The Canadian telecommunications regulator has issued a revised list of service requirements for broadcasters. The regulator, Innovation, Science, and Economic Development Canada (ISED), has replaced the 2005 version of the Radiocommunication Information Circular 3 (RIC-3) with an updated edition. The circular is designed to provide guidance for amateur radio users throughout Canada.
The new document features numerous significant changes, most obviously the change in name of the organization itself (the ISED was previously known as Industry Canada). The circular provides clarification on the operating privileges and responsibilities of radio amateurs who are in possession of a Basic license.
Most importantly, RIC-3 relaxes restrictions on the modification of commercial transceivers to operate on the amateur radio band. Previously, authorization to make such changes were limited to Advanced licensees only. However, the increased sophistication in transceiver designs now makes it possible to modify commercial transceivers through a simple software change, thereby paving the way for Basic licensees to make such modifications if they can be achieved without physical modification to the circuitry.
Read the complete text of RIC-3 is available at the ISED website.
