ARLA/CLUSTER: Radioamadores do Canadá aplaudem a atribuição de frequências na banda de 60 metros

[João Costa > CT1FBF]

Radio Amateurs of Canada applauds 60 metre band frequency allocations

Industry Canada has announced that a number of specific frequencies
within the 60 metre high frequency band have been approved for amateur
radio use.

A total of five specific frequencies within the 5 MHZ band have been
allocated, 5332 kHz, 5348 kHz, 5358.5 kHz, 5373 kHz and 5405 kHz.

Radio amateurs across Canada have new frequencies to explore as a
result of a recent decision of Industry Canada.

"Canada has joined a number of countries in making channels available
in the 60 metre band, near 5MHz for use by radio amateurs. This will
provide increased ability for Canadian radio amateurs to help out in
providing emergency communications when existing systems fail as has
happened in ice storms and flooding. We applaud this decision of the
Canadian government." said Geoff Bawden, President of Radio Amateurs
of Canada.

Unlike the commercial communications systems so important to modern
society, amateur radio does not require an extensive infrastructure
for communications.
Radio amateurs take advantage of natural phenomena  to send their
signals across town and around the world. They delight in being able
to set up in a remote location with their own power supplies and
simple antennas, often home built, competing to see who can make the
most contacts in a limited time.

The Amateur Radio Emergency Service in Canada, sponsored by RAC,
provides training and organizes exercises for radio amateurs to
sharpen their skills to be able to respond to emergencies. As well
these organizations and amateur radio clubs often provide
communications to community public service activities and events such
as ski races and marathons, bicycle races and car rallies.
The skills radio amateurs develop through their hobby and these
activities mean that in emergencies that shut down power grids,
internet and wireless communications, amateur radio can continue to
function.
In major emergencies such as the earthquake and tsunami in Japan in
2011 and the Typhoon Haiyan in the Philippines last year, amateur
radio operators are often the first source of information from
affected areas.

The key resource for amateur radio is access to the radio spectrum.
Conditions in the atmosphere and high in the ionosphere determine the
distances over which communications are possible. The new allocation
at 60m between existing allocations at 80 m and 40m should make
regional communications more reliable. Furthermore as Canada and the
United States have allocated many of the same channels to their radio
amateurs cross border communications are possible. Fortunately major
emergencies are relatively rare.

Radio amateurs will explore communications on the new frequencies as
they do in all available bands, experimenting, learning and making new
friends across the world.

Technical details

The five 60 metre channel allocations are the same as authorized in
the USA, with the same power restriction of 100 watts ERP (relative to
a dipole antenna). Transmissions, independent of emission mode, must
be centered on the each of the following frequencies: 5.332, 5.348,
5.3585, 5.373, and 5.405 MHz with a maximum allowable channel
bandwidth of 2.8 kHz. When operating SSB, upper sideband will be the
convention to follow on the 60 metre band. Other modes that are
permissible will be CW, Data (including PSK 31 and Pactor III), and
RTTY.

With this latest authorization on operation on the 5 MHz channels to
Canadian Amateurs with HF privileges, there will no longer be a
requirement to operate under a special Developmental license and VX9
call sign. Holders of such licences can now let them lapse.

Canadian amateurs should refer to the posting of RBR-4, Issue 2, for
all details before proceeding to operate on the new 60 metre channels:
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf10650.html

Their curiosity and eagerness to develop and share this hobby will
enrich the communities where they operate and provide needed
resilience in communications when emergencies require it.

Technical details of this decision can be found here:
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf10623.html

Contributions by Norm Rashleigh VE3LC and Glenn MacDonell VE3XRA.

Vincent Charron, VA3GX/VE2HHH
Director of Communications and Fundraising
Radio Amateurs of Canada
communications  rac.ca