Council's aerial plan puts radio hams on different wavelength

Amateur radio masts sprout from the roof of a North Shore House. Picture / Paul Estcourt

A North Shore City Council plan to impose controls on radio and television aerials has provoked an outcry from amateur radio operators.

The council is looking at a raft of controls to reduce the effects that all utility structures have on the environment.

But it is the proposals to control the size, number and location of new television aerials, antennas and satellite dishes that have drawn the most protest.

Amateur (ham) radio operators have sent a message loud and clear to the council they should be exempt from the "excessive" controls.

About 200 submissions from hams express concern they will need a resource consent whenever they change aerials and they will bear the cost of mandatory testing of radio frequency radiation.

"We will be allowed only two antennas and two aerials on the house," said Torbay ham David Arnet. "We already have two aerials for television and a Sky satellite dish so it doesn't matter how high the [radio] aerial is, it won't comply."

Hams moving house would need consents to install their masts.

Milford operator John Wilson said the moves would deter people from a legitimate hobby and deprive the community of an asset in times of civil defence emergencies.

Ralph and Rosemary Boshier, of Glenfield, talk to a network of friends overseas by shortwave and also use VHF and UHF amateur bands.

Their one mast is 5m high but cannot be seen from the road.

Hams say the city's valleys make a nonsense out of the council setting an arbitrary height and location because aerials - whether they are for radio or television - may have to be taller to pick up weak signals.

Structures of up to 18 metres should be allowed.

North Shore amateur radio club secretary Alan Wooller said amateur radio was a testing ground for experimenting with new techniques, thus advancing communications.

Concern that the council's proposals will spread to other local authorities has prompted operators elsewhere to join the fray.

A council spokesman said aerials and antennas erected before June 2006 would not be affected.

There had been concern about the visual effects of proliferating Sky dishes, large satellite dishes in front yards and close to neighbours, and a jumble of television aerials sprouting from blocks of flats.

The council said people were worried public health could be harmed by radio frequency radiation from ham transmissions that were many times higher than from a standard commercial cellphone site.


New laws

* Limit of two TV/ radio aerials to a new residential unit.
* Limit of two satellite dishes.
* Two joined new units have a single aerial/dish.
* Size of aerials restricted to 3m and antennas 2m and out of sight.
* Resource consent needed for exceeding number and size limits on aerials and dishes.