Canadian Amateur Radio Examinations and Licenses

(See our section on Recent Changes to Examinations and Licensing
 as a result of decisions made by Industry Canada in July, 2005)

Overview

Industry Canada is the Canadian government department responsible for all Amateur Radio licensing, certification and examiner accreditation in Canada. 

Specifically, Industry Canada's Amateur Radio Service Center  is the official focal point for Amateur Radio regulatory and license matters.  Their Web site offers clickable downloads of the governing documents for Amateur Radio activities in Canada (called Radio Information Circulars (RICs and Regulation by References (RBRs) as well as examination question banks and exam generation software.  

The Canadian Amateur Radio Operator Certificate

Briefly, authority to operate radio apparatus in the Amateur Radio Service in Canada (using a Canadian call sign issued by Industry Canada) is given to holders of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification.  Other qualifications available with the Basic Amateur Radio Operator Certificate are the Morse Code and Advanced Qualifications.  

Also, because the actual licensing documents are called "Certificates of Proficiency in Amateur Radio", once applicants achieve these various qualifications, they are then "certified" to operate in the Amateur Radio Service in Canada, rather than simply being "licensed".  This subtle difference in semantics sets Canadian Amateurs apart from the rest of their "licensed" brethren elsewhere in the world.

Traditionally, Amateur Radio Operators in Canada were issued two separate authorizations; an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate and a radio station license. The Amateur Radio Operator Certificate was issued for life and had no fee associated with it, while the radio station license was issued on a yearly basis and a license renewal fee was charged.  Effective April 1, 2000, Industry Canada combined these documents into one authorization, the Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with its various qualifications. 

The "new" Amateur Radio Operator Certificate is issued for life and has no fee associated with it.  And although it's no longer necessary for Amateurs to renew their Certificate annually, they are still required to inform Industry Canada within 30 days of any change in their mailing address.

The Qualifications

• Basic Qualification:  Obtaining a minimum passing score (70%) on this examination gives you most operating privileges above 30 MHz with a 250 watt power limit.  This includes the 144 MHz (2 meter) Very High Frequency (VHF) Amateur Radio band which is one of the most popular for local communication using handheld, mobile or base transceivers.  This closed book, written examination is usually taken first, as it must be successfully completed in order to obtain a Canadian call sign.  The test covers mostly rules and regulations and some (very) basic electronic and radio theory.  
  
  In July, 2005, operating privileges in the HF bands (below 30 MHz) with a 250 watt power limit were also granted with this qualification alone if it was obtained prior to 2 April 2002 or, if the exam was taken after 2 April 2002, by achieving (or having proof of) an "Honours" score (80% or greater) on the exam.  
  
  Amateurs who meet the latter criteria will be granted the same operator privileges as the holder of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate With Basic Honors Qualification if they can demonstrate that they attained a mark of 80% or above on their Basic examination.  See our section on Recent Changes to Examinations and Licensing (below) for more detailed information on how to go about doing this.
  
  
• 5 WPM Morse Code: Although it has been around for a very long time, Radio Amateurs have found Morse Code is still very effective for long distance communication with very simple equipment. This sending and receiving exam can be taken after passing the Basic exam.  Having the Basic plus the Morse Code qualification gives you additional privileges below 30 MHz with a 250 watt power limit.  It includes access to the High Frequency (HF) Amateur Radio bands that allow you to communicate around the world! 
  
  
• Advanced Qualification: This closed book, written theory exam is more technical than the Basic exam and can also be taken once you pass the Basic test. Having the Basic plus Advanced qualification gives all operating privileges currently authorized to Radio Amateurs in Canada, including the authority to build and operate a "home brew" transmitter, use more transmitting power, give Amateur Radio examinations to others (you must also have the 5 WPM Morse Certification to give exams), control stations remotely or sponsor a repeater or club station.
  

Examination Preparation

The Basic qualification examination is composed of questions drawn from a question bank (RIC-7) which you can download in its entirety from the Industry Canada Web site. The actual examination that you write consists of 100,multiple choice-type questions drawn in a stratified, random fashion from (and written exactly as they appear in) RIC-7.  The minimum passing mark is 70%, and although it does take a bit of studying, people young and old from all backgrounds have successfully passed this exam.  You can too! 

The Advanced qualification examination is based on a similar (but more technical) question bank (RIC-8) which you can also download in its entirety from the Industry Canada Web site. The actual examination that you write consists of 50, multiple choice-type questions drawn from RIC-8 in the same stratified, random fashion as the Basic exam.  The pass mark for this exam is also 70%. 

A large section of the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) Web site contains detailed information regarding all aspects of the Canadian Amateur Radio examination and license process.  Their site also includes links to other sources that offer printed self-study guides and commercial (computer-based) examination preparation materials.  

The Toronto Emergency Communications Group has also assembled an excellent online (downloadable) Basic Amateur Radio Course that is freely available in multiple .PDF format lessons, or as a complete file.  The course can be used as a stand-alone document for exam preparation, or as an additional, quick-study guide to supplement more detailed printed works.

In addition, Industry Canada offers a comprehensive practice and test generation software package for both the Basic and Advanced qualification examinations for free download from their Web site.  Once installed, the software allows you to take "practice exams" for either or both qualifications on your personal computer.  It's a great way to help gauge your readiness for the actual exam. 

