Amateur Radio Basic and Advanced Qualification courses are now being provided both online and in person. We are pleased to include information about any courses provided by Canadian Amateur Radio Clubs on this webpage.
In addition, both Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC) and Radio Amateur du Québec Inc. (RAQI) also provide online courses.
Note: The following course information is prepared and submitted to us by Amateur Radio clubs and may not be up to date. Please contact the clubs directly using the contact information provided below if you have any questions.
If you would like us to post information about any upcoming courses, please send complete information to Alan Griffin, MarCom Director and TCA Editor at or
Special Introductory Membership to Radio Amateurs of Canada
Once you have completed one of the excellent Basic Qualification Amateur Radio courses provided below and passed your examination to become an Amateur (well done!!), your Amateur Radio Operator’s Certificate will be sent to you along with an offer you a free one-year introductory membership in Radio Amateurs of Canada which includes:
- An online subscription to the digital (eTCA) version of The Canadian Amateur magazine (not the print version), with access to previous online issues
- Opportunities to connect with local Amateurs through the RAC Affiliated Club Program which includes liability insurance for your personal Amateur Radio activities
- Access to annual RAC Contests, Special Events and Operating Awards
- Opportunities and discounts from various partner organizations
- Full member rights including participating in the decision making at RAC Annual General Meetings and in the election of RAC representatives
We wish you well in your studies and look forward to hearing from you soon. For more information please contact .
Radio Amateurs of Canada courses
Radio Amateurs of Canada offers both online Basic and Advanced Qualification Amateur Radio Courses so that individuals can get started in Amateur Radio or upgrade their qualifications while continuing to practise social/physical distancing.
The Basic Qualification Amateur Radio Course is conducted with the assistance of the Annapolis Valley Amateur Radio Club (AVARC) of Nova Scotia.
The Spring Basic course started on Thursday, April 15 and will finish in late June. You can find complete information about the course at the following link:
https://www.rac.ca/rac-online-basic-amateur-radio-course-spring-2021/
RAC’s online Advanced Certificate course for Summer 2021 begins on June 6 or 7 and registration is now taking place.
You can find complete information about this course at the following link:
https://www.rac.ca/rac-advanced-course-for-maple-leaf-operators-summer-2021/
RAC-RAQI Amateur Radio Course
Radio Amateur du Québec Inc., a provincial association, is pleased to offer a self-paced web-based training course to anyone seeking a Canadian Amateur Radio certificate with Basic qualification.
For Canadians who are working to obtain their Amateur Radio certification this is particularly useful for those unable to attend courses offered by local clubs.
For more information please visit: https://raqi.ca/node/359
RAC fera la promotion, hors Québec, d’un cours en ligne produit par RAQI pour la formation de nouveaux radioamateurs. Cette approche constitue une manière particulièrement intéressante aux apprentis radioamateurs canadiens qui n’ont pas la chance de pouvoir s’inscrire aux cours des clubs locaux.
Pour plus d’informations, visitez : https://raqi.ca/node/233
Courses offered by Amateur Radio Clubs
The following course information is prepared and submitted to us by Amateur Radio clubs and may not be up to date. Please contact the clubs directly using the contact information provided below if you have any questions.
British Columbia
Richmond: Basic course is already underway
The Richmond Amateur Radio Club (RARC) is offering its annual Basic Qualification radio course from Saturday, February 8 to Saturday, March 14. The course will be held in the Vancity Blundell Branch “Community Stage” (Boardroom) at Blundell Centre in Richmond.
The course consists of five Saturday morning classes from 9 am to 12 noon with the exam on the sixth Saturday, March 14, 2020.
This course prepares students for the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) Basic Qualification Level Operator Certificate exam to operate on allocated Amateur Radio frequencies.
A registration fee of $100 for the course includes approximately 18 hours of classroom instruction, extensive course study guide (text book), instructors’ notes, course exam, and call sign registration with ISED upon passing exam.
Students successfully completing the course will each receive a one-year membership with the club.
Amateur Radio courses offered by the RARC serve the following purposes:
- Introduce new individuals to the Amateur Radio Service
- Qualify volunteers to provide Amateur Radio communication services to support local community events and emergency communications
- Generate interest in becoming a member of RARC and the Amateur Radio community
The club has successfully graduated several new Amateurs on an annual basis.
Contact: Urey Chan, VE7URE, Richmond Amateur Radio Club President and Course Coordinator at or
For complete information please visit the course webpage at:
http://www.richmondarc.ca/rarclub/basic147.html
Surrey, BC and beyond…
Surrey Amateur Radio Communications (SARC) in partnership with the Surrey Emergency Program Amateur Radio (SEPAR), now offers an online Basic course every 10 weeks. In the past year we have certified students of all ages in the BC Lower Mainland and beyond. These new Amateurs came from all levels of society, some with technical backgrounds, most without, as young as 12 years and as old as 85. Some were off-roaders, outdoors people, individuals looking for an interesting new hobby, and those interested in community service or emergency preparedness and staying in touch if the “Big One” hits.
