[[email protected]]

RAC Bulletin 2010-027E - Canadian Amateur Radio Advisory Board Meeting
October 28, 2010

2010-10-28

The 35th meeting of the Canadian Amateur Radio Advisory Board [CARAB]

took place on Thursday Oct. 28th. CARAB is composed of representatives
from both Radio Amateurs of Canada [RAC] representing Canadian
Amateurs, and Industry Canada, as the regulator of amateur radio.

The Chair of the Board rotates between the two organizations and this
meeting was chaired by the President of RAC, Mr. Geoffrey Bawden,
VE4BAW. The principle IC representative was Mr. Peter Hill, Senior
Director, Spectrum Management Operations. IC was also represented by
Ren\351 Guerrette, Co-Director, Amateur Radio Service, Gilles Rathier,
Manager, Operational Policies and Joanne Poulin, Technical Policy
Analyst. Contributing from RAC we J. T. [Mitch] Mitchell, VE6OH,
Director for Alberta, NWT and Nunavut, Richard Ferch, VE3KI, Vice
President Regulatory Affairs, and Norm Rashleigh, VE3LC, Vice
President Industrial Liason,

At the CARAB meeting it was agreed to modernize and improve
communication between the regulator and Canadian amateurs as
represented by RAC. The value of CARAB as a consultative body between
RAC and IC was reaffirmed by both parties and the Terms of Reference
were updated.

Among key issues discussed at the meeting was IC?s policy regarding
temporary authorization of frequency assignments in amateur bands to
non-amateur services [e.g. September 10th and 12th Pro Tour race in
Quebec].

RAC impressed upon the IC officials that RAC, on behalf of Canadian
amateurs, objected to intrusion into amateur bands by non-amateur
services, especially for non-emergency purposes. IC noted the
objection, committed to improve coordination and cooperation and
advised that they were sensitive to RAC's concerns.

IC committed to continue to work with RAC on our request for
allocation[s] in the 60M band which mirror those available to US
amateurs. RAC emphasized the importance of this request to Canadian
amateurs.

IC briefed RAC officials on the status of the web access project
designed to allow amateurs direct access to the IC callsign and
certificate database thus allowing such activities as applications for
callsigns, and change of address. It is anticipated that the system
will be live no later than Nov., 2011. Articles on the new system will
be published in upcoming TCA's. IC asked RAC to serve as ?acceptance
testers? to help the developers ensure that the system would work as
designed.

IC and RAC discussed the positive role that amateur radio played in
emergency situations and IC noted that there would be value in more
cooperation and planning between IC and RAC in this area. Follow-up
meetings between RAC and IC will be arranged over the coming months.
RAC is already linked with the ARRL and the US regulator [FCC] on
emergency issues and welcomes this initiative of IC.

The next meeting of CARAB is anticipated for next April, concurrent
with the RAC Board meeting.

--

* * * *




----------
You are receiving this bulletin because you are subscribed to an electronic mailing list.
For more information or to change your subscription please visit:
http://rac.eton.ca/racbullemail.htm