RadioBanter - View Single Post - RAC Bulletin - Industry Canada Posts Responses to RAC Recommendations on Morse Code

January 20th 05, 03:11 PM

wrote:

3) The comment period was only 60 days long, and only about 150
people
(mostly already-licensed amateurs, I think) commented.

Heaven fobid that a non-licensed person might comment.

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Summary

On August 28, 2004, Industry Canada published notice DGRB-003-04 in the
Canada Gazette,seeking public comment to the proposal submitted to
Industry Canada by the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), entitled,
Recommendations from Radio Amateurs of Canada to Industry Canada
concerning Morse Code and Related Matters.

In general, this proposal was intended to suggest how the Department
might deal with the potential to implement relaxed Morse code
requirements made possible as a result of the decision taken at the
World Radiocommunication Conference 2003 (WRC-03). This decision gives
the regulatory agencies of International Telecommunication Union member
states the option of maintaining or removing the existing Morse code
requirement for operating on the amateur radio bands below 30 MHz.
However, the RAC proposal went substantially beyond the issue of Morse
code, and made recommendations to modify the existing amateur
certificate structure through the introduction of a new certificate
(Intermediate) as well as a general increase in the pass level for
obtaining the existing basic and advanced certificates. While these
recommendations received various levels of support as indicated in the
comments received, it is not clear whether each element of the proposal
can be entertained without the benefit of a more comprehensive
certificate review, and substantial regulatory amendments to
accommodate an additional amateur certificate.

As the RAC's proposal consisted of twelve specific recommendations, we
have attempted to gauge the level of public support for each of these
elements as a first step in selecting a course of action with respect
to the changes that will be made to the structure of the Canadian
amateur certificate.

Results of Public Comment

During the 60 day comment period, the department received 150
submissions from individuals or associations (Amateur clubs, Radio
Advisory Board of Canada (RABC) etc.) Where clear support or
disagreement for each element was indicated, we attempted to capture
and tabulate those opinions (see graphs). However, in many instances,
the comments simply indicated agreement or disagreement with the
general issue of relaxing the code requirements and this was captured
in a separate graph.

This analysis shows that there is overwhelming agreement that Canada
should move away from having a Morse code requirement as the sole means
of gaining access to the amateur spectrum below 30 MHz. There were 123
comments in favour of relaxed code requirements and only 19 that were
clearly opposed. The remaining six comments were either neutral or did
not address that issue.

The Department will now formulate a plan to implement the changes that
have emerged from this consultation process. The results will be
published in a revision to Radiocommunication Information Circular 2,
Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio
Service (RIC-2), and a notice to that effect will appear in the Canada
Gazette at that time.