First, just a recap. In Canada, use of very low power intentional radiators is broken into two parts. If you intend to do a 'Broadcast Undertaking' (i.e., whatever you're transmitting is intended to be listened to by other individuals), then you must use the BETS regulations. Otherwise, you use RSS210. This is because Canada has an extra regulatory body, the CRTC, which is concerned with the contents of radio broadcasts.
So for a lot of the people here, BETS is of most interest. The rules state that if you adhere to guidelines issued by the CRTC, you do not need a CRTC license (which is good, as it is very expensive and difficult to get). They also state that if you use BETS certified equipment (it used to be BETS compliant equipment), then you do not require an Industry Canada Broadcast Certificate, or license.
All fine and good. A while ago, when I was starting up Artisan Radio on Bowen Island, I contacted Industry Canada and verified that I did not require any licensing to do what I wanted to do.
Fast forward to today. I contacted the local Industry Canada office and spoke to a Spectrum Management Officer. I wanted to confirm that there were no licensing requirements for BETS, as I was hearing otherwise, and an individual in the Part 15 AM FM Facebook group had contacted the Toronto office and was told that a Radio Station License was required. I confirmed that that is now the case. If you are running a BETS station, then you need to apply for that license using Industry Canada form IC-2365 (which is the same form used by businesses applying for commercial radio licenses). The form itself is completely inappropriate for BETS, but it needs to be done if you want to be legal. I asked what such a license would cost, if it was granted, and I wasn't given an answer ('it depends' was what I was told).
Nowhere does it talk about the need for this license in any document I was able to find on the Industry Canada website. I don't know if this is a new requirement, or one that was ignored by Industry Canada as just not being important when I was doing my initial due diligence (it was in the early days of BETS, and there weren't all that many people doing it in Canada).
And before anyone in Canada starts to think that they can use RSS210, which is completely license exempt, remember that it cannot be used for broadcasting to others. It can be used to broadcast to yourself only, but nobody else.
So it now appears that there really is no unlicensed low power broadcasting in Canada.
Not only does this have implications for those currently running BETS stations without that license and thinking that they were legal, but it also affects the Part 15 Initiative. BETS really is something completely different than anything the U.S. currently has in Part 15 (i.e., it is a licensed service), and you're not going to be able to easily compare BETS to Part 15 as a justification for increasing field strength.
I know I am rethinking what I do as a result of this. I'm considering just using RSS210 for my personal use (and probably AM), and only using Internet Streaming for my broadcasting. That, at least right now, doesn't require any licensing other than copyright. It's pretty difficult for me to justify any more licensing expense (it's a yearly license) when I don't bring in any revenue. And in the meantime, I've turned off my Decade MS-100.
What a let down. This means no more Radio for you? And well I gress that is a sucker punch for the part 15 initiative for increased FM. Unless someone made a mistake when telling you this or simply didn't want to look the whole thing up. Everytime I've seen transmitters sold from Canada and sold to folks up there nothing was said you can't run a Radio station at these low power rates. I sure hope the USA doesn't try and pull this number. There will be backlash I'm sure of that if it did.
How unfortunate to lose Canada as the beacon it seemed to provide for some of us in the Homeland (formerly the U.S.) in our quest to match 15.239 to our previous conception of the BETS standard, which has now dissolved.
The Pro FM Initiative has taken a brutal punch.
I donn't think it will matter much, but we could continue to study what New Zealand. Plus if Canada did change we should study Why?
No, I don't think it's a mistake. Two people (myself and someone in Toronto) were told the same thing by two separate offices.
In and of itself, this is not such a big thing. If I were still running my Bowen Island station, it wouldn't be a problem. I had both listeners and revenue; I wanted everyone to know that I was there. I don't think the license costs all that much each year (although I would be worried if I was going to get one by the open-ended statement that the cost 'depends'). And even though the form seems daunting for a BETS transmitter, I'm sure it could be worked through (it really was meant for commercial licensing).
I just don't feel right now, when I'm really only broadcasting for fun, to go through the hassle and expense of getting that license. I could change my mind at some point (I was thinking of attempting to expand my coverage). But right now, RSS210 seems like the best option for what I'm doing.
No licenses period.
I'll continue to stream. And I'll put either my ProCaster or Talking Sign back on the air, with different programming (just the stuff that I want to hear). I won't know if other people find the signal and tune in, but I won't advertise that I'm there.
I guess when I think about it I am done with over the air broadcasting (except to myself). At least for now.
I'm surprised this hasn't been corrected by anyone after all this time. Still, I don't see this as a "brutal punch". My proposal was for licensed higher power, so why not take a look at what Canada is doing?
I think that what is written in a document is valid...not what is said verbally. I looked closer at the Industry Canada rules and saw some things I didn't notice before.
There are many BETS parts with different rules for each and yes a licence is needed for a lot of them.
But we are concerned with BETS-1 ONLY.
Digging deeper I found ANY transmitter used for BETS-1(low power announcement) has to have a certificate by an engineer or approved electronics technician or at your expense you have to have ID Canada test and approve it for the allowable signal strength, not causing interference etc. It MUST have a certified sticker on the transmitter.
UNLESS.....the transmitter has been certified by manufacturer having it tested by ID Canada.
That means that the Ccrane for example can't be used here because ID Canada hasn't tested and approved it for BETS-1, Neither can ANY transmitter AM or FM EXCEPT the Decades(CM-10, MS-100, LX 75) which have been certified for BETS-1. You can't use a Ramsey, SStran, Procaster, etc,etc, unless you want to pay for ID Canada to test and approve it.
There's also a grey area.....I'm using it to broadcst to myself but as a side effect the signal from inside my house gets around the block?
I will contact Michael Carrier tomorrow and talk to him about the Decade but in a past conversation he told me they are certified and checked there for compliance and do NOT need a licence. The only thing that needs a licence is RSS-123.
As far as I am concerned what is in writing is what is true and I will continue to use the Decade without fear.
Mark
transmission or the affiliation of the operator
Now its clear and there was some Info left out. I knew it didn't make sense. OK so we can still use this and see what Canada is doing. I was fearful for a minute we didn't have any leg to stand on with an FM initiative like we wanted.