Canada’s radio amateurs losing primary allocation on key growth spectrum

Industry Canada is taking some spectrum away from radio amateurs and re-designating it for land-mobile use. DGTP-004-05, Proposals and Changes to the Spectrum in Certain Bands Below 1.7 GHz, outlines several spectrum realignments designed to harmonize the country’s spectrum allocations with those in the United States and to open up spectrum for new applications. One of the key proposals is to align Canada’s spectrum allocation in the 220-222 MHz band with that set out by the US Federal Communications Commission. South of the border, this 2-MHz slice of spectrum has been put to good use by public safety organizations, utilities for meter reading as well as other commercial applications. The department feels that now is the time, given the scarcity of available spectrum below 1 GHz, to make this move. "The re-assignment of this band is expected to make a more efficient use of the spectrum while providing some relief to the very congested land mobile bands at 150 MHz and 450 MHz," reads Industry Canada’s paper. "The department is of the view that a general alignment of the spectrum utilization policy with the US…will provide an early opportunity for Canadian users to benefit from similar radio technology and services." The proposal is provisional but will go into effect near the end of January 2006 "unless the department receives compelling arguments to the contrary," reads the Gazette Notice. The Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) had previously expressed significant concern about potentially losing this band. Last year, the association told its members that this band was needed for future expansion and that if they didn’t speak up the band would be lost. The RAC, however, recognized that its demand for this spectrum might not be enough to retain the allocation. "The spectrum is valuable, and we do not make good use of it. Those are the facts. In spite of all the good work we do in emergency and disaster communications, our case for retention is weak," the RAC wrote at the time (RoW, Jan. 27/04). The US reallocation of this band in 1998 was a major setback for amateur radio enthusiasts on both sides of the border, since it prevented them from operating in this band across North America. Industry Canada noted in its document that despite the apparent demand for the band from amateurs, there hasn’t been any substantial growth in the number of stations save in one area in the country. The RAC participated in a Radio Advisory Board of Canada working group studying the spectrum realignment, but word has it the association didn’t completely accept the conclusions. The department did allow for a secondary allocation in the band, which should be considered a fair balance. Note: Report on Wireless will present more information regarding the other proposed changes and provisional policy adjustments in an upcoming issue. Of particular note are changes to medical telemetry applications and a spectrum swap for meter reading services.

Canada’s radio amateurs losing primary allocation on key growth spectrum

News | December 14, 2005

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