Licensing Requirements in Ontario

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SCPD

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I would like to be able to use motorola commercial radios (HT750's in specific) for a company radio/personal radio, without all the interference in the widely available radios that you find at Canadian tire etc. I am having a problem specifically with finding what license I would need to get, also can I specify a frequency that I would like, as the radio would come with that frequency already programmed. I also would like to know if I can operate more than one frequency, the radio I plan on purchasing (if i can figure out the licensing) has 16 channels, and I would like at least 4 to be used, it is UHF 403-470mhz. If anyone could help shed some light onto this it would be great. I want to make sure I do everything legitimately, as well as stay off ham radio stations, because those are for ham, and not commercial use. Thanks for any support anyone can provide.
 

Jay911

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You need to go to Industry Canada's Spectrum Direct site (the same place you can search the TAFL) and sign up for a "new account and web profile".

Web Profile - Spectrum Direct

If you are wanting to just use "mobile" radios (in Industry Canada speak, "mobile" means both a mobile radio and a portable radio - anything that is not a fixed station or base station), your license will cost a set amount for issuance fees plus a cost for however many mobiles you want to be licensed, multiplied by how many months you intend to be licensed for up to March of the following year. In other words right now you'd pay the issuance fee plus the cost per mobile, multiplied by 10 (for May 2013 to March 2014).

If you want to include a repeater or fixed base, the cost increases per frequency. But if you are only using mobiles, you only pay for the mobile, regardless of how many freqs you are licensing.

At least, all this is the understanding I have from poring over the document "RIC-42 - Guide for Calculating Radio LIcense Fees" (google it and only read it when you are clear of mind).
 

SCPD

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Thanks Jay911. I'm going to look into that. If anyone else has any more information or anything that you think would be helpful it would be great. Thanks again for the quick and great reply.
 

East_Algoma

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Getting A LIC

IC is the place to start...they also have a toll free line as well...from my Exp , getting a lic was easy...first tho...look around your town or city , look for Feqs that are not used....I have a VHF Freq & Lic...even tho I am a ham...its a diff ball game when looking for a open freqs in your area...try a TAFL Search

Try this site: www.http://tafl.mckie.ca/

Put in your town or citys name...and it will seach all Lic's for you.....

I know UHF is over crowded...but there is some space left....My lic is vhf , I picked that because there is so MUCH room in my locale , that I could pick any Freq I wanted.

PRICE : In the end expect to pay for your 1st yr about 60.00 ( Approx ) I cant re call the exact amount , the fella who replied is right check or better yet CALL IC...they were very nice to me...we did all paper work ( Which is very little ) via FAX....I singed the application...picked my vhf Freq ....Faxed back.

Within 5 ( Approx ) days I had my own lic freq....

If you are looking for 4 frqs , it can get a bit pricey - also depends where you live....you **may ** not get the freq or band you want....remember , IC has the last & final word on everything.

You must re new your lic each yr....this yr I had to pay 85.00 , mine is a simple , SIMPLEX VHF Freq

But call them as I said they were very accommodating to me , make sure you do a TAFL Search first tho...that way you will know what is avail....in what band...its a good idea to know where you wish to be in the radio spectrum b4 you contact IC...also get the LAT - Long of where you wish to operate...they will need that.

I think you can do all this via email today & a Credit Card.....call em...they are nice guys.

Good Luck


Thanks Jay911. I'm going to look into that. If anyone else has any more information or anything that you think would be helpful it would be great. Thanks again for the quick and great reply.
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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Actually, use the Spectrum Direct site instead. I don't know how often McKie updates, but SD is updated every morning at about 0500 Eastern time, and you can search a much broader set of data than the sites like McKie where someone has downloaded the static files (updated either monthly or weekly IIRC) which have a limited subset of data anyway.
 

DaveH

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I'm a bit skeptical of the notion of IC encouraging people to find their own
frequencies. They have the information base and tools to make the best determination
based on what the new user is asking, what's feasible.

How could the average potential user judge what's an acceptable frequency
in the user environment, including coverage area, so as to not cause
interference (given that some records are protected and not visible to
the ordinary viewer)?

A number of times I've mentioned TX power and wonder how many people
get the distinction between W and dBW, for example.

I've never been through this process and have been wrong before, it just
seems that users picking their own frequencies might work only in a
minority of cases where users really know what's going on; and of course
IC has the last word.

Dave
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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I'm a bit skeptical of the notion of IC encouraging people to find their own
frequencies. They have the information base and tools to make the best determination
based on what the new user is asking, what's feasible.

How could the average potential user judge what's an acceptable frequency
in the user environment, including coverage area, so as to not cause
interference (given that some records are protected and not visible to
the ordinary viewer)?

A number of times I've mentioned TX power and wonder how many people
get the distinction between W and dBW, for example.

