Canadian Amateurs to Lose 220-222 MHz

Barring an outpouring of "compelling arguments to the contrary," Industry Canada will reallocate the 220-222 MHz portion of 220-225 MHz from the Canadian amateur service to the mobile and fixed services. Under the provisional reallocation, which will take effect January 25, the amateur service will be allocated the 219-220 MHz subband on a secondary basis. Additionally, the amateur service may be permitted use of 220-222 MHz "in exceptional circumstances on a secondary basis to assist in disaster relief efforts." ARRL Chief Executive Officer David Sumner, K1ZZ, commented: "The US and Canada generally coordinate their mobile allocations because of the long border we share. The fact that it has taken Canada 15 years to get around to implementing a mobile allocation at 220-222 MHz is indicative of the fact that the reallocation that took effect in the US in 1991 has never lived up to the claims of its proponents." In fact, the document that includes the proposed reallocation, Canada Gazette Notice DGTP-004-05, Proposals and Changes to the Spectrum in Certain
Bands Below 1.7 GHz, cites the earlier US reallocation as part of its justification for the change. Radio Amateurs of Canada opposed the reallocation. Comments are due to Industry Canada by January 26.

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