The State of Minnesota has not restricted amateur radio from its state owned Department of Transportation (DOT) but has made the sites somewhat less that ideal by what they will charge an amateur radio group to use them.
1) The DOT figures that only about 10% of the time you will be handling "emergency" messages so wants to charge you their normal monthly cost of $ 1.00 to 3.00 per foot per month for the other 90% of the time when your only use of the radio system is for normal amateur radio use. 2) They also require that you arrange ahead of time for a state employed radio technician to open the site for you, stay at the site when you are working on your equipment, and lock up the site when you leave. With the tower site I was trying to get the closest technician was based 100 miles away and you had to pay "portal to portal" time for him to get from wheee he was to the site and then back. 3) You could install your own equipment, but had to pay a "insured & state approved" climber to intstall you antenna and feedlines. We finally said "thanks but no thanks" and had to give up on using that state owned site. The State of Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has been easier to work with and changes only 10% of the commercial rates on their fire spotting tower sites ( $ 120.00 per year) for amateur radio use. These sites have worked out pretty good for amateur radio sites and I am currently using two of the DNR sites for amateur radio repeaters. Paul K0LAV White Bear Lake, MN -------------- Original message -------------- From: "Mike Mullarkey" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> Ha anybody ran across someone in there state that has threatened a state agency if they don't allow them to install there repeater. We have such an indvudel here in Oregon. Now that this indivudel has threatened to sick the media and governor on them for politely saying no, we don't allow amateur or commercial repeaters in our sites. They have made it official and wrote into policy that no commercial or amateur equipment be located at these sites. Huge set back for the amateur community and its too bad we have idots like this. K7PFJ
