Amateur Operator License for a Restricted Operator License holder

[NWCanuck]

Just had a question about obtaining an Amateur Operator Certificate and how to go about it if I am reading the government site correctly. I have had a Restricted Operator License (Aeronautical) since 2010. The government site lists:

4.3 Equivalent operating privileges
Persons holding any of the following Canadian certificates may be issued an authorization to operate in the amateur radio service with the same operating privileges as the holder of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification:

• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Aeronautical)
• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Maritime)
• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Land)

Persons holding an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification issued prior to April 1, 2002, will be granted the same operating privileges as the holder of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification with Honours.

Persons holding an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification issued on or after April 1, 2002, will be granted the same operating privileges as the holder of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification with Honours if they can demonstrate that they have attained a mark of 80% or above on their basic examination.

Just wondering if I still need to do the full course or who I would contact for this information? I assume I could ask the link below, but its the holidays and could not reach anyone there to ask this question. Figured someone here would know the answer.

Amateur Radio Service Centre Contact Information
For additional information, please contact the Amateur Radio Service Centre:

Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada
Amateur Radio Service Centre
2 Queen Street East
Sault Ste. Marie, ON
P6A 1Y3

email address: spectrumamateur-spectreamateur@ised-isde.gc.ca
Telephone: 1-888-780-3333 (Toll free)
Fax number: 1-705-941-4607

Thanks
Brad

 

[mciupa]

I think the key difference may be Restricted versus General. I also have a Restricted Certificate, but for Maritime. A General Certificate is considered professional and should be renewed every five years to be considered valid.

My Amateur instructor mockingly likened a Restricted Operator to being like a "taxi driver" with no radio discipline. Please check with ISED Canada for a real answer rather than my anecdotal information.

 

[kf8yk]

4.3 Equivalent operating privileges
Persons holding any of the following Canadian certificates may be issued an authorization to operate in the amateur radio service with the same operating privileges as the holder of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification:

• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Aeronautical)
• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Maritime)
• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Land)

This exemption to taking an amateur radio license exam appears to be moot as all the professional licenses listed are no longer issued or valid:

From ISED RIC-16:

The following certificates are no longer relevant, supported, issued or reissued (validated):
...
Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Maritime) ROG(M)
Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Aeronautical) ROG(A)
Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Land) ROG(L)
...

 

[mciupa]

I wrote an e-mail to the link you provided @NWCanuck and got this response:

Spectrum Amateur / Spectre Amateur (IC)	9:08 AM (3 hours ago)		Reply
to me

Good morning,

There is often some confusion with this equivalency. The radiotelephone ‘restricted’ certificate doesn’t have an equivalency for the amateur radio certificate. There is a certificate, with a very similar name that does, the radiotelephone operator’s general certificate aeronautical.

Please see RIC3, Section 4.3 (RIC-3 — Information on the Amateur Radio Service ):
4.3 Equivalent operating privileges
Persons holding any of the following Canadian certificates may be issued an authorization to operate in the amateur radio service with the same operating privileges as the holder of an Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification:

• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Aeronautical)
• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Maritime)
• Radiotelephone Operator’s General Certificate (Land)

You would either have to rewrite the basic and score 80% or higher to upgrade. Or you can add any second qualification, and that also permits you to access all the bands.

Regards,

Amy Shand

Technical Assistant, Amateur Radio Service Centre, Spectrum Management Operations Branch
Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada / Government of Canada
spectrumamateur-spectreamateur@ised-isde.gc.ca
Tel: 1-888-780-3333 / TTY: 1-866-694-8389

Adjointe Technique, Centre de service pour la radio amateur, Direction générale des opérations de la gestion du spectre
Innovation, Sciences et Développement économique Canada / Gouvernement du Canada spectrumamateur-spectreamateur@ised-isde.gc.ca
Tél: 1-888-780-3333 / TTY: 1-866-694-8389

 

[NWCanuck]

Thanks for the replies. I also got a similar reply from Amy. I got a hold of an examiner and booked a test. Appreciate the help.

 

[scanfreqer]

If you already have one equal to, then shouldn't taking the exam be fairly easy. The IESD are the ones to talk to as they grant the licenses.