Since Industry Canada removed the mandatory requirement for the Morse Qualification for access to the HF bands below 30 MHz on July 22, 2005, there has been confusion as to whether amateurs with a "Basic Plus" qualification (without Morse Code) are permitted to use the HF bands in other countries.
A spokesperson for the FCC´s Amateur Division has clarified the situation regarding the Reciprocal Operating Agreement between Canada and the United States:
- A Canadian Basic Plus licensed operator located within the US, US-controlled
territories or US territorial waters has the same HF privileges as in Canada,
insofar as those privileges do not exceed those granted to US Extra Class
amateurs.
A Canadian licensed operator operating within the US or US waters must comply with US regulations for the Amateur Radio Service. Their operating privileges can be no more than those of a US Extra Class Amateur. This means that Canadian amateurs in the US cannot, for example, use SSB below 7150 KHz on the 40 meter band, as they are able to do in Canada or in international waters. Industry Canada has confirmed that this statement is consistent with IC´s understanding of the reciprocal operating treaty between Canada and the US.
The situation in other countries varies from country to country. Many countries have still retained the Morse requirement for HF, and some countries continue to require a Morse qualification for HF operation by amateurs visiting from other countries. Basic Plus operators planning to visit countries other than the US and wishing to operate on HF while travelling should contact the regulatory authorities in those countries before leaving Canada.
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Send comments to:
rachq@rac.ca
