There are just over 57,600 licenced amateurs here in Canda, out of a
population of around 31,000,000 - a similar ratio your US amateur
population vs. total population.

There are two licence classes in Canada: Basic and Advanced. The
Basic licence is limited to, among other things, commercially built
transmitting equipment manufactured specifically for use in the
Amateur Radio service (homebuilding of all other types of equipment is
permitted). An Advanced licence removes this restriction.

For further info, please refer to the Industry Canada Radio
Information Circulars, accessible via the following web site:

http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/inter.../sf05478e.html

RIC-3 details the licence class info above.

73, Leo

On 11 Jan 2004 21:12:42 GMT, (N2EY) wrote:
snip

The problem with such an "Appliance Class" license is that it cuts
off those who hold it from one of the main reasons for the ARS to
exist
in the USA. (Remember that the "basis and purpose" is an FCC/Part 97
thing and other countries have different ones, or none at all). Not
being *allowed* to homebrew, modify or repair one's own gear is
simply a bad idea. It would
*encourage* new hams to become even more dependent on manufacturers
rather than their own ingenuity.

I'll ask again, what IS the experience in Canada. What "bad" things are
happening or not happening?

I don;t know that Canada's B&P are the same as ours. One thing I do know is
that there are far fewer hams per capita there.
73 de Jim, N2EY