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/I. <br />th« Unit«d <br />net Court <br />trict of <br />Pontol is an aaatour radio oporator who uses radio <br />communications to serve the public interest. After 8h<> was <br />licensed by the FCC in December 1988 to operate an amateur radio <br />and a station from her hone, she installed on her roof a vertical <br />radio antenna that reaches a height from the ground of 56.5 feet. <br />Over the next two years, Pentel was unable to establish reliable <br />radio communications with other amateurs across the United States, <br />and she was able to establish only one international contact. <br />Pentel concluded that her existing antenna thus was not adequate <br />for domestic, much less international, communications. <br />1 <br />>3 <br />I Judges <br />Accordingly, Pentel began preparing to install a more <br />sophisticated antenna. The replacement was to be a retractable <br />steel tower that measured 30 feet when lowered and 68 feet when <br />fully extended. This tower, which Pentel planned to have installed <br />professionally in accordance with its manufacturer's <br />specifications, was to have mounted on its top two directional <br />aluminum antennas.' <br />ef Mendota Height * <br />radio operator, <br />tewer in her yar' <br />ff-iffcg ordinance -- <br />,c- ruling itnown <br />accommodate her <br />f% granted summa r <br />we concliide thai <br />It limited <br />$-foot antenna, we <br />Pentel was unawara whan she installed her original antenna <br />that she was violating the city's zoning ordinance, which limits <br />all structures, including radio antsnnas, to a height of twenty- <br />'Pentel'a proposed antenna would be more affective than <br />existing set-up for two ressons. First. Pentel's current vertical <br />antenna diasipates signals in all directions, whils her proposed <br />directional antonna would concentrate and collect signals, thus <br />increasing hsr ability to transmit and receive in a specific <br />direction. Second, an antenna's effectiveness inersases with its <br />height. Pentsl's existing antenna is blocked by trees. Itor taller <br />replacement antenna, when extended, would be at or near the tops of <br />nearby trees, thus isprovimi her siqn%. transmission and reception.