The Honorable  
U.S. House of Representatives/U.S. Senate
[Office Address]  
Washington, D.C.

Re: [H.R. 1094/S.459]

Dear Representative/Senator  

I am one of your constituents and I am an FCC licensed General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) Operator. The General Mobile Radio Service is a FCC licensed, short-range radio service for voice and data communication, primarily used by families and small groups for multiple activities.

As a GMRS licensee, I strongly support — and I write to ask you to support and co-sponsor [H.R. 1094/S.459] — legislation that is vital to the survival of Amateur Radio.  Amateur Radio faces an existential threat as 80% of all new housing developments carry private land use restrictions that prohibit all Amateur Radio antennas, including many that are indistinguishable from satellite and broadcast antennas that are permitted by federal law as a matter of right.

[H.R. 1094/S.459] would provide Radio Amateurs the freedom to operate their stations from their homes, a right effectively denied by private land use restrictions. The bill would accomplish this by extending the same federal protections to Amateur Radio operators as those currently enjoyed by homeowners who install TV antennas, satellite TV dishes, wireless internet antennas, and free-standing flagpoles. 

Amateur Radio operators have a 111+ year history of volunteer support to local governments, state governments and Federal agencies when communications and related expertise is needed at times of disasters and other emergencies. Amateur Radio also has, and continues to, serve as a gateway for the youth of America to enter the fields of science, technology, engineering, and math. It has been the foundation for the careers of a significant number of the leaders in American communications and technology. As an example, the first private satellite launched into space, Oscar 1, was designed and launched by Amateur Radio operators. Today almost every astronaut on the International Space Station (ISS) is licensed as an Amateur Radio operator. When in space they use some of their free time to talk with students across the world to interest them in space, technology, and related fields.

I request your support for, and co-sponsorship of, [H.R. 1094/S.459] to eliminate the threat to Amateur Radio. I would be honored to meet with you, or your staff, within the District to discuss my concerns or to have Amateur Radio’s representatives meet with you in Washington.

Sincerely,