Objectives and Background of MARCC

OBJECTIVES OF MARCC

Frequency Coordination:

• coordinate frequencies for amateur radio repeaters in Manitoba;
• 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 Manitoba;
• maintain liaison with Radio Amateurs of Canada.

BACKGROUND:

MARCC was formed June, 2005, and the first Board of Directors was elected at the organizing meeting in July, 2005. The Council was formed to continue the work of the Tom Blair,VE4MT/VE4TOM the then current Frequency Coordinator who was retiring from this duty.

Voting membership in MARCC is limited to Amateur Radio Clubs, and individual Hams located in Manitoba. Each Club is entitled to one representative for each 50 Club members, to a maximum of four representatives. MARCC is funded by nominal dues for each representative.

To the extent possible, band plans are taken from The Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), and modified to reflect local conditions. There is also coordination with Frequency Coordinators in Saskatchewan, North Dakota, Minnesota and Ontario

In November 2005, MARCC was told by the Manitoba District of Industry Canada that their standard operating policy is not to assign frequencies to amateurs and they defer all coordination to the amateur community, specifically RAC recognized bodies for which the Manitoba Amateur Repeater Coordination Council is recognized by Radio Amateurs of Canada as the amateur radio repeater coordination body for Manitoba.

April 2015 a meting was held for all repeater owners/operators in Manitoba to update repeater information and to discuss MARCC, Band plans, and channel spacing. As the 2 meter VHF repeater slots are filled, it was agreed that we will be moving to 15KHz spacing for the frequencies above 147.000 and to 12.5 KHz spacing form frequencies below 147.000.

© 2005  MARCC

Revised june, 2005 4hay