BRITISH COLUMBIA AMATEUR RADIO COORDINATION COUNCIL
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OBJECTIVES OF BCARCC

• Frequency Coordination:

• • coordinate frequencies for amateur radio repeaters in British Columbia;
  • compile and publish a data-base of amateur radio repeaters;
  • develop policies and procedures for the guidance of Frequency  Coordinators;
  • develop a mechanism for resolving coordination conflicts;
  • liaise with other coordination councils in Canada and USA.

• Ham Activities:

  • promote amateur radio activities in British Columbia;
  • maintain liaison with Radio Amateurs of Canada.

BACKGROUND:

BCARCC was incorporated under the B. C. Societies Act in January 1995, and the first Board of Directors was elected at the organizing meeting in March, 1995. The Council was formed to replace the Pacific Region Amateur Radio Frequency Coordination Association (PRARFCA) which was no longer functioning.

Voting membership in BCARCC is limited to Amateur Radio Clubs, and individual Hams located in remote areas with no nearby Clubs. Each Club is entitled to one representative for each ten Club members, to a maximum of eight representatives. BCARCC is funded by nominal dues for each representative.

To the extent possible, bandplans are taken from The Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), and modified to reflect local conditions. For example, the RAC 2 metre bandplan has been revised to harmonize with the plan used in Washington State by the Western Washington Amateur Radio Association (WWARA). These revisions may not be necessary in locations remote from the USA border, where repeater density is low.

In November 1996, BCARCC and Pacific Region of Industry Canada signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to establish the advisory role of BCARCC vs the legislative and regulatory role of IC. Under the MOU, IC will refer all applications for repeaters to BCARCC for coordination, and will no longer list specific frequencies on Amateur licences (reflecting the fact that no Amateur is licensed to have exclusive use of a frequency).

BCARCC is now appointing coordinators in all major geographic portions of B.C. to coordinate repeaters and to maintain an accurate repeater list. Membership from all Amateur Radio Clubs in the Province is invited.

Revised Nov. 8, 2002 PB