I've never been through this process and have been wrong before, it just
seems that users picking their own frequencies might work only in a
minority of cases where users really know what's going on; and of course
IC has the last word.

Dave

I just went through some license modifications and the form has a spot for frequencies, and immediately below that, a spot for the (prospective) user to provide a frequency range from which IC can pick a different frequency if required.
 

SCPD

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Thanks for all your responses, they are all helpful. I will try to get in contact with IC and see what they have to say. Anyone know what happens if people broadcast on signals that they are not licensed to use, I see it all the time at my work when people walk around with their own radios, and end up getting on to a few of our channels.
 

East_Algoma

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DaveH : allow be to clear this up a bit....The fellow at IC knew I was a HAM...he asked if I wanted help , I said no Illl be ok....he said because were up north you have the pick of Freqs...\I had looked at TAfL prior , and knew my freq was not in use....sure enuff it was not in use....

Thats how it was for me , if I ddnt know the guy well from IC I doubt it would have went that way or IF I was not a ham...

IC was good to me...

Plus I had to send my Technical Broadcast Manual to him for my Radio Station...again , this is how we knew each other....
 

SCPD

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East_algoma when you say IC was good to you, did you just call them up, or did you have a specific contact that you used. I would like to have a good experience, as part of this license is just to test various radios and use them, without using the ham radio channels (those channels are for ham not personal use) and would also like to use them for my business. Do you know if IC will offer wide areas or fairly small areas, like I know you can specify for "taxi dispatch" for example, and that would be a whole city that you would need that frequency, how does that work if anyone knows?
 

mikewazowski

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Just call the local IC office, ask for an Inspector and ask him your questions. They're there to help and will be happy to assist you.

It makes much more sense to get your information firsthand rather than relying on advice from an Internet based forum.
 

Jay911

Silent Key (April 15th, 2023)
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Anyone know what happens if people broadcast on signals that they are not licensed to use, I see it all the time at my work when people walk around with their own radios, and end up getting on to a few of our channels.

In my experience they (IC) only act when they get an actual complaint, or if they do a random audit of an agency and find stuff programmed that's not supposed to be in there.

Keep in mind it's not guaranteed that you will get a frequency that is solely yours to use. You did say that you are in an area where there are few enough users that you can pick whatever you want and are likely to get it, but it's common to get a "no protection" condition on a license. In that case, you may have other users who are on the same frequency who may or may not be within range of you receiving them (or vice versa). The best solution in this case would be to program in a coded squelch value (CTCSS, aka PL, or DCS, aka DPL) so that only your transmissions come through on your radios.

If, however, you do encounter truly malicious interference (someone either deliberately causing harmful interference to "your" frequency, or possibly unwittingly using your frequency), do report it to IC. I can vouch for the fact that they will take action, though it may not always be swift.
 

SCPD

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Perfect thanks for all the responses. I am going to call the radio inspector tomorrow, i meant to call them today, but they closed before I had a chance to call them. Thanks for all your help
 

East_Algoma

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well ???

How did things workout for you ? Im kinda curious....





Perfect thanks for all the responses. I am going to call the radio inspector tomorrow, i meant to call them today, but they closed before I had a chance to call them. Thanks for all your help
 

SCPD

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Well not to good. I tried getting ahold of the local ic office and they couldnt get me to anyone to speak to and told me to go set up an account online via spectrum direct, and wait for the account to be approved. Unfortunately they denied my account, so I cannot apply for any licenses, I love how when you try to do the right thing and get a license they dont want to help you. I have decided not to purchase any radios because i cannot get any frequencies that I am allowed to use.
 

mciupa

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How about leasing radios from a two-way provider?
 

East_Algoma

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Thats a shame....where in ONT are you and what frequencies id you want ?

I can help you....IC was good to ,me....The Sr guy I worked with , is named RICCI ( Pronounced Ricky ) Burton in the Sault Office...call that office , ask to speak with Ricci Burton....And like me , I had a Lic in 30 mins...1 credit card, 1 fax machine...like I said...30 mins I had a Lic.
 

SCPD

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I am in Toronto. And I want to just use some radios for some personal, and possibly commercial use, but not sure at the moment. Also when you say lease radios, i know that its good because they can help with the applications, but I couldnt find any places that wanted less than $1000 a month in radios. And the frequencies that were on the radio that I want are already in use but like well out of the 2km the portable radios will reach, especially without a repeater. Although I know there are many frequencies that are given to multiple people.
 

emercer

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I think the problem is that you want it for personal use. If you have a legit business, you can get a licence for it.
 

SCPD

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Yes i think that is what it was, although it would be used for commercial use at times. Oh well its too bad they dont want to issue licenses for people who are trying to do use radios legally, as many people use them illegally.
 
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