Of Note...

The November 11, 2006 edition of Radio World has published a Commentary written by Don Schellhartd of Hams For Action.

Read it here.

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Don Schellhardt KI4PMG is a Washington lawyer turned grassroots advocate: “a lobbyist for the people”.

Don’s 20 years of Washington, D.C. experience includes work on energy, the environment and national defense for a Member of Congress (Representative Matthew Rinaldo, R-NJ, retired) … a Congressional Committee (the House Republican Research Committee) … the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s Global [Climate] Change Division … the Overseas Private Investment Corporation (OPIC) … and the American [Natural] Gas Association (A.G.A.). His time at A.G.A. spanned 12 years, including 6 years as Director of Legislative and Regulatory Affairs and 2 years as Director of State, Local and Coalition Relations.

After leaving Washington in 1992, Don spent 5 years engaged with trial law, including direct representation of children in court as a certified Guardian Ad Litem in Virginia. Primarily, however, Don moved into grassroots advocacy, on communications regulation, before the FCC and Congress. In 1998, he co-founded and led The Amherst Alliance: a Net-based citizens’ advocacy group for media reform in general and licensing of Low Power Radio stations in particular. After the FCC approved a Low Power FM (LPFM) Radio Service in 2000, Don represented Amherst in currently pending multi-party efforts to expand LPFM and establish Low Power AM (LPAM).

During 2003 and 2004, Don joined the National Antenna Consortium (NAC). He prepared FCC filings for NAC that joined ARRL in opposing the FCC’s “rush to judgment” on Broadband Over Powerlines (BPL). In addition, he led NAC’s campaign to override bans on ham antennas by Homeowners’ Associations (HOAs). Although NAC later became inactive, due to lack of enough financial support, the experience of challenging HOA antenna bans inspired Don to challenge them again in 2006 -- when he became the first President of HAMS FOR ACTION (HFA).

Don holds a B.A. in Government from Wesleyan University in Connecticut and a law degree from George Washington University in Washington, D.C. In 2005, he began coursework for a Liberal Studies M.A., from Hollins University, in Cross-Cultural Politics (U.S./Asian and male/female). He is now working on his Thesis for the degree.