FCC said in its December 2 Notice of Apparent Liability
(NAL). The FCC concluded that Gerritsen willfully and repeatedly violated
§333 of the Communications Act of 1934 by maliciously interfering with the
communications of authorized Amateur Service users.

In 2001, the FCC's Wireless Telecommunications Bureau (WTB) swiftly
rescinded its Amateur Radio license grant to Gerritsen after learning of
his earlier state conviction for interfering with police communications.
His application remains on hold for now. As a result of the conviction,
which he's appealed, Gerritsen ultimately spent some time in jail. But he
continues to maintain erroneously that the FCC can't take away his
operating privileges without a hearing, and that he still has a ham
ticket.

The NAL cites three specific instances of interference attributed to
Gerritsen and mentioned several others in proposing the huge fine, which
includes an "upward adjustment" from the base forfeiture amount of $7000.
"Despite warnings and a prior NAL and Forfeiture Order, Gerritsen's
unauthorized willful and malicious interfering radio operations have been
ongoing for several months," said the NAL, signed by FCC Los Angeles
Office District Director Catherine Deaton.

In one instance in September, the FCC said, a complaint from an ARRL
Official Observer alleged that Gerritsen "deliberately and maliciously
interfered with the Young Hams Net" on a 2-meter repeater. On other
occasions, an individual identifying himself as Jack Gerritsen and/or
using the KG6IRO call sign, has monopolized various LA-area repeaters for
long periods, the FCC said, preventing other users from accessing the
machines.

Several times, FCC agents have tracked interfering transmissions to
Gerritsen's residence. Commission representatives have advised him that he
does not have authority to transmit on amateur frequencies and warned him
to keep off the ham bands.

Gerritsen has not been heard on LA-area repeaters for more than three
weeks now, and there's evidence he's staying south of the US border--at
least for the time being. The FCC gave Gerritsen 30 days to pay or appeal
the proposed fine.
...
==>IN BRIEF:
...
* Amateur Radio to have no role in 2005 Rose Parade: The Tournament of
Roses Radio Amateurs (TORRA) <http://torra.us/> will not be providing any
support for the New Year's Day 2005 Rose Parade in Pasadena, California.
The traditional event precedes the Rose Bowl college football game.
Although TORRA and the Tournament of Roses were unable to agree on 2005
Amateur Radio communication support arrangements, TORRA initially intended
at least to provide some Amateur Television coverage. Now, the group now
says the Tournament of Roses has decided not to use ATV either. A November
17 statement from the TORRA Steering Committee to TORRA members outlined
the chain of events that led to the eventual disconnect, beginning with
the Tournament's reallocation of building space after the 2004 event and
the consequent removal of TORRA's equipment from the net control position
and ATV storage facilities. While TORRA and Tournament personnel did sit
down to explore the role of Amateur Radio and changes necessary for 2005,
TORRA eventually concluded that "there was still too much to do and not
enough time to do it" for a successful operation. TORRA announced November
22 that ATV coverage was out as well. TORRA indicated it will meet with
Tournament officials in January "to restructure our role and the
communication services we provide." Amateur Radio has had a communication
support role in the Tournament of Roses parade since the 1970s. "We have a
longstanding relationship with the Tournament of Roses, and both
organizations wish to maintain that relationship," the November 17 TORRA
letter said.​
 
So California decided to stop controlled burns years ago, allowing enough dead and dying vegetation to grow and cause huge forest fires.

But they require folks to take down repeaters.

Effed up state.
 
So California decided to stop controlled burns years ago, allowing enough dead and dying vegetation to grow and cause huge forest fires.

But they require folks to take down repeaters.

Effed up state.

My cousin's fiancee is a Fed Firefighter out in CA..... He says "CalFire is pretty f***ed up" and that's being polite, I'll just leave it at that.

-Mike
 
I've been a ham for 32 years. I've always been surprised by the "free" mentality of most hams. I've known many hams to use local repeaters daily for years at a time without ever feeling the need to support the repeater/club monetarily. They are also the first ones to complain when the resource becomes unavailable. I don't know how much they are asking for the organization to pay but maybe if everyone who enjoys the resource donated it would be doable. I know this isn't going to surprise anyone but it's not California is not the only state doing this. Massachusetts is doing it as well. One of my local clubs is up against being asked to pay as well. Not only do the want compensation going forward but in arrears as well. This has been going on for some time and we are in limbo currently and have been for more than a few years. Unsurprisingly state officials aren't doing their jobs well and we provide documentation of service to the community only to have it lost or transfered and need to do it again. Fortunately the fee if we have to pay it is in my opinion doable because of generous and active members. In my opinion the California group should pay the fees and relinquish themselves from having to support the .gov during disaster/emergencies.
 
When I was active and used the local repeaters I would pay yearly dues. A lot of the other guys and gals did the same. A lot of the clubs are organized, hold meetings, hamfests, etc. Most of the members contribute willingly. Jack. W1FKG. Licensed for 53 yrs now.
 
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