Canadian licensing changes proposed

Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) has proposed formally that Industry Canada (IC) eliminate Morse code as a ham radio testing requirement for operation in bands below 30 MHz in Canada.

RAC wants Industry Canada to continue to make Morse testing available to Canadian amateurs still wishing to have that qualification specified on their certificate, however.

At the same time, the RAC wants IC to require applicants for the Basic examination to score at least 80 percent before permitting operation below 30 MHz.

Under the proposal, present Basic plus Morse holders would be considered as holders of the new Intermediate qualification. Basic holders who have not passed the Morse exam would continue to hold that class with existing
operating privileges.

Current Basic-without-Morse licensees who retake the
Basic examination and obtain at least 80 percent would be upgraded to Intermediate.

RAC also recommends that the passing grade for the Basic and Advanced examinations be raised from 60 to 70 percent when the Morse requirement is dropped. Ultimately, RAC wants the passing grade to be upped to 75 percent for all examination elements.

Anyone holding both the Basic and Advanced qualifications would have HF privileges, and the Intermediate qualification or Basic plus Morse would become a prerequisite to obtaining the Advanced.

The RAC also wants IC to create a new entry-level qualification. RAC President Daniel Lamoureux, VE2KA, says Canadian amateurs can anticipate implementation of a first phase of the RAC recommendations by year's end.

Details are available on the RAC Web site

Sorce: ARRL Letter - courtesy of The American Radio Relay League

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