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Do I need a ham radio licence?

2016-02-16 18:16:36

Do I need a ham radio licence?

I would like to carry a handheld VHF/UHF radio into the backcountry for emergency communication. I am not so interested in communication with other skiers in my group, for that I have GMRS radios, which seem to rarely get used when I do take them.

I know that most guides will carry a VHF radio to emergency purposes. Do these guides all have licences? Is it a don't ask, don't tell situation? If I understand the rules, it's only illegal to transmit if you don't have the permission of the frequency holder. So is it implied that in a life-and-death situation, the local SAR, being the frequency holder, isn't going to ask you if you had a licence to operate that radio thing?

Should I just take the online course and get a licence? It just seems like a lot of overkill for my intended use (have you seen the text book??). Or is there a crash course or enough resources available online for a guy like me to figure out the basics of how to pick the right frequency and how to utilize the repeaters that are in place in the areas that I plan on touring in?
one4adventure

2016-02-18 12:07:51

http://www.telusplanet.net/pub.....Leader.pdf
one4adventure

2016-02-18 12:19:12

And these:

http://www.rescuedynamics.ca/a.....oguide.pdf

(This one is specificly related to ACMG guides,but provides some good information)

http://www.rescuedynamics.ca/a.....ncyUse.pdf
2016-02-18 16:20:15

The first link is broken, but the Industry Canada pamphlet was terrific. Thank you for that. I had already read the ACMG article by Cyril.

Am I right to assume that most guides are not licenced radio operators, but that they operate on the ACMG frequency under the licence held by ACMG?

After doing a bit more research, it seems that even buying a radio is not a straight forward endeavor. Radio dealers are pretty hesitant to sell them to an unlicensed person like myself. I did speak with one that said they would sell me a small handheld but wouldn't put their company sticker on it (not that it couldn't be tracked back to them via the serial number anyways), but they are even more reluctant to program them.

I don't know if it is all worth all the hassle really. It was just a thought. I guess what I was hoping to get here was a bit of information about "unlicensed" use, first hand experience etc. and practical how-to.
one4adventure

2016-02-18 17:41:45

It might be easier to purchase a sat phone?!

P

P.S. I fixed the 1st link.
2016-02-19 23:02:01

Thanks for that article. Haven't had a chance to read the whole thing yet but skimmed quickly and it seems to be exactly the resource that I was looking for. Much appreciated.

A sat phone is definitely the easiest solution and hands down the most expensive and hard to justify for the amount of use that I would get out of it.
gm

2016-02-20 12:46:27

Thanks for the info, answered many of the same questions I have had too. I have a spot for emergencies, but I think the inreach may be a good alternative to a sat ph?
Ray

2016-02-21 22:31:01

I would go with an Inreach device that you can text on

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Do I need a ham radio licence?