The Two-Tier Qualification System
Amateur radio in Canada is regulated by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) under the Radiocommunication Act and the Radiocommunication Regulations. To obtain a licence, an applicant must pass at least the Basic qualification examination.
There are two qualification levels:
- Basic Qualification — the entry-level certification, required before any transmitting is permitted
- Advanced Qualification — an optional additional certification that expands privileges
Both examinations draw from question banks maintained and published by ISED. The question banks are publicly available, which means candidates can study the exact pool of questions they will be tested on.
Basic Qualification
The Basic examination consists of 100 multiple-choice questions drawn from the publicly available question bank. A passing score is 70%. Candidates who score 80% or higher receive a "with Honours" notation.
Privileges at Basic Level (Pass — 70%)
- Operation on all amateur bands above 30 MHz (VHF, UHF, microwave)
- Maximum power of 250 W DC input (or equivalent PEP)
- Use of commercially manufactured equipment only (no home-built transmitters)
Privileges at Basic with Honours (80%+)
A Basic qualification obtained with Honours grants the same HF privileges as the Advanced qualification, without requiring the candidate to sit a second examination. This includes:
- Access to all amateur bands including HF (below 30 MHz)
- Higher power limits applicable to Advanced-class operators
- Operation under the supervision of an Advanced operator is no longer required for HF
Practical note: The distinction between Basic (pass) and Basic with Honours matters primarily for HF operation. Operators who only intend to use VHF/UHF local repeaters and simplex frequencies do not need Honours or Advanced certification for most typical activities.
Advanced Qualification
The Advanced examination is a separate 50-question test drawn from its own question bank. A passing score is 70%. Holding both Basic and Advanced qualifications provides the broadest set of operating privileges available to Canadian amateurs.
Additional Privileges with Advanced
- Full HF access on all Canadian amateur allocations
- Higher power limits (up to 1 kW DC input on most bands)
- Permission to build and operate home-constructed transmitters and amplifiers
- Eligibility to act as a control operator for a club station or to supervise a Basic-qualified operator on HF
Examination Process
Examinations are administered by volunteer examiners (VEs) accredited by ISED. Sessions are organised by amateur radio clubs across Canada, typically at regular intervals. Some accredited examiners also offer remote examination sessions.
| Qualification | Questions | Pass Mark | Honours |
|---|---|---|---|
| Basic | 100 | 70% | 80%+ |
| Advanced | 50 | 70% | N/A |
Study Resources
ISED publishes the complete question banks for both the Basic and Advanced examinations on its website. The question bank specifies the correct answer for each question, so directed study using the bank is the most direct preparation method.
Commonly referenced study aids include:
- The Canadian Amateur Radio Basic Qualification Study Guide, available from amateur radio suppliers
- Online practice tools such as HamStudy.org, which draws from the ISED question bank
- Club-run study sessions, which are common in larger urban centres
Syllabus Topics — Basic Examination
The Basic examination question bank covers the following subject areas, as defined by ISED:
- Regulations and policies (call signs, identification, power limits, prohibited transmissions)
- Operating procedures (phonetic alphabet, Q codes, RST reporting, net operation)
- Station assembly, operation, and maintenance (transceivers, antennas, feedlines)
- Circuit components (resistors, capacitors, inductors, transistors, diodes)
- Signals and emissions (CW, SSB, FM, digital modes, bandwidth)
- Antennas and feedlines (dipoles, verticals, standing wave ratio)
- Propagation (ionospheric layers, skip, line-of-sight)
- Interference and EMC (RFI, TVI, suppression techniques)
- Safety (RF exposure, electrical safety, tower climbing)
After Passing — Obtaining a Call Sign
Once a candidate passes the Basic examination, the examiner submits the results to ISED. ISED issues a call sign based on the applicant's province of residence and the sequential availability of suffixes in that district. There is no licence fee for individual amateur radio operators in Canada as of the current regulations. The licence must be renewed periodically; details on renewal intervals are published on the ISED website.