Due to demand, we have added additional classes. The class is entirely online with instruction on seven consecutive Monday evenings and supporting videos available at any time.
Our online instruction offers the same course, with the same material as our classroom version. Our online CANVAS software is in use by universities and is rated among the highest in terms of reliability, ease of use and security. It requires no special software installation and may be accessed by a variety of web browsers on any Internet capable device and any operating system. There are also iOS and Android apps should you prefer those.
The course is divided into 12 modules, matching chapters in our included manual, and each chapter includes the slide presentation, the classroom video and supporting YouTube videos. There are online review quizzes that provide feedback and explanations for each module in the ISED Basic question bank.
The fee for a local student is all-inclusive at $80, but we also have special student and family rates. Because the real learning happens after the course, we include a year’s prospective membership in SARC (a $30 value), with access to our Zoom meetings and presentations.
As long as the current demand persists, we will continue online classes year-round, starting approximately every 10 weeks.
For further information please check our course description at https://bit.ly/SARCcourses, our website at http://ve7sar.net or email
Thank you and 73,
John Schouten, VE7TI
Lead Instructor –
Lower Mainland from Squamish to Hope
Gary Skett, VE7AS, offers adults a private in-person small group Basic Amateur Radio certification course twice a month at his home in south Langley Township.
Note: As a result of the ongoing pandemic safety precautions continue to be in place while attending classes and masks are mandatory.
This course was professionally designed to enable you to pass the official federal government exam with at least an 80% mark and involves 24 hours of classroom time and about 8 hours of home-study between the two weekends.
The 32-hour course is held on two consecutive Friday evenings from 6 pm to 9:30 pm and on two Saturdays from 9 am to about 4:30 pm.
You write the exam at mid-day on the second Saturday and with the fully automated registration system, you can get on the air later the same day.
Online Exams: Gary is authorized to administer online Basic and Advanced examinations using Skype. For details contact Gary through his email address.
Biography: I have been an active Amateur since 1970 and a professional college, corporate and Amateur Radio trainer/instructor since 1981. I have also been an ISED Accredited Examiner since 1988. My students range in age from 22 to 92, from all walks of life, from all over the Lower Mainland. Classes are small and are usually made up of individuals, couples, or a group of friends or clubs and ESS groups. My success rate in previous years is 100%. References available upon request.
Contact: For further details, cost and course information please contact Gary Skett, VE7AS at A non-refundable deposit is required to book a course date.
Nanaimo
The Nanaimo Amateur Radio Association is providing an Advanced Amateur Radio Qualification Course starting in mid-January 2020 and ending in mid-March. The course will run one day a week for about 8 weeks.
Cost: The cost is about $120 (depends on class size) and includes training texts, all necessary materials, and ISED Canada certified examination.
Enrolling: If you or anyone you know would like to take amateur radio training, please contact NARA at
If you have been considering upgrading your qualifications this may very well be your chance! The Advanced certificate will grant you additional privileges such as allowing you to run higher power and to operate your own repeater sites.
Contact: to register or for more details.
General information about upcoming radio courses can be found at:
http://www.ve7na.ca/cms/training
North Vancouver
Licensing Course for the Basic Amateur Radio Qualification Course is conducted by the North Shore Amateur Radio Club of Vancouver British Columbia.
The course for the Advanced Amateur Radio Operator Certificate is regularly conducted every second year by the North Shore Amateur Radio Club of Vancouver British Columbia.
For more information visit the club website at http://www.nsarc.ca/and click on Courses in the menu at the top left.
Vancouver
The Vancouver Emergency Community Telecommunications Organization (VECTOR) Amateur Radio certificate Preparation & Examination Course can help you prepare for and obtain your Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (formerly Industry Canada) Amateur Radio certificate. Our proven syllabus and experienced instructors will help you internalize the knowledge required to obtain your certificate regardless of your current level of radio, technical or policy knowledge.
VECTOR offers three or more six-week training courses annually. Each course concludes with a certificate exam administered by Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada approved examiners. This popular course routinely fills up quickly so don’t delay, register today!
For further information please visit: http://vectorradio.ca/training/amateur-radio-certificate-course/
Vernon – North Okanagan Area
The North Okanagan Radio Amateur Club (NORAC) is providing Basic Amateur Radio Qualification Courses approximately once a year (fall, winter or spring).
The course consists of 12 sessions held two evenings per week over 6-8 weeks. This provides a small group of interested people with plenty of time for education, questions and review of the course material.
Classes are supported by our local Amateur Radio operators, instructors, and examiner. Please reach out and get on the waiting list so you can be contacted when the next course is coming together. Please our check our website for further details.
