Morris BodnarDirector, Compliance and Interior Offices

Tel: (250) 561-5283 Fax: (250) 561-5290e-mail: bodnar.morris@ic.gc.ca

Pilot Implementation of New Resource Road Radio Channels

June 12, 2007October 2004

History of Resource Road Frequencies

• Started out with few multi-channel radios in the 70s and early 80s

• Resource road users didn’t change areas as much

• Letters of permission were needed for each road frequency

June 12, 2007October 2004

History . . .continued• Late 80s saw introduction

16, 32 and then 99 channel radios

• Increasing demand for resource road frequencies

• User programmable radios an issue

June 12, 2007October 2004

Why is Change Needed? • Too many different radio frequencies are

used on BC resource roads• Frequencies are not exclusive to resource

road users interference to safety services and other licenced users

• Confusion over the process to legitimize (licence) and need to advise Industry Canada what frequencies are in use, and where

June 12, 2007October 2004

What is the Solution?

• Industry Canada will assemble a block of radio frequencies for exclusive resource road and loading/unloading use

• New frequencies will be cleared for resource industry use province wide

• Standardized labelling will be used to reduce confusion and improve safety

June 12, 2007October 2004

What is the Current Status? • Industry Canada has selected frequencies

for exclusive resource road and loading use• Industry Canada and its provincial partners

are moving forward with pilot implementation in Vancouver Island/Sunshine Coast & Tumbler Ridge

• 14 new radio frequencies have been identified for use in the two pilot areas

June 12, 2007October 2004

Pilot Channel Overview

• Frequencies vs. Channels– Frequency: portion of electromagnetic spectrum in which

radio waves travel

– Channel: portion of electromagnetic spectrum with specific: 1)labels, 2) purposes, and 3) technical parameters

June 12, 2007October 2004

Channel Overview . . . continued

• Two new labels; RR = Resource Road LD = Loading/unloading

• Tone coded squelch is utilized– Masks non-desired transmissions and noise– Enables shorter re-use distances

• Channels are low power, 5 watts maximum– Lower power will reduce “walk-over”

June 12, 2007October 2004

Channel Overview . . . continued

• Channels are narrow band– Two way radios approved under Radio

Standard Specification 119, issue 5 (1997) or later are all compliant

• Why narrow band? – Limited availability of radio spectrum– Necessity for wide area usage (i.e. BC wide)– US coordination considerations

June 12, 2007October 2004

IC’s Narrow Banding Strategy

• Initially announced October 1998

• All users issued written two-year non-standard notifications in January 2002

• All VHF wide band became non-standard and subject to displacement January 2004

• Industry Canada’s ability to accommodate wide band usages is diminishing

June 12, 2007October 2004

The Bottom Line . . .

• Check with your Radio Equipment Supplier to see if your two way radio(s) are narrow band capable

• Utilizing narrow band channels is the only way Industry Canada could locate and designate new resource channels

• Many radio systems have already migrated to narrow band or have plans to do so

June 12, 2007October 2004

Displacements

• Many radio communication systems will be displaced to make way for wide area resource channels

• Industry Canada has the challenge of identifying new frequencies for displaced systems

• Displaced systems will also need to migrate to narrow band operations

June 12, 2007October 2004

Conditions for Users

• New resource channels are specified narrow band with a maximum transmitter power of 5 watts and employ tone coded squelch– *With tones, a channel that sounds clear may in

fact be in use

• Channels must only be used in locations where specifically posted. Improper usage will result in harmful interference to other resource usages, or priority spectrum users

June 12, 2007October 2004

Conditions . . . continued• New resource channels will only be posted

for use in the Vancouver Island/Sunshine Coast and Tumbler Ridge pilot areas– *Under no circumstance may channels be used

outside of the posted locations

• Two way radios using resource channels require a mobile radio licence

• Amateur, marine or user programmable radios are not permitted

June 12, 2007October 2004

In Summary

• New resource channels are being introduced for road and loading/unloading

• New resource channels have specific technical parameters for use

• Radio operators must only use resource channels where posted or radio systems will suffer from interference and safety will be compromised

June 12, 2007October 2004

Questions?

• Contact Industry Canada at 1-800-667-3780