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Front cover of the March-April 2024 issue of The Canadian Amateur magazine

Note: if you are already a RAC member please click on the “TCA Downloads” link to get your copy.

The Canadian Amateur (TCA), Canada’s premiere national magazine devoted to Amateur Radio, is published six times per year and is the membership journal of the Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC). It is available in both print and digital versions (eTCA). Members of RAC, Canada’s sole national Amateur Radio organization, receive TCA automatically.

A subscription to TCA also provides membership in Radio Amateurs of Canada. RAC is also the publisher of TCA. For information on how to join Radio Amateurs of Canada and subscribe to TCA please visit our Membership Sign Up page.

At 64-pages per issue and reaching approximately 4,500 readers, TCA offers news and views on the Canadian Amateur Radio scene from coast to coast to coast. It includes regular columns, features and technical articles of interest to Amateur Radio operators. In addition, a Coming Events calendar, Feedback, QSL Bureau information and coverage of regulatory issues are also provided.

Copyright: The contents of this publication are copyright, and may not be reproduced without prior consent except by a bona fide Amateur Radio organization which may reproduce them provided the author and The Canadian Amateur are acknowledged.

If you would like additional information about The Canadian Amateur magazine please contact the Editor Alan Griffin at .

Cover of May-June 2021 TCA (thumbnail)Complimentary issues of TCA

We are pleased to provide you with complimentary issues of The Canadian Amateur magazine so that you can learn more about the Wonderful World of Amateur Radio and all that a membership in Radio Amateurs of Canada has to offer.

Our May-June 2021 TCA is available for viewing at the following link and two other issues are provided below. This issue includes several articles of interest to Youth and new Amateurs.

Links:
  1. May-June 2021 TCA digital eTCA (online viewing)
  2. PDF version 9.3 MB  (download)

For a glimpse into the many activities you can do with Amateur Radio please visit:

RAC YouTube Channel

Note: For information on submitting articles to The Canadian Amateur magazine please see the RAC Author’s Agreement and TCA Author’s Guide provided below.

Complimentary TCA: Regulatory Issues and Emergency Communications

The following complimentary issues of The Canadian Amateur magazine feature articles which highlight the important role that Amateur Radio plays in Canada and internationally. We hope you enjoy them!

  • The March-April 2020 issue features a special regulatory report which describes the importance of “Showing Up” at the World Radiocommunication Conference (WRC) to protect spectrum.
  • The November-December 2018 TCA is a special issue dealing with Emergency Communications which includes: “Alberta Floods: Crisis at High River (i2013)”; the 1998 Ice Storm; Emergency Communications and Public Service in Canada’s North; Recommendations for an Amateur Radio Station in an Emergency Operations Centre and much more.

March-April 2020 eTCA:

November-December 2018 TCA:
Emergency Services Special Issue

Advertising in TCA

The Canadian Amateur is the vehicle to bring your message to Amateur Radio operators and communications specialists across Canada.

TCA readers are primarily male adults with disposable income who have a strong interest in technical topics – such as digital technology, satellites and electronics – but also in a wide variety of non-technical fields such as Emergency Services.

TCA’s circulation in both print and digital formats consists of:

  • RAC members
  • Amateur Radio Clubs
  • Subscriptions to libraries, firms and institutions
  • Government representatives
  • Handouts at hamfests and fleamarkets

A copy of our Advertising Rate Sheet which includes rates, ad sizes, deadlines and contact information is provided below:

Download (PDF, 54KB)

RAC membership / TCA subscription

The Canadian Amateur is included in an electronic format at discounted annual membership cost of $50 plus taxes. The paper version is available for an additional charge of $12 or $62 plus taxes.

RAC Maple Leaf Operators automatically receive the paper version as part of their membership. Life Members will be provided the electronic version or can pay the optional $12 plus taxes (annually) for the Paper version.

Please scroll to the top of the page. Select the “Downloads Tab” from the menu bar above. Access requires a RAC membership login.

The RAC Author’s Agreement

The publisher, Radio Amateurs of Canada, has prepared an Author’s Agreement for The Canadian Amateur magazineThe Agreement was prepared by RAC Honourary Legal Counsel, Marcel D. Mongeon, VA3DDD.

A copy of the Agreement and Some Explanatory Notes About the Agreement is available for downloading in pdf format from the links below. 

RAC Author’s Agreement (397 kb)

Explanatory Notes (349 kb)

TCA Author’s Guide

We are always looking for articles, both technical and non-technical, that are of interest to Radio Amateurs. Please send them directly to the TCA Editor at: 

However, before you submit your articles please review the RAC Author’s Agreement provided above. If you have any questions please don’t hesitate to contact the TCA Editor.

When submitting your articles please provide your contact information and indicate if you agree to the terms of the RAC Author’s Agreement. Submitted material will be reviewed to determine its suitability for publication. The reviewers will assess manuscripts in terms of such factors as: pertinence to Amateur Radio; technical soundness; timeliness; degree of interest to readers of TCA; and freedom from needless controversy. The material should be written in a clear and acceptable manner; be of an appropriate length for TCA; and be in publishable form, not requiring major editing. It should treat the topic in sufficient detail. Material must be legal, prudent and in good taste.

The editor will confirm receipt of your material and will communicate directly with you during the review process and after a decision has been made.  Some articles may be published in both English and French. Any translation required will be carried out by TCA’s translation services.

TCA does not pay for published material. Your compensation will be the satisfaction of entertaining and educating other members of the Amateur Radio community.

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