Accessories

You don't have to fight for your right to an antenna.
You say your homeowners' association won't allow you to put up an outside antenna? Tell them that Uncle Sam says you can! The Telecommunications Act of 1996 allows for the installation of an antenna on your personal property. This is the same legislation that allows you to have a 1-meter (or smaller) satellite dish hanging off the side of your home. This Act not only allows for an outdoor antenna, it also stipulates that it can be mounted on up to a 12-foot pole! The Act requires that the antenna be on property that's exclusively for your use (like a roof or balcony) and states that an antenna is permitted only if there's no community-access antenna available for a reasonable fee. Community-access antenna doesn't mean cable, however. It refers to an antenna put up by your homeowners' association. For more information on this subject, visit www.fcc.gov, the Federal Communications Commission's Website. The document is presented in its full governmental rhetoric and glory, or you can access relevant information in the "most often asked questions" section.—JB