About The Amateur Radio Service In Canada

What is this Amateur Radio that you speak of?

If you have never heard about Amateur Radio, then welcome. I hope I can help explain what amateur radio is. If however, you are already a bit curious about Amateur Radio and have started researching it on the World Wide Web (WWW), then you have probably already learned that Amateur Radio means many different things to many people. Sometimes these differing view points can lead us back to the same question.

In this article I hope to shed some light on what Amateur Radio means in Canada. I hope that by reading this article you will gain a better understanding of the various views of amateur radio from different sources. From our Canadian federal regulator to the national advocacy groups, Amateur Radio remains different things to different groups. In contrast to a purely Canadian view I will also shed light on how Amateur Radio is defined in the international community, our friendly neighbours to the south, as well as a Wikipedia.

While it is valuable to consider, compare and contrast the views of regulators and advocay groups, you may also want to consider the views of Amateur Radio operators themselves. In the article What Does Amateur Radio Mean To Me? I had a bit of fun in exploring what Amateur Radio means to me. Throughout the process I hope that you and others will start to develop your own definition of Amateur Radio. To help facilitate this discovery I take a look at the term Amateur Radio, break it down to its component parts, examine the meaning of those parts and combine those individual meanings back together.

Ok, are you thinking that an article containing a bunch of official definitions is not your cup of tea? If you are up for the challenge I invite you to complete this article now and spend a few moments to compare these definitions to your own definition of Amateur Radio. Maybe one of the organizations has captured the essence of the hobby, or perhaps you don’t see yourself in any of the descriptions provided. Maybe your view evolved a bit or maybe it remained the same? Either way, please take a few moments to leave your comments below and share what amateur radio means to you.

Who Defines Amateur Radio in Canada?

In Canada there are generally three authorities that work to define what Amateur Radio is in this country and how it is governed. The first and most dominant authority is Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED), a department of the Canadian Federal Government. The second is Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), a national membership driven advocacy organization. The third is Fédération des clubs radioamateurs du Québec (RAQI).

Lets take a look at each of these authorities in turn to see if we have concensus amongst the leaders of Amateur Radio in Canada. Take a moment and write down your prediction. Do they all agree, all disagree or maybe only some agree? Lets find out.

A Regulatory View of Amateur Radio In Canada

ISED is the Canadian federal department responsible for Broadcasting and Telecommunications regulations which includes “Broadcasting, distribution and spectrum licences, telecommunications standards, certification and more.” Canada administers several radio services including AM and FM broadcast radio, the Family Radio Service (FRS), General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS), General Radio Service (aka Citizen’s Band or CB radio) and the Amateur Radio Service to name just a few.

ISED defines The Amateur Radio Service as:

“a radiocommunication service in which radio apparatus are used for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication or technical investigation by individuals who are interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.”. So essentially, in Canada it is a segment of the Electro-Magnetic Specctrum (EMS) where individuals can use radios for training, communicating and investigating without the aim of making money.

(ISED source (2022): Introduction to Amateur Radio Service )

National Advocay of Amateur Radio in Canada

Where ISED is the federal regulator, the interests of Amateur Radio Operators in Canada are represented by two seprate organizations. In their Amateur Radio Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) section, ISED refers readers wanting more information about Amateur Radio to reach out to both Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) for Canadians in general and the Federation des Clubs Radioamateur du Quebec (RAQI) specifically for Canadians residing in Quebec.

It looks like RAC takes a slightly different spin than ISED when answering the question of what is amateur radio.

RAC describes Amateur Radio as :

“a form of communication; a hobby; a community service.”

RAC further explains that

“Even though Amateur Radio conversations may be heard around the world by anyone with a suitable radio receiver, given the right frequency and propagation conditions, Amateur Radio is basically two-way communication between Radio Amateurs.”

(RAC Source (2022): How To Begin)

RAQI takes a slightly different approach still from ISED and RAC. Based on what I could find on their website, RAQI defines Amateur Radio by describing what an Amateur Radio Operator is. I will include the original french followed by an English translation.

“Les radioamateurs sont des personnes qui appartiennent à toutes les couches de la société, peu importe l’âge, le sexe ou les capacités physiques. Les radioamateurs sont présents aussi dans la communauté lors de certains évènements.”

