You exemplify the public-minded spirit that has characterized the Kingston Amateur Radio Club throughout its nearly four decades of existence, since its beginnings shortly after the Second World War as the Kingston Civil Defence Amateur Club.

 

The citizens of Kingston are grateful for your contribution to emergency preparedness through participation in exercises with the police and fire departments here.

 

They appreciate the help you have offered to the hearing impaired by constructing accessory devices for them.

 

They recognize the invaluable assistance you offer to one of our popular regional attractions by coordinating the sailing events at the Canadian Olympic Regatta at Kingston (CORK).

 

And they acknowledge the importance of the amateur radio station you were instrumental in establishing at St. Mary's on the Lake Hospital.

 

Yes, amateur radio operators have distinguished themselves as friends when times are good and as heroes in times of trouble. They have also made a name for themselves as researchers, forever pushing back the limits of their technology.

 

For all of these reasons, and because of their very responsible attitudes, they will continue- you will continue- to use the spectrum with full public approval.

 

CROWDED SPECTRUM

 

At the same time, of course, you know as well as I do how crowded the spectrum has become. It is an increasingly complex task to accommodate the rights of access of many diverse spectrum users. Business, official, entertainment and personal uses of the airwaves must coexist without one user interfering with another.

 

To take just one example, problems occasionally arise with badly designed microelectronic circuits.

 

As more and more manufacturers introduce microchip technology into household appliances, toys, office equipment and even vehicles and aircraft, there is a growing risk of problems associated with radio frequency interference from a wide range of sources.

 

My department, in consultation with spectrum users across Canada, has had a key role in bringing this problem to the attention of the international community.

 

RFI GUIDELINES

 

We proposed the first international guidelines for manufacturers to follow in making electronic systems immune to interference. These early guidelines have since been upgraded and have helped to reduce the problem to a certain extent.

 

However, there has been an explosive growth in the use of digital electronic circuits in products from all corners of the globe, and we are concerned that the manufacturing sector has not, as a whole, fully taken the problem of immunity into account in the design and manufacture of consumer electronic equipment.

 

This problem has reached the stage where we, as a country, need to actively consider options such as legislative action to give substance to the guidelines and standards developed by government and industry.

 

GENTLY DOES IT

However, let me make it clear that we will not rush to impose the heavy hand of government regulation unless absolutely necessary, particularly if we must do it outside an international framework of standards.

 

You in the amateur radio community understand better than anyone the importance of inter­national good will to your activities. You have both produced and thrived on such good will in the past. We can hardly proceed without it in the present.

 

Moreover, government regulation may put constraints on the amateur community or risk imposing unnecessary costs on consumers and users of electronic equipment. Such equipment is essential to our well­being, both culturally and economically. Impeding its availability would have significant negative effects. As in many areas of public policy, a judicious balance will have to be struck.

 

You can be assured that the matter is of great concern to me and the department and that your views and interests are being taken into account.

 

We recognize that this issue of electromagnetic compatibility is one which is of concern to you as amateurs. I want to assure you that I, too, am concerned. My officials have followed the initial trial of the Ravenscroft-Houghtby civil suit in a lower level court. You are all familiar with that outcome.

 

THE RAVENSCROFT CASE

 

I note that the appeal process is under way, and my staff and legal counsel are studying the grounds for appeal which have been prepared by Mr. Ravenscroft's counsel. Conse­quently, I do not propose to discuss this specific matter any further.

 

Compatibility and immunity issues, of course, are part of the larger goal of ensuring harmony in the manage­ment of the spectrum, which we see as a vital public resource.

 

To this end, as I am sure you are all aware, Parliament is presently considering legislation to ensure the financial equity and prudent administration of the government's spectrum management activities.

 

The purpose of Bill C-3 is to ensure that the costs of planning and managing the radio spectrum are shared equitably among its direct beneficiaries.

 

Nevertheless, I would like to assure you that the government recognizes the special situation and spectrum needs of Canadian municipalities. Therefore, no change will be made to the licence fee structure for municipalities and volunteer fire departments as a result of Bill C-3.

 

SPECTRUM PRESSURES

 

Amateur radio operators have historically enjoyed a remarkable share of the spectrum as their exclusive turf. This is because of their traditional role in communications, public safety and radio experi­mentation, as I described earlier.

Nevertheless, pressure is forever being brought to bear on Canada and other members of the International Telecommunication Union (ITU) to relinquish part of this very valuable airspace.

 

There are suggestions, for example, that short-wave broadcasters should be given some of your existing space in the 40 metre band, and that mobile land services such as pagers and dispatchers be allowed to use some of your space in the band between 144 and 148 MHz.

 

In another country, one more subject to commercial pressures, your spectrum share might be gobbled up quickly. We here in Canada are not prepared to be so hasty.

 

Spectrum managers have a long­standing relationship of trust and respect with amateur radio operators. As a result, you have access to a very generous portion of the spectrum.

 

You are allowed to use great amounts of radiated power, larger than any user other than broadcasting. Much of this is due to your traditional role as radio explorers.

 

I would only ask you to bear in mind that, as your Minister of Communications, I am responsible to oversee the spectrum for all users. Moreover, radio is not something that stops at national boundaries. We have to bargain and negotiate continually for your rights, in a forum which is very competitive.

 

Even in Canada alone, we have seen unprecedented growth in both the uses and the users of the airwaves.

 

In the past 40 years, the number of radio licences in force in Canada has risen over 100 times, to three quarters of a million in 1986.

 

In half that time, mobile 'stations have grown in number from 60,000 to over half a million. These figures do not include the 355,000 stations licensed in the general radio service.

 

IT'S CROWDED OUT THERE

 

As of November 1986, there were 23,590 licensed amateurs using the airwaves in Canada.

 

Seven categories of radio stations existed in Canada in 1914. Thirty­three exist today to accommodate the innovative uses to which radio has been put since then.

 

In other words, it's crowded out there! So I'm basically asking you to look both ways when you step into the traffic. We don't want anyone hurt.

 

Amateur radio operators enjoy their historic status because they have had to pass rigorous examinations before being licensed and because they have, on the whole, been self-policing.

 

I know that I can rely on you to continue demonstrating your traditional professionalism as the spectrum becomes more and more crowded, and as our society comes to depend on sophisticated electronics in every area of life, creating the potential for interference problems like those I mentioned earlier.

 

Our trust in you finds tangible expression in the licences you are awarded. Many amateur radio operators have complained in recent years, however, that our licensing requirements and exams seem outdated.

 

I can understand why some of you would wonder why you need a certain proficiency in Morse code to be licensed today.

 

Or why those of you who can go into a store and purchase equipment would wonder why you need to know how to build a radio.

 

 

We have had several hundred responses to these proposals, from across the country, roughly one-third were in favour of the proposals in our 'Amateur Restructuring Paper.'

 

Another third were in favour with suggestions or had minor reserva­tions, and the rest were not in favour unless there were major modifica­tions.

 

These comments are being carefully evaluated and compared. New draft regulations and policies will be prepared during the course of the next year. We welcome any further recommendations you may have.

 

But I am glad to have this chance to tell you in person how much we appreciated hearing from all those of you who have made suggestions already.

 

In closing, I would like to repeat that the Canadian government recognizes you, the amateur radio operators of our country, to be good citizens of the airwaves, performing a valuable public service and practicing a very enriching activity.

 

We look forward to further friendly cooperation in the future as we work toward the common goal of maintaining the radio spectrum as a medium of information and public safety for all Canadians, and as a source of personal satisfaction for all of you.