‘I will live in a very quiet world’
By David Searle
Robin Wood and the aerials that neighbours have complained about.
Robin Wood and the aerials that neighbours have complained about.
A BLIND amateur radio ham fears he may lose his contact with the outside world if he is given an antisocial behaviour order over the aerials he keeps in his garden.
Robin Wood, 61, of Ombersley Close, Woodrow, is a licensed amateur radio operator who has had aerials in his garden for 15 years.
But after a visit from an ASBO officer, Redditch Council wants to reduce the size of the aerials, meaning he will no longer be able to communicate with his friends around the world.
"I'm blind and the radio is the only way I can communicate with the outside world. I use the radio as my social life," said Mr Wood.
"I'm not prepared to lose my quality of life. I feel threatened when I go outside and haven't been out on my own for 15 years.
"I can't watch the TV either - without my radio, I will live in a very quiet world."
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Mr Wood uses the radio to keep in touch with friends from as far afield as New York, Australia and Canada but the reduced sized aerials would not be able to transmit that far.
"The council just won't listen to me. They won't find anyone technically competent enough who can tell me exactly what the problem is and exactly what I have to take down and why I have to do it.
"They've threatened me with court if I don't take them down. I speak to them but they don't take anything on board," said Mr Wood.
Mr Wood's wife June said: "When you think of ASBOs, you think of young delinquents, not a 61-year-old man."
Mr Wood is now involved in talks with lawyers about the steps he can take to keep his aerials the same size.
A council spokesman said: "Residents are concerned about the visual impact of this resident's aerials, the radio interference they are experiencing and the nuisance this is causing them.
"Following legal advice, we're working with the resident and the relevant organisations involved to come to a solution that meets the needs of all parties."
This is bullshit.... Hams here in the US are required to take the steps to reduce and/or eliminate interference and I am sure it is the same in the UK.... Someone has a beef with someone and they bend the laws to take them out....
Just like the DoD jumps on hams on the coasts for the interference to PAVE/PAWS radar... but why is it now a problem? I can not seem to find out why?
"Let's see if I understand this: The Anti Social Behavior Officer is wanting to remove the primary social outlet of an individual because of neighbors who are not very sociable. OK, I thing I have it. The antisocials are upset that he is being sociable. The Anti Social Behavior Officer is trying to enforce antisocial Behavior."
