Gadzooks! I don't know what to say. This is a sea change in the rules and the philosophy behind them.
Personally, I don't think that auxiliary operation should be allowed below 70cm, where there is (still) plenty of spectrum available. Think about this: there is only 4 MHz in the 144-148 segment, and only 3 MHz in the 222-225 segment, but there is 30 MHz in the 420-450 allocation... The kind of operation that Kenwood proposes with their Sky Command would encourage wide-area, omni-directional auxiliary links on 2 meters. This is not good. I do not concur that the auxiliary links used for Sky Command will be low-power point-to-point. The section of the band that is proposed is already heavily utilized with repeaters and packet. The Sky Command users will be operating fixed channel without coordination. This is bad, bad. Kenwood should focus on a solution that is acceptable to U.S. Amateurs, like (contrary to my earlier statement) 222 and 440 MHz. Let them breathe some new life into the 222 band with their Sky Command solution. Jeff At 05:25 PM 4/15/2004, you wrote: >For everyone's Info: ><http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-04-79A1.pdf> > >Yes, this means linking would be possible on 2M legally. >(above 144.500 MHz except 145.800-146.000) > >Joe M. >_________________________________ > >Excerpts from NOTICE OF PROPOSED RULEMAKING AND ORDER > >Adopted: March 31, 2004 >Released: April 15, 2004 >Comment Date: June 15, 2004 >Reply Comment Date: June 30, 2004 > >The major rule changes we propose today are as follows: > >. Revise the operating privileges of amateur radio operators in four >High Frequency bands; > >. Permit auxiliary stations to transmit on the 2 m amateur service band; > >. Permit amateur stations to transmit spread spectrum communications on >the 1.25 m band; > >. Permit amateur stations to re-transmit communications from the >International Space Station; > >. Allow amateur service licensees to designate the amateur radio club to >receive their call sign, in memoriam; > >. Prohibit an applicant from filing more than one application for a >specific vanity call sign; > >. Eliminate unnecessary restrictions imposed on certain equipment >manufacturers; > >. Allow amateur radio stations in or near Alaska more flexibility in >providing emergency communications; and > >. Eliminate unnecessary rules in the amateur radio operator license >examination system. > > > >17. Auxiliary stations. Background. The amateur service rules define an >auxiliary > >station as an amateur station, other than one in a message forwarding >system, that is transmitting > >point-to-point communications within a system of cooperating amateur >stations. Section > >97.213(a) of the Commission's Rules provides that an amateur station on >or within 50 km of the > >Earth's surface may be under telecommand where there is a radio or >wireline control link > >between the control point and the station sufficient for the control >operator to perform his or her > >duties. If the control link between the control point and the amateur >station is a radio control > >link, then the control link must use an auxiliary station. An amateur >station that is an auxiliary > >station may transmit on the 1.25 meter (m) and shorter wavelength bands, >with certain > >exceptions. The underlying purpose of limiting auxiliary stations to >these bands is to minimize > >the possibility of harmful interference to other amateur service >stations and operations, > >particularly "weak signal" activity in the 2 m (144-148 MHz) band. > > > >18. On November 4, 1999, Kenwood Communications Corp. (Kenwood), a >manufacturer > >of amateur radio equipment, requested a declaratory ruling confirming >that its "Sky Command > >System" (Sky Command) complies with the amateur service rules. >Alternatively, Kenwood > >requested the Commission to grant blanket rule waivers so that amateur >service licensees could > >utilize Sky Command. In 2000, the Public Safety and Private Wireless >Division denied > >Kenwood's request, concluding that Section 97.201(b) of the Commission's >Rules does not > >authorize auxiliary stations to transmit on the 2 m band, and that >Kenwood did not meet the > >standards for a waiver request. > > > >19. Subsequently, on May 1, 2001, Kenwood requested that we amend >Section 97.201(b) > >of our Rules to allow auxiliary stations to transmit on the 2 m band >above 144.5 MHz, except > >145.8-146.0 MHz, in addition to the frequency segments previously >authorized. Kenwood > >states that this proposed rule change would increase the flexibility of >amateur radio licensees > >without adversely affecting other services or amateur radio stations >that use the 2 m band, and > >would promote the development and use of new technology, including Sky >Command. > > > >20. Discussion. The Commission received twenty-four comments supporting >Kenwood's > >request and sixteen comments opposing the request. Those supporting >Kenwood's request state > >that (a) the 2 m band is not heavily used and such use is no different >than other uses already > >occurring on the band, (b) auxiliary stations transmit on short distance >simplex channels which > >would not cause interference to other stations on the band, (c) it would >allow for the > >development of new emergency communication systems and capabilities and >support other > >applications such as controlling an HF station in a vehicle, or from an >antenna-restricted > >residence, and (d) it is consistent with flexible service rules. > > > >21. On the other hand, some commenters state that it is not necessary >for auxiliary > >stations to transmit on the 2 m band because sufficient amateur service >spectrum is available on > >and above the 220 MHz band. Others claim that the 2 m band is heavily >used, and argue that > >increased interference will occur if the rules are revised as Kenwood >requests. Some > >commenters believe that existing rules are sufficient to address this >concern, or that licensees > >can either address this issue amongst themselves or through existing >coordination policies. > > > >22. Because we have no basis to conclude that auxiliary stations >transmitting on the 2 m > >band would cause harmful interference or that user coordination would >not be possible, we > >believe that Kenwood's proposed rule change will be consistent with our >flexible-use policy in > >the amateur service. In this regard, we note that the frequency segments >Kenwood requests does > >not affect the frequency segments authorized to automatically controlled >beacon stations, space > >stations, earth stations or those frequency segments that amateur radio >operators have > >voluntarily agreed to use for simplex and weak signal communications. We >therefore believe > >the record in this proceeding warrants proposing the amendment of >Section 97.201(b) of our > >Rules as Kenwood requests, and we seek comment on this proposal. > > > > > >Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links <*> To visit your group on the web, go to: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Repeater-Builder/ <*> To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] <*> Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to: http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/
