21. In the NPRM, in response to a request from Kenwood Communications 
Corporation, the Commission sought comment on whether it should revise 
Section 97.201(b) of the Commission's Rules96 to allow auxiliary stations to 
transmit on the 2 m band above 144.5
MHz, except 145.8-146.0 MHz,97 in addition to the frequency segments 
previously authorized.98
In the NPRM, the Commission noted that there was no apparent basis to 
conclude that allowing
auxiliary stations to transmit on the 2 m band would cause harmful 
interference to other stations'
communications.99 It was also noted that user coordination would be 
possible, and that the
additional frequency segments proposed for auxiliary station use do not 
affect the frequency
segments currently 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.100 22. Decision. We agree with 
the commenters who support allowing the 2 m band to be used by auxiliary 
stations,101 because such use could result in the expansion of amateur 
service communication systems that incorporate voice over internet protocol 
operations102 or other
sophisticated amateur radio communications systems,103 enhance 
communications capabilities for emergency communications supporting disaster 
relief efforts, ...Federal Communications Commission FCC 06-149 handheld 
transceivers.105 Additionally, we agree with ARRL and others who contend 
that
allowing auxiliary stations to transmit on the 2 m band would provide 
amateur stations with additional flexibility to utilize remote control 
facilities.106 23. We disagree with the concern of one commenter that 
transmissions by auxiliary stations should only be allowed on the UHF bands 
because these transmissions may "consume a
frequency for hours on end."107 There is no rule limiting the length of time 
an amateur station may engage in communications on a particular frequency 
and amateur stations have the ability to switch among numerous channels when 
one channel is in use, thereby minimizing interference among stations. 
Likewise, we do not believe the fact that other frequency bands already are 
approved for auxiliary stations108 provides a sufficient reason alone to 
maintain the restriction prohibiting auxiliary stations from transmitting on 
the 2 m band. In this regard, we note that auxiliary stations were limited 
to bands above 220 MHz in order to minimize the possibility of harmful 
interference to other amateur service operations, particularly weak signal 
activity, an outcome some commenters believe may still occur.109 We note, 
however, that other commenters argue that additional interference, if any, 
from allowing auxiliary stations to transmit on the 2 m band would only be 
"slight" in areas of the country where large segments of the 2 m band are
underutilized110 or where unused spectrum is available in the 2 m band to 
permit auxiliary station
operation.111 We agree with these commenters and note that under our current 
rules, willful interference is prohibited.112 In addition, we believe that 
other safeguards such as voluntary frequency coordination and the 
requirement in the Commission's rules that stations use the minimum 
necessary power for the auxiliary link also minimize the possibility of 
harmful interference between auxiliary stations and other amateur 
stations.113 We also agree that in areas where segments of the 2 m band are 
underutilized or spectrum is otherwise available, interference is unlikely. 
We conclude, based on the above, that we no longer need to limit auxiliary 
stations to amateur service bands above 220 MHz. Accordingly, we amend 
Section 97.201(b), as proposed, to allow auxiliary stations to transmit on 
the 2 m band.

Steve, K8SP