Document # 23

Report of the Ad Hoc Antenna Case Assistance Committee
The American Radio Relay League
2004 Second Meeting of the Board of Directors
Windsor Locks, Connecticut

Committee Members: Director Jay Bellows, K0QB, Chairman; Director Frank Fallon, N2FF; Vice Director, Mike Raisbeck, K1TWF, General Counsel Christopher Imlay, W3KD and Jim O'Connell, W9WU.

Introduction

The committee is charged with evaluating individual requests for financial assistance from amateurs involved in antenna litigation. In evaluating requests the committee utilizes criteria adopted by the Board at its July 2000 meeting. The sole source of funding awards is the ARRL Legal Resources Defense Fund.

The motion creating the committee established evaluation criteria that limit funding to appellate proceedings likely to result in favorable precedents for a significant number of Amateurs.

Committee Activities

The committee has not received any request for funding since the

January 2004 meeting of the Board.

Funding Amicus Briefs

As reported in January a portion of the cost of the Amicus Curiae briefs prepared by General Counsel Imlay submitted in support of a specific Amateur is funded from the Legal Resources Defense Fund. Funds are distributed at the discretion of the EVP. At present we do not publicize the fact that the Legal Resources Defense Fund assists in funding the Amicus briefs filed by ARRL in support of Amateurs. Frequently, even the Amateur being assisted doesn't know the Amicus brief in his case is funded in part from the Defense Fund. Occasionally a situation will arise where Chris has filed an Amicus brief in support of an Amateur and the Amateur has also requested funding from the Legal Resources Defense Fund. The case doesn't fit the funding criteria and the fund is denied. After hearing funding has been denied the Amateur will complain to friends ( and sometimes on reflectors that the League doesn't support hams.

If we made an effort to publicize the fact the Fund provided a part of the expense of providing an Amicus Curiae brief our members and Amateurs in general would better understand the broad scope of ARRL advocacy efforts..

Future Activities

The committee remains ready to review and evaluate individual requests for assistance on an ongoing basis.

Jay Bellows, K0QB
Chairman