NEW JERSEY DECLARES AMATEUR RADIO "A DISTRACTION"

[KB2SFH]

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
May 14, 2010

NEW JERSEY DECLARES AMATEUR RADIO "A DISTRACTION"

Contact: Ray Babecki, KA2YAK
E-Mail: cherryvillelobbyist@yahoo.com
Phone: 256-794-2390

QST: To all Radio Amateurs living, working, and/or driving in/through New Jersey
Priority: High

The New Jersey Assembly has passed a bill that would require that "driver
inattention" be noted in traffic accidents reports. Driver distractions are
defined as including, "citizens band radios".

Does the average police officer - although otherwise highly trained - know the
difference between a "CB Radio" and "Amateur Radio"?

If you are ever involved in so much as a fender-bender, a police officer will
write on the accident report that you were distracted. How do you think that
will affect your vehicle insurance rate?

Why should ANY 2-way radio be branded as a distraction? Beware that NJ courts
have a history of ruling very broadly when giving their interpretation of
definitions found in legislation.

Companion Senate Bill S-1393 has been pending in the Senate Transportation
Committee since February. It could be brought up for a vote at any time after
the state budget process is finished.

Does Amateur Radio contribute to accidents, or public safety? If you agree that
Amateur Radio is a public service, HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED TO DO:

1a. Visit the NJ Legislature website. Find and contact your local State Senator:
http://www.njleg.state.nj.us/members/legsearch.asp

b. Contact Senator Richard J. Codey, the Senate sponsor of S-1393:
449 Mount Pleasant Ave., West Orange, NJ 07052 1-973-731-6770 (or e-mail
through the http://www.njleg.state.nj.us website)

2. Contact Governor Christie and tell him how you feel:
http://www.state.nj.us/governor/contact/
POB 001, Trenton, NJ 08625 1-609-292-6000

Politely remind them that Amateur Radio is a Public Service resource. Let them
know how this bill will negatively affect our ability to save lives and
communicate in emergencies. Let them know that Amateur Radio deserves an
exemption!

3. Forward this to ALL radio operators living, working, and/or driving
in/through NJ.

PS. YOU SHOULD KNOW that this is not the NJ Legislature's first attempt at
something like this. But, they seem determined to keep trying until they
succeed. Thanks to your help, we got exemptions in similar proposed bills in the
past.

Now, we need your help again! We must always be vigilant and on-guard to
protect Amateur Radio and the vital Public Service Resource that it is. The
radio you save could be your own. Please drive carefully.
----------
Provided as a public service by The Cherryville Repeater Association, II, Inc.,
POB 308, Quakertown, NJ 08868, http://www.qsl.net/w2cra/. For more information
about this release, e-mail: <cherryvillelobbyist@yahoo.com

[KU0DM]

Yeah so? Just stating the obvious...
Doesn't say you can't have a radio in the car, just means you can't use it while driving. Which you shouldn't be doing anyway.

[N4VGB]

Religion and ham radio, both nothing more than opiates of the people. Both should be banned.

[ki4itv]

See what happens when you ban a persons discretionary use of opium?

[KB2SFH]

See what happens when you ban a persons discretionary use of opium?

:::puff puff pass:::

[suddenseer]

the sound of someone holding breath saying "ear".

[suddenseer]

Yeah so? Just stating the obvious...
Doesn't say you can't have a radio in the car, just means you can't use it while driving. Which you shouldn't be doing anyway.

I used the mobile rig everyday in the cw mode when I had that capacity. Most of my contacts could not believe I was running cw while driving. I only did that driving on a familiar road mostly interstate highways. I did not run cw while driving in town. I know 2 other hams that still do.

[kb2vxa]

"Doesn't say you can't have a radio in the car, just means you can't use it while driving. Which you shouldn't be doing anyway."
So what's the point having a radio you shouldn't be using?

"YOU SHOULD KNOW that this is not the NJ Legislature's first attempt at something like this."
That was the blanket ban on "all wireless devices".
"But, they seem determined to keep trying until they succeed."
That's why we call it Nazi Jersey.
"Thanks to your help, we got exemptions in similar proposed bills in the past."
Amateur Radio was exempted from the cell phone/texting ban at the eleventh hour but the wording of the law itself remains unchanged. Thankfully cops understand the real target and don't go around ticketing each other. (;->)

It should be interesting to see how this one turns out.

[WØTKX]

Huge difference in the distractability between simplex (push to talk) and duplex (in person or telephone) conversations.

Duh.

CW mobile is still simplex, though fast QSK might be more distracting. I've dabbled, and want to try the "Tip-Tapper".

[KG4CGC]

The biggest distraction aside from music devices is the GPS. (texting too but that is beside the point)
Saw a cop on the interstate going back and forth between his cellphone, the microphone and his laptop. Must have been important business.