"How is this different than picking a pair where there's an active
repeater, or a repeater that is temporarily down? It's not your
prerogative to "pick a pair", just because you think it's unused. That's
what frequency coordination is for, and the reason it exists. Of course
you have an "explicit reason"; that doesn't give you the right to ignore
the law. And yes, it is "the law".


Could you please remind us where the work of the frequency coordinator is
enshrined in law?

Sure there is a legal duty not to cause interference, but as the OP said it
is not possible to interfere with a non-existent system.

Jeff