Just for those who haven't read the regs on call sign usage, here is an exerpt from RIC-15:
4. Call Sign
All radio stations require some form of identification during radiocommunications. Although Industry Canada requires that land stations in all services be assigned specific call signs, this is not required for many types of mobile stations. For example, mobile stations operating in the aeronautical mobile and maritime mobile services are often identified only by their respective aircraft or vessel registration numbers. Whereas in the case of mobile stations operating in the land mobile service, most are identified simply by using the name of the licensee, followed by the mobile’s fleet number.
5. Acceptable Methods Which Can Be Used for Identification
The following two methods can be used to identify a radio station:
1. manual calling procedure; and
2. automatic identification.
5.1 Manual Calling Procedure
One way to identify a station is to incorporate the assigned call sign in the station’s calling procedure.
Examples of the calling procedure are:
1. Base station calling a mobile station - “Mobile 2, this is ABC123” (where ABC123 is the call sign assigned to the base station).
2. Mobile station calling the base station - “ABC123, this is Mobile 2”.
3. Mobile station calling another mobile station - “Mobile 3, this is ACME Mobile 2” (where ACME Ltd. is the licensee).
When radio operators are familiar with the correct calling procedure, it can be shortened by dropping the phrase “This is”. However, for the abbreviated calling procedure to be effective, all radio operators must use the same calling format; the call sign of the station being called followed by the call sign of the calling station. Uniformity and consistency in following this procedure will avoid any confusion as to who is being called.
5.2 Automatic Identification
Incorporating the call sign in the radio operator’s calling procedure is an effective way of identifying the station. However, this form of identification is not suitable for all users. For example, because of a busy operational environment, a taxi dispatcher may find it impossible to state the station’s call sign every time he/she transmits to a mobile. As well, digital radio systems or repeater stations which automatically relay transmissions between stations do not have radio operators calling other stations. For stations that do not have a radio operator or for the convenience of radio operators, automatic identification using digitally stored or taped voice messages or Morse code can be used. Devices that will automatically transmit the assigned call sign in Morse code by modulating the transmitter at a lower level than normal are commercially available. Most of these devices are acceptable to the Department under the current regulations.
Optimum technical characteristics for Morse code identification are:
- a transmission speed of 20 wpm;
- an audio tone of 1 kHz for amplitude modulation; and
- a 1 kHz tone with +2 kHz deviation for frequency and phase modulations.
The addition of automatic identification equipment must not alter the performance of the radio equipment with respect to the Radio Standards Specification under which it was approved. No additional radio station licence application or fee is required for the use of automatic identification equipment.