Using Google Translate, this translates to:

“Radio amateurs are people from all walks of life, regardless of age, gender or physical ability. Radio amateurs are also present in the community during certain events.”

(RAQI Source (2022): Par ou commencer)

Amatuer Radio Through a Global Lense

To understand better what amateur radio is in a global context there is an international organization with a perspective to consider. The International Amateur Radio Union (IARU) describes itself as:

“the worldwide voice of radio amateurs, securing and safeguarding the amateur radio spectrum since 1925”.

(IARU Source (2022): iaru.org).

In its constitution and bylaws, the IARU defines two radio services:

Amateur Service: A radiocommunication service for the purpose of self-training, intercommunication and technical investigations carried out by amateurs, that is, by duly authorized persons interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest.

Amateur Satellite Service: A radiocommunication service using space stations on earth satellites for the same purposes as those of the amateur service.

(IARU Source (2022): IARU Constitution).

Influences From Our Neighbours.

Like Canada, many other countries have their own governing body for Amateur Radio. The most influential country for Canadian Amateur Radio operators in this respect is the United States of America . If you are a new or current Canadian Amateur Radio Operators it would be beneficial to familiarize yourself with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) and the Amateur Radio Relay League (ARRL) sometimes referred to as “The League”. Like ISED in Canada, the FCC manages the Amateur Radio Service.

The FCC Defines the amateur radio and amateur-satellite service as

“for qualified persons of any age who are interested in radio technique solely with a personal aim and without pecuniary interest”.

Meanwhile the ARRL defines amateur radio as

“a popular hobby and service that brings people, electronics and communication together. People use ham radio to talk across town, around the world, or even into space, all without the Internet or cell phones. It’s fun, social, educational, and can be a lifeline during times of need.”

(ARRL Source (2022): What is Ham Radio)

The large portion of Amateur Radio content that Canadians will find on the internet has been generated by Americans, generally for other Americans. While most of this content is universally accessible and useful, new and aspiring amateur operators should consider what sources of information they are referencing. For example, band plans between Canada and the UNited states may be simmilar, but may not be eact matches. Also, the way that amateur radio is governed, and enforced, including the laws and regulations associated with that governance can be significantly different.

View From the Digital Commons

Finally lets take a look at Wikipedia. I like referencing Wikipedia because the articles there tend to be influenced by many different sources. The wikipedia entry for Amateur Radio states:

“Amateur radio, also known as ham radio, is the use of radio frequency spectrum for purposes of non-commercial exchange of messages, wireless experimentation, self-training, private recreation, radiosport, contesting, and emergency communication. The term “amateur” is used to specify “a duly authorised person interested in radioelectric practice with a purely personal aim and without pecuniary interest;” (either direct monetary or other similar reward) and to differentiate it from commercial broadcasting, public safety (such as police and fire), or professional two-way radio services (such as maritime, aviation, taxis, etc.).”

(wikipedia Source (2022):Amateur Radio)

The Wikipedia entry actually does a nice job of combining together some of the elements we find in the two country regulators (ISED and FCC) as well as the IARU. It also takes a broader view that includes some of the nuances about the people in the hobby and the activities they undertake.

Becoming an Amateur Radio Operator In Canada?

Anybody can participate in the many aspects of the hobby without needing to buy equipment. However, this often involves needing to attend an event or finding a local amateur to use their gear under their supervision. To fully explore what amateur radio has to offer you should consider becoming a licensed amateur radio operator. This involves studying for and successfully completing a Basic Qualification exam.

At some point you may decide you are wanting to dive deeper and become a licensed operator.
In Canada, amateur radio is administered by ISED which also governs the process by which Amateur Radio Operators become qualified to operate. To achieve you operators qualification, you need to write an exam provided by ISED and proctored by a qualifed examiner, often another fellow amateur. If writing a government exam sounds too daunting, relax, you have a whole community of other amateurs that have developed some great resources.

I hope that you invite myself and other amateurs along for the ride. We want you to suceed and can help you get started. Please reach out and connect.

Throughout this site you will find articles and resources that will help you explore the Amateur Radio hobby. So that you can stay up to date with new content as it comes out I suggest you subscribe to my mailing list and if you are on Twitter then follow me @ve3fcq.