In early October 2005, Industry Canada (IC), Canada's radio
regulatory authority, modified its Amateur Radio call sign
policy (RIC-9) to permit Canadian Amateurs to apply for and
use special call signs (ie. CG3A, VX6X, etc) in certain
contests. You can read this new policy on
http://strategis.ic.gc.ca/epic/internet/insmt-gst.nsf/en/sf05478e.html .
This policy explicitly asks the Radio Amateurs of Canada
(RAC) for advice on which contests should be considered
eligible for these call signs. On 18 October 2005, the
Board of Directors of RAC unanimously passed a motion
recommending the following contests to IC:
a) ARRL DX CW
b) ARRL DX CW
c) CQ WPX SSB
d) CQ WPX CW
e) RAC Canada Day Contest
f) IARU HF Championship
g) CQ WW SSB
h) CQ WW CW
i) RAC Canada Winter Contest
These contests were chosen following a rushed consultation
with Canadian contesters over the last week.
Under these rules, IC will recognise three "phases" in the
contest calendar. The first phase will include a, b and c
above. The second phase will include d, e and f. The third
phase will include g, h and i. If you want a special call
sign for one, two or three contests in a particular phase,
you make one application. If you want use a special call
signs in contests in two different phases, you make two
separate applications. If you want to use a special call
sign in contests in three different phases, make three
separate applications. There is a C$60 fee for each
application.
This policy is the product of long, delicate negotiations
with IC. It is a long way from ideal, but it's a big
advance on what went before. I hope we can make this work,
and build on it for the future.
Further information, including a template for your
application, will be available on the RAC web site
(www.rac.ca) in the next few days.
73,
Dave VO1AU
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