"Elmers"

There is a long-held tradition within Amateur Radio of mentoring newcomers.  These mentors (affectionately called "Elmers") are currently licensed Hams who enjoy helping newcomers study for and then pass their first examinations, as well as helping them set up their first Ham Radio stations.  Several LCRC members have expressed a willingness to help new people prepare for their exams.  You can partake of this long-held tradition, totally free of charge, simply by showing up and introducing yourself at one of our upcoming LCRC Sunday morning breakfasts.  Someone there will almost certainly be glad to help.

USA-Canada Reciprocal Agreement

For those who already have a USA or Canadian-issued Ham license and call sign, the RAC site contains a wealth of useful information regarding a special Amateur Radio Reciprocal Operating Agreement between the USA and Canada.  The agreement specifies a few (very simple!) procedures for currently-licensed Hams from the USA or Canada to follow when visiting each other's country.  

The Application Form

Applicants wishing to be tested for one (or all) of the Canadian qualifications should first download and print out a few copies of this application form (Industry Canada Form IC-2381, Application and Report for Amateur Radio Operator Certificate and Call Sign) from the Industry Canada Web site.  Bring these blank copies with you to the examination session.  During the examination session, you'll be asked to legibly print the requested personal information (and call sign choices (see below)) in the appropriate blocks on the top of the form.

If you're unsure about what to put in a particular block on the form, (such as what to put in the "Type of Station" and/or "Amateur Radio Certificate Qualifications" blocks) don't worry.  Your examiner will make sure your application form is complete and correct prior to submitting it to Industry Canada following your exam.

Requesting a Callsign

Canada is one of the few industrialized countries in the world that still encourages applicants for an initial Amateur Radio License to request their choice of call sign without additional charge. Candidate call signs can be selected from a list of those available as shown in the Canadian Amateur Radio Available Call Signs List.  Applicants will be asked to indicate their first, second and third choice(s) in the appropriate block(s) on the application form.  However, before finally deciding on what to put in these blocks, applicants should read the entire contents of RIC-9 to insure they are eligible for the call sign(s) they select.  

It is important to remember that just because a requested call sign is shown in the database as being available, there's still no guarantee it will be assigned to you by Industry Canada.  Likewise, if no choices are indicated in this area of the form, and a Canadian call sign is not already assigned to the applicant, Industry Canada will assign an appropriate call sign from those currently available.

Taking the Examinations

Once the application form is in hand, applicants then need to decide how and where they wish to take their examination. This can be done in one of two ways.  

• Industry Canada Regional Office:  Applicants can visit an Industry Canada regional office to be examined by a staff examiner.  A complete list of addresses and telephone numbers for Industry Canada's regional offices is contained in RIC-66.  It's probably a good idea to call ahead to see if an appointment will be required. 
   
• Industry Canada Accredited Volunteer Examiners:  You can also take your exam from one of Industry Canada's many accredited volunteer examiners.  These people are currently licensed Ham operators who volunteer their services to Industry Canada by conducting examinations for applicants who reside in their local area.  In fact, this is the method most preferred by Industry Canada so the "regional office route" (above) should only be pursued as a last resort.  
  
  Currently, there are two accredited examiners serving the Sarnia-Lambton, Ontario geographical area.  Their names, addresses and telephone numbers are listed below.  Feel free to contact one of them directly once you are ready to take your examination.  

Recent Changes to Examinations and Licensing

As a result of changes to the Amateur Radio Service made by the World Administrative Radio Conference in 2003, Amateur Radio licensing in Canada has undergone some major changes as well.  These changes include the removal of the Morse Code as the sole requirement for High Frequency (HF) operation and increasing the required pass mark(s) on written examinations.  

On July 30, 2005, Industry Canada released their Gazette Notice DGRB-003-05, which adopted a number of proposals made by the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) regarding the Morse Code and related matters.

Specifically, HF operation by Radio Amateurs on the bands below 30 MHz has now been authorized by Industry Canada for:

• Amateurs who were certified with only the Basic Qualification prior to 2 April 2002 or...
  
  

• Amateurs who have been certified with both Basic and Advanced Qualifications at any time or...
  
  

• Amateurs with only the Basic Qualification who were certified after 1 April 2002, and who also achieved a pass mark of 80% or greater on the Basic exam.

Those Amateurs with only the Basic Qualification who were certified after 1 April 2002, but who achieved less than an 80% pass mark, will either have to qualify in Morse, write (and successfully pass) the Advanced Qualification with a score of 70% or higher, OR re-write the Basic Qualification exam and get a pass mark of 80% or higher in order to now obtain their HF privileges.  

Those Amateurs who achieved an 80% score or greater on their Basic Qualification exam and who are not yet coded in Industry Canada's database as having achieved the "Honours" designation will need to manually inform Industry Canada of their Basic Qualification examination marks.  Amateurs who need to do so should first contact their Accredited Examiner for a copy of the documentation showing their Basic Qualification examination score and then contact the Amateur Radio Service Center for further guidance.  Accredited Examiners are required to retain examination paperwork (including test scores) for at least three years

Raising the passing score on both the Basic and Advanced exams from 60% to 70% is related to another decision by Industry Canada (in the same Gazette Notice) to help insure candidates are proficient in all areas of each syllabus.  Likewise, adding the so-called "Honours" qualification score (80%) to the Basic exam was done to help insure newcomers have a thorough working knowledge of proper HF operation before being allowed access to frequencies capable of world-wide communication. 

Besides the Gazette Notice itself, more information on the background that contributed to these changes can be found in the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) proposal as well as Industry Canada's request for comment, and the compendium of comments received by Industry Canada regarding the RAC proposal.