CALFIRE....Telling Hams Thanks But No Thanks????

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Commander Overlander

Rank III
Launch Member

Enthusiast III

732
Boise, ID, USA
First Name
Pat
Last Name
Mandas
Member #

7193

Ham/GMRS Callsign
KG6JXZ
NOT TRUE!!!!!
(In a Nutshell, If your repeater resides in a CALFIRE vault, you must now begin to pay rent. CALFIRE will not FINANCE any amateur radio equipment or it's tenancy in their repeater vaults)
CALFIRE is NOT divorcing itself from Ham Radio!
Read Below


Section Manager Carol, Milazzo, KP4MD, contacted Jim Tiemstra, K6JAT, Pacific Division Director of the ARRL and he replied:

…This issue arose in Socal 5 to 10 years ago. They have been able to address the issue as follows:
Overall -

The State of California has not made any determination we can find "that Ham Radio [is] no longer a benefit."What happened is that CAL FIRE has transferred responsibility for its communications sites to its property management department. That department has the task of evaluating each site, its condition, use and tenants. If a repeater not known to be associated with the emergency management function of a local jurisdiction is found in a CAL FIRE vault, the default action is to move it out or subject it to commercial rental rates.

Our contact in the California Office of Emergency Services suggests that, if any affected repeater is in any way involved with local emergency or government support activity, they should ask that agency to engage with CAL FIRE concerning the repeater. If the agency makes the case, there is a good chance that the repeater will be unaffected.

Their advice is not to elevate this to State Legislators or the Governor's office. In Southern California, wherein sites managed by the U.S. Forest Service have required repeater owners to post bonds to cover the dismantling of their sites if they cease operation. Negotiation has resulted in considerable easing of the original requirements and a modification of terms to help mitigate the short-term financial impact on those repeater owners