trying justify getting my license

[ThatRadioGuy9977]

hello (canadian)

currently i have quite a few radios such as hytera,motorola and baofeng that is being used for scaning/ listening purposes only as i do not have a license and am trying respect the laws. my question that i cant seem to find is that if i want to use my ham radio or dmr radio for hiking or off-roading with my wife and or friends if we all get are licenses can i do that i would assume i cant just pick a frequency and use it for our own group conversations, just trying to get some clarity because the only thing that it seems like i can do with a ham license and radio is just talk to other hams about there radios and the weather where they are, my main goal is to use the radios as radios and it doesnt seem like you can do that can i please get some help thank you

 

[alcahuete]

You can absolutely do that, assuming you all are licensed. Normally, there are other services where you can do the same thing though, without everybody having to be licensed. Here in the U.S., for example, one GMRS license would cover an entire family. So one fee, no test, everybody is covered.

I'm not sure how that works in Canada.

 

[hill]

Yes after all getting licensed you can just pick an simplex frequency for your use.

With them being shared and no one has exclusive use if one it best to listen for some time to determine which one is not being used in your area. Also best to run PL tone or even better DPL.

Simplex frequencies are published and best to go with local ones, since some area use15 KHz spacing while other areas of the Country use 20 KHz spacing.

 

[ThatRadioGuy9977]

You can absolutely do that, assuming you all are licensed. Normally, there are other services where you can do the same thing though, without everybody having to be licensed. Here in the U.S., for example, one GMRS license would cover an entire family. So one fee, no test, everybody is covered.

I'm not sure how that works in Canada.

im more specifcly talking about ham because the radios i have are dmr and i also have two analog radios. in canada we can use gmrs without a license so thats what we have been using but i have the radios so i would like to use the better ones while still being legal

Yes after all getting licensed you can just pick an simplex frequency for your use.

With them being shared and no one has exclusive use if one it best to listen for some time to determine which one is not being used in your area. Also best to run PL tone or even better DPL.

Simplex frequencies are published and best to go with local ones, since some area use15 KHz spacing while other areas of the Country use 20 KHz spacing.

if im talking to certain people like people im hiking with or off-roading with do we still have to announce are callsigns

 

[vagrant]

"The operator of any amateur station shall transmit the applicable identification, in English or French, at the beginning and end of each period of exchange of communication or test transmission, and at intervals of no more than 30 minutes throughout the period of exchange of communication." ( Everyone would need an Amateur license )

RBR-4 — Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio Service

This document sets out the standards for the operation of radio stations in the amateur radio service. Operators must comply with these provisions in accordance with section 45 of the Radiocommunication Regulations.

ised-isde.canada.ca

* Stay with the GMRS you have been using. Sell the DMR, or use it on analog if it can.

 

[mmckenna]

Just some clarification:

You cannot just pick any random frequency and use that. If you and everyone else using the radios have an amateur radio license, you can use very specific sections of the spectrum that are assigned for amateur radio use. From what you say you have, that's going to be either 144.000 MHz to 148.000 MHz, or 430.000 MHz to 450.000 MHz. There are some specific band plans within that spectrum that tells you what you can do. Amateur radio operators have some 'gentlemen's agreements' about which sections of the amateur radio bands are used for what kinds of usage.

So, while your radios may cover much more spectrum than that, your amateur radio license would only grant you permission to use those specific slices of spectrum, and then hams would prefer you only use certain parts for analog or DMR voice use.

im more specifcly talking about ham because the radios i have are dmr and i also have two analog radios. in canada we can use gmrs without a license so thats what we have been using but i have the radios so i would like to use the better ones while still being legal

Canada, like the U.S. has some specific rules about exactly which kinds of radios can be used on GMRS. Sounds like the other radios you have would not be suitable for GMRS, but would be just fine for amateur radio.

if im talking to certain people like people im hiking with or off-roading with do we still have to announce are callsigns

Yes.

 

[ThatRadioGuy9977]

"The operator of any amateur station shall transmit the applicable identification, in English or French, at the beginning and end of each period of exchange of communication or test transmission, and at intervals of no more than 30 minutes throughout the period of exchange of communication." ( Everyone would need an Amateur license )

RBR-4 — Standards for the Operation of Radio Stations in the Amateur Radio Service

This document sets out the standards for the operation of radio stations in the amateur radio service. Operators must comply with these provisions in accordance with section 45 of the Radiocommunication Regulations.

ised-isde.canada.ca

* Stay with the GMRS you have been using. Sell the DMR, or use it on analog if it can.

would i be allowed to use dmr if i got my license and got a dmr id because after discussing with some of the people in are group like the amount of accessories that follows with certain brands of dmr as well as talk groups and spliting up teams when off-roading like film,med,comms stuff like that as well as i have two xpr3500e and i have two speaker mics that are both waterproof as well as other accessories for it but i haven't been able to use them for transmitting due to know licnese and following rules. in the states in quite easier to find decent gmrs radios and accessories not so much in canada it seems like were alot more limited on what we can have even with a free service like gmrs

 

[prcguy]

would i be allowed to use dmr if i got my license and got a dmr id because after discussing with some of the people in are group like the amount of accessories that follows with certain brands of dmr as well as talk groups and spliting up teams when off-roading like film,med,comms stuff like that as well as i have two xpr3500e and i have two speaker mics that are both waterproof as well as other accessories for it but i haven't been able to use them for transmitting due to know licnese and following rules. in the states in quite easier to find decent gmrs radios and accessories not so much in canada it seems like were alot more limited on what we can have even with a free service like gmrs

Looking over some rules for Canada, the only radio service you can use your radios on is the Amateur radio service and everyone in your group that you talk with would have to get their own amateur radio license. You might be able to qualify for a commercial radio license if you can convince the ISED that you are a business and then everyone in your group could use your radios and operate under your commercial license. There is nothing else you can legally do with your radios except receive. As mentioned, you cannot just pick a frequency and use them, not even on GMRS frequencies in Canada, those radios are not legal GMRS or FRS radios.