Coconino County, AZ "bans" CB and Ham Radio!

To paraphrase Mr. Edwin Burke, when good men do nothing, they get nothing good done.

The Coconino (Loco-nino?) County Board of Supervisors (5 people) are counting on this entire issue blowing over. They simply look at it as a way to raise revenue throughout the county, as 99% of truckers, tourists, delivery men, etc., won't have any idea of the ordinance until after they are ticketed, and since most are just passing through, or work for a company, they feel you'll write a check instead of fighting this.

Understand that the rest of the State of AZ has not passed any such local ordinance or law, it's just Coconino County. Hams all over the state are sending emails and calling those supervisors to express their outrage on this clear overreach of their authority. I personally made sure that both Motorola and Icom are aware that use of their radios (while mobile) within Coconino County is now considered illegal unless you are either a police officer or first responder, in which case you are exempt from this ordinance. The AZ folks within the ARRL are also fighting this, but their primary concern is getting amateur radio users exempt. No one (at this point that I'm aware) is raising concerns regarding the use of CB or LMR radios, which need to be exempt as well.

 

This also impacts their tourism, like those who use two ways to setup tours and execute them.

I'm just wondering how much revenue this would raise when they end up in federal court if they end up paying for their defense and court costs too?

 

I received a email from Supervisor Metzger today and it said the Board of Supervisors are reconsidering this on Tuesday and expected it to be amended.

The locals should check this out. Maybe a few should show up meeting.

leon
kc0iv

 

Sorry, but I don't trust what Ms. Metzger (or any other politician) says, it's what they put in writing that counts. Even then, they always seem to leave loopholes for their pals. If ALL mobile radio use is approved, then I'll be satisfied, otherwise they simply "tweaked" a bad law (if they tweak it at all). I suppose we will all know by Wednesday morning.

 

Quote[/b] (W4KSR @ Nov. 08 2002,17:57)]Nothing in this section contained shall be
construed to apply to any person who holds a valid amateur radio operator's license issued by the federal communications commission and who operates a duly licensed portable mobile transmitter and in connection therewith a receiver or receiving set on frequencies
exclusively allocated by the federal communications commission to duly licensed radio amateurs.
13. We hold that state and local laws that preclude the possession in vehicles or elsewhere of amateur radio service transceivers by amateur operators merely on the basis that the transceivers are capable of the reception of public safety, special emergency, or other radio service frequencies, the reception of which is not prohibited by federal law, are inconsistent with the federal objectives of facilitating and promoting the amateur radio service and, more fundamentally, with the federal interest in amateur operator's being able to transmit and receive on authorized amateur service frequencies. We therefore hold that such state and local laws are preempted by federal law. CBs are liscensed radios on Ham radio frequencies so Coconino can go to hell with that stupid law. FCC preempts them.
From FCC PR Docket 91-36 (http://www.arrl.org/announce/regulatory/pr91-36/pr91-36.html)

 

I'm going to touch on this subject and remind everyone that in the 90's Bill Clinton signed a bill handing enforcement of CB radios over to the states and this law has yet to be tested.
In the spirit of the law as far as I can tell it was aimed at the guys who cause interference to other forms of communication and the big boys were the target but it seems one of the states took it upon themselves to go one step further and just take em away from the user's.
I will tell all the drivers to stay away from the area you guys posted.

 

So i have been reading this thread, which is way over my head other than what the title of thread meant.
You all seem well read on the subject and knowledgeable about it so i leave that part up to you.
I thought we were talking about some little township in AZ and didnt realize it was almost a 1/4 of the state including I 40 over flagstaff which if i remember correctly was a good place to have a radio (i don't know what kind of cell reception you all have out there).
Before cells, i also knew that the emergency channel (9 right ?) was supposed to be monitored by the state police ? and of course the bears were on channel 19 also. I guess it could be argued that truckers need it as a safety device.
Maybe you should all go old school and do the opposite at least on 40 and all make sure they are on and well used, it would be kinda hard to pull everyone over.
Kinda like the radar scramblers of the day (I dont know if such a thing exists anymore) where they would run in a pack so the bears couldn't tell who had it.
Maybe that's all to much "run the gates doing 98" for today's world - but if i was out there i wouldn't be shutting off the radio unless i wanted it off.
Its a truckers tool -(at least it was) - it be like telling a butcher he has to use knifes with blades shorter than the palm of his hand -because that the law - you know what i mean. Almost forgot heres the map for those of you that want to know http://goo.gl/maps/eftDQ
Keep up the good work drivers.

 

Almost forgot to mention that the state of Delaware did in fact pass a law banning the use of C.B. and or Ham Radio use while the vehicle is in motion some time ago.