Amateur Radio licensing in Canada is broken down into several levels.
Your Basic Amateur Radio Qualification is the beginning of your Amateur Radio journey. It is a 100 question multiple-choice test. The passing grade is 70%. Once you pass the test, your volunteer examiner will make your initial license application to the Amateur Radio Service Centre, you’ll get an invoice for $60.00 (plus sales taxes), and you’ll be issued your callsign. You will get access to Amateur Radio spectrum above 50MHz.
If you pass your Basic Amateur Radio Qualification with 80% or more, you will be given your Basic +Honours credential, which will immediately give you access to all authorized spectrum in Canada.
After your Basic, you can study for and take your Advanced Amateur Radio Qualification test. It is a 50 question multiple-choice test, and the passing grade is 70%. This qualification comes with privileges not available to Basic licensees (i.e.: you have a higher power allowance, you can build your own transceivers, you can be a club callsign sponsor, etc…).
Although it is no longer a requirement, you can still take your Morse Code Qualification. If you can demonstrate the ability to send and receive Morse Code at 5 words/minute, you will be granted this qualification. If you only hold your Basic (with no honours) Qualification, this will give you access to spectrum below 50MHz.
The regulations that govern Amateur Radio in Canada are RBR-4, RIC-3 and RIC-9. If you want to take a look at what an exam looks like, you can download a sample test from ISEDC and give it a try!
To get started, you’ll need to study. There are several study guides available. Once you’re ready to take your test, please send an e-mail to the club’s examiner to setup a time and date to take your test. Examiners are volunteers and taking the test doesn’t cost anything. All you will pay are the fees charged by the Amateur Radio Service Centre.