Ken,
I’ve been active in my home town on Mustang Island with Ham radio since my Air Force discharge in '67. What I encountered here were quite uneducated cops who had no idea of Ham radio, particularly mobile. It took years to get the difference across between Hams and “CBers”, the latter of whom acted more like quasi-cops than civilians. The 55 mph restriction resulted in many cars being produced with smog packages that burned up many an engine! Truckers resented the inability of using the $$ saving shift to a higher gear.
Yes, the truckers also got CB sets by the millions, organized “watchers” to alert whole convoys of drivers of cops with radar guns, which did no good for Ham ops going out to look for bad weather. They had to “drop the mike” to avoid getting the 3rd degree inquisition from a patrol officer.
Trying to get the story across to local officials here is nearly useless, thus many years ago I simply gave up. I’m too old to pursue favors for a community, thus the younger generations can take over. Good luck to all who don’t waste time with supercilious ones.
If I didn’t get pure pleasure from Ham contacts, I’d leave my gear and walk away.
73’s
Gil WA5YKK