Contact: Nicholas Rudersdorfer at
Website: http://www.norac.bc.ca
Victoria
The Westcoast Amateur Radio Association (WARA) offers one Basic Amateur Radio Course per year. It usually starts shortly after New Year’s Day and runs until the beginning of April. Additional content and self-study materials are also included to assist in taking the Advanced exam.
Classes run on Mondays and Thursday evenings with some time on a few Saturday afternoons for station visits and training clinics.
The location is the Capital Regional District Commons Room at Government and Fisgard Streets in Victoria, BC.
For current/upcoming class information please go to the WARA website and click on http://www.ve7vic.ca/education-department/
For more information, go to our Education Contact page at http://www.ve7vic.ca/education-department-contact
The Victoria Communications Club In Victoria BC, offers courses in the following:
- Building IRLP simplex nodes from second hand computers and radios
- Antenna construction
- RF design, tools and construction of homebrew radio equipment
- Building personal phone patches
The club meets at 204-2526 Government Street on the 1st Wednesday of each month at 7:30 pm.
Ontario
Barrie
The Barrie Amateur Radio Club offers a Basic Qualification Course once each year starting in January or early February.
The course consists of 10 evening classes approximately 2 to 2-1/2 hours long starting at 7 pm on Wednesday evenings. The final exam is given on the 11th evening.
The total cost is $100 which includes the latest Basic Qualification Study Guide from Coax Publications, a USB memory stick with course notes and much information on Amateur Radio, and the final exam by an ISED Accredited Examiner.
Those who successfully pass the exam and receive a call sign will also receive a full membership in the Barrie Amateur Radio Club for the remainder of that membership year.
The course is currently being held on Google Meet video conferencing during Covid19.
The course is normally held at the Eastview Secondary School (421 Grove Street East) in Barrie, Ontario. Check the club webpage for details.
Website: https://barriearc.com/
Belleville
The Quinte Amateur Radio club offers a course for the Basic Amateur Radio certificate based on demand. Please check the QARC website for information on when and where courses will be held in the Belleville area.
Website: www.qarc.on.ca
Burlington
The next Burlington Amateur Radio Club (BARC) Course for the Basic certificate starts Tuesday, September 21.
Classes will be held online using Zoom. If face-to-face meeting is possible in September, the Course will be conducted simultaneously face-to-face and on Zoom.
Dates: The course meets eight Tuesdays, September 21 to November 23. The Course will not meet on the second Tuesday of each month, the Club meeting night.
Time: We will meet from 7 pm until 9 pm.
Cost: $100 includes: BARC membership, all necessary course materials and the exam.
Please indicate your interest in being a part of the Course as soon as possible so that you will be included in the Course lead-up activities. Those activities, including formal Course registration will start in early August.
Registrations will be accepted up to the end of September.
Website: https://www.barc.ca/education
Kitchener-Waterloo
The Kitchener-Waterloo Amateur Radio Club (KWARC) is pleased to offer a Basic Amateur Radio Course.
Date: Starting at 7:30 pm on March 24, 2020, and running until June 9, 2020.
Place: St John Ambulance, 250 Gage Ave, Kitchener
This course will be a condensed version of the full course offered by various clubs. Participants will be expected to study course materials in advance independently, as well as attend the classroom sessions. The classroom program would consist of an introduction to Amateur Radio, meet the instructors, introduction to Internet self-study, and a discussion of the timetable on Tuesday, March 24.
On subsequent nights there would be various hands-on demonstrations, a practice exam on Tuesday May 26 and a Government Examination conducted by the Club Examiner on June 9. There would be seven classroom sessions from 7:30 pm to 10 pm, held at the St John Ambulance facility, 250 Gage Avenue, Kitchener.
Course instructors will be Roger Sanderson, VE3RKS, Gord Hayward VE3EOS, David Sullivan, VE3RBA, Tim Vegh, VA3TMV, Jonathan Fritz, VA3JFZ, Vic DiCiccio, VE3YT, Dan Damianoff, VA3IDD,and Rick Goetze, VE3ZUP.
Eligibility: This course is open to anyone; however, enrollment is limited. For practical reasons, the class size is capped at 30 students.
Cost/Registration: Free with a $25 one-year membership in KWARC. (Normal membership is $36.) Bring cash or cheque payable to “KW Amateur Radio Club” to the first meeting.
Included: Free parking, 10 weeks training sessions including exam. One-year Associate Club Membership
Not Included: Course Material: Check with the instructor for which Study Guide to order through the RAC website.
Contact: Roger Sanderson, VE3RKS, at
Website: www.kwarc.org/kw-class.html
Mississauga
The Mississauga Amateur Radio Club VE3MIS holds a course each year in Mississauga to provide you with the knowledge to pass your Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (formerly Industry Canada) Basic Qualification Amateur Radio examination to obtain your Amateur Radio certificate. Basic courses usually start in September and run until mid-December.
