There goes the Neighborhood (mostly on topic - light polution)

Over the years I've been happy with the neighborhoods where I've
lived.

I've been an amateur astronomer for over two decades and we moved here
in 1984 as it's a relatively dark location fairly close to where I
worked at the time.

After living at the present location for nearly 19 years both Joyce
(my wife N8JBW) and I have developed a fairly nice Ham station and
antenna system for 160 through 10, 50, 144, and 440 MHz. I have been
working toward EME on 2.4 Gig as well as getting on WSJT and working
lots of DX on the HF bands.

Unfortunately, today things started down hill.

The County picked a site to build a new jail out here in the country
just about 300 to 400 yards from us.

The neighbors here have been great. Even the ones with the big outside
lights. The just said, any time you want to look at the stars, just
call and we'll turn off the outside lights. I seriously doubt the
jail is going to be that good of a neighbor and I do expect lots of
light pollution.

This presents the potential for a real interference problem with the
ham station as well. Control cables, PA system, and anything else
with unshielded solid conductors will be a prime target for the HF
bands while the VHF, UHF and microwave frequencies have a different
set of problems.


However Joyce kinda figured the commissioners were going to try and
pull a fast one (the site had been removed from the list months
ago).So she took in a two page letter describing the steps necessary
to avoid interference if perchance they did build here. It also
explains that if they don't take those steps up front it could be far
more expensive to do later. A CYA if you will, but as they and the TV
networks were presented with the signed letter every one knows they
were informed and warned ahead of time.

I figured the radio interferences issue might have more clout than
light pollution, but....guess what? They put the site back on the list
and voted to make it the building site.

I was up late last night working on the airplane construction so I
didn't make the meeting, but shortly after getting up (at 12:30) I
found myself in interviews with ABC, CBS, and FOX. NBC didn't show.
They did some rather lengthy interviews where I was able to talk at
length about RFI, proper installations and prevention, and working
with and through local clubs to be a good neighbor and solve RFI
problems. I also got to talk about storm chasing a bit with public
service.

They let me talk at length about how long it took to develop our
station, the effort it took and the relative cost of doing so.
Fortunately they took the "Quality of Life" approach as Joyce and I
are both retired and included light pollution as quite likely
eliminating my ability to do any viewing from out yard. .

Between the three networks I'd guess the interviews ran a total of
something like 30 to 40 minutes worth of tape and probably an equal
amount of walking around the yard talking/BSing about the station,
astronomy, the jail, and its possible impact on the neighborhood which
they also taped. The Fox reporter asked about additional concerns and
didn't stick with just the quality of life, concerns about RFI, and
light pollution although I didn't get to say much about the light
pollution..

(By the time the newspaper reporter left I had almost run out of voice
and finally had breakfast at something like 4:30)

We also talked about (and they taped) what it would cost for us to
move to try to maintain that quality of life. Considering I built the
tower/monster by hand and it would have to be dismantled by a
professional crew and a replacement installed by a crew (I'm getting a
bit long in the tooth for that much work), it turns out it would be
*very* expensive to move and just maintain what we have. To install
the tower again would cost over 10 times the original installation and
dismantling the current one would cost about 4 times as much as I have
in it. On top of that the property values are now less which would
make it even more difficult. Then there is the fact I might have to
take long drives to find viewing spots only up to the quality we have
here rather than step out back. That and the 10" Meade is just too
heavy for me to haul around to remote viewing sites any more.

All three networks started with full height shots of the tower and
antenna system on the news tonight. Unfortunately is was a busy news
night and all that tape was edited down to about 3 minutes with no
mention of light pollution. They are keeping it on
archive though:-))

Can you imagine all that control wiring near a 160 meter station
running the legal limit, or trying to view a star cluster, let alone a
faint nebula with all the lights from a jail next door?

I've always been a bit gun shy about interviews due to past
experiences with reporters and aviation accidents, as well as the
shooting sports. In this case I was quite pleased. At least they
didn't present me as "That strange guy with all the antennas down the
street", or confirm the "Village Idiot with that big telescope in his
back yard theory". Actually, one of my neighbors had directed them
toward me in addition to Joyce presenting the paper in the morning.

So, come what may, the public knows that the commissioners have been
told of the possibilities and ways to save money by planning ahead by
someone who has worked with computers and communications as a
profession. I'm sure they will ignore them as they have at past
meetings. I will bet that by the time they start construction we will
have all new county commissioners except for the two who voted against
the project.

So, it looks like I have at least 12 more minutes to get my total 15
minutes of fame. :-)) Maybe I can get some more ammunition on light
pollution presented.

I'd sure like to find some regulation that would stop them.

Roger Halstead (K8RI, EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
N833R, World's Oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)
www.rogerhalstead.com

Roger Halstead (K8RI EN73 & ARRL Life Member)
www.rogerhalstead.com
N833R World's oldest Debonair? (S# CD-2)