An Advanced Course is usually held the beginning in January and runs until March. This course will provide you with all of the information required to obtain your optional Advanced endorsement. The club also holds an optional Morse Code Course leading to your CW endorsement if sufficient students enroll.
Accredited Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada examiners are available in the club to administer the examinations as part of the class. RAC Study Guides are used for the Basic and Advanced Courses.
For more information on time, location, study materials and fees, visit our website.
You may also write us at:
Mississauga ARC
Attention: Education Manager
P.O. Box 2003
Square One Post Office
Mississauga, ON L5B 3C6
Website: www.marc.on.ca
Niagara Region
Niagara Peninsula Amateur Radio Club
Ottawa
The Ottawa Valley Mobile Radio Club offers an Amateur Radio course each year for those wishing to acquire a “Certificate of Proficiency in Amateur Radio” (Basic Radio Amateur qualification) from Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (formerly Industry Canada) to operate an Amateur Radio station. Please see the OVMRC website for information on when and where the courses are held.
Website: ovmrc.on.ca/radio-course.htm
Toronto
The Central Toronto Amateur Radio Club offers a variety of Amateur Radio certification courses throughout the year, including certification for the:
Basic Qualification
Advanced Qualification
Morse Code Qualification
For more information about upcoming courses, please check out the club’s website at:
Contact: Central Toronto ARC
Website: http://va3cta.net/pages/get-a-certificate
Quebec
Montreal
The Montreal Amateur Radio Club offers an 11-week course held on Saturday mornings starting in January for the Basic Qualification. It also offers, with sufficient demand, a course for the Advanced Qualification, held on Saturday mornings starting in late August or early September.Classes are held in the Notre-Dame-de-Grace area for between two to three hours each week.
Contact: Montreal ARC or leave a message at 514-316-7765
Website: https://www.marc.ca/course/
RAC-RAQI Amateur Radio Course
Radio Amateur du Québec Inc., a provincial association, is pleased to offer a self-paced web-based training course to anyone seeking a Canadian Amateur Radio certificate with Basic qualification.
For Canadians who are working to obtain their Amateur Radio certification this is particularly useful for those unable to attend courses offered by local clubs.
For more information please visit: https://raqi.ca/node/359
RAC fera la promotion, hors Québec, d’un cours en ligne produit par RAQI pour la formation de nouveaux radioamateurs. Cette approche constitue une manière particulièrement intéressante aux apprentis radioamateurs canadiens qui n’ont pas la chance de pouvoir s’inscrire aux cours des clubs locaux.
Pour plus d’informations, visitez : https://raqi.ca/node/233
New Brunswick
Fredericton
Please share this with anyone you think might be interested.
Would you like to:
- communicate with people around the world without the use of phones or the Internet?
- experiment with electronics?
- interface radio transmitters with your computer?
- serve your community at public events or during serious emergency situations?
- talk to astronauts aboard the International Space Station, or communicate through satellites?
- develop new relationships and learn what is going on around world through the airwaves?
If you answered yes to one or more of these questions, then Amateur Radio (Ham Radio) may be for you!
The Fredericton Amateur Radio Club is offering a providing an Basic Amateur Radio Qualification Course starting in January 2020. For more information please visit the club website at www.ve9nd.ca
Website: www.ve9nd.ca
Nova Scotia
New Online Basic Qualification Amateur Radio Course
In response to the current Covid-19 crisis, Radio Amateurs of Canada is pleased to announce that it is introducing a new online Amateur Radio course so that individuals can obtain their Amateur Radio Operator Certificate with Basic Qualification while continuing to practise social/physical distancing.
The course will be conducted with the assistance of the Annapolis Valley Amateur Radio Club (AVARC) of Nova Scotia.
Course information:
Date: The course will start on Thursday, April 16 and will finish in mid-June.
Time: Classes will be held on Thursday evenings from 6 pm to 8:30 (1800 – 2030) Eastern Time (1900 – 2130 Atlantic Time) and Sunday afternoons 1 pm to 3:30 pm (1300 – 1530) Eastern Time (1400 – 1630 Atlantic Time).
Cost: The registration fee for the course is $50 plus GST/HST. The cost of the Basic Study Guide is extra and an order link will be provided upon completion of payment.
For more information about the course please visit:
https://www.rac.ca/basic-radio-course/
Newfoundland
St. John’s
The Society of Newfoundland Radio Amateurs (SONRA) offers an Amateur Radio Basic qualification examination preparation course this winter, pending sufficient enrollment.
This course will assist you in preparing for the Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (formerly Industry Canada) written exam. Internet access is required for this course.
Course fee is $85.00 payable by cheque or cash and includes course material and examination. Seats are limited. If you would like to participate, please contact Ken.
Contact: Ken – VO1ST