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SRSP-502 — Technical Requirements for Land Mobile and Fixed Radio Services Operating in the Bands 806-821/851-866 MHz and 821-824/866-869 MHz

Technical Requirements for Land Mobile and Fixed Radio Services Operating in the Bands 806-821/851-866 MHz and 821-824/866-869 MHz
(PDF, 320 KB, 30 pages)

Currently under Revision

Issue 4
October 1999

Spectrum Management and Telecommunications Policy
Standard Radio System Policy

Table of Contents

1. Intent

1.1 This Standard Radio System Plan (SRSP) states the minimum technical requirements for the purpose of efficient spectrum utilization for land mobile and fixed point-to-point systems operating in the bands 806-821/851-866 MHz and in the public safety bands 821-824/866-869 MHz.

1.2 Radio systems conforming to the requirements contained in this SRSP will take priority in licensing and coordination over non-standard systems proposed for operation in these bands.

Systems, which employ spectrally efficient technologiesFootnote 1, are strongly encouraged and may also be authorized on a standard basis.

1.3 The arrangements for non-standard systems are outlined in Spectrum Utilization Policies SP Gen (SP Gen), General Information Related to Spectrum Utilization and Radio Systems Policies.

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2. General

2.1 Equipment used for land mobile or fixed systems operating in the bands 806-821/851-866 MHz and 821-824/866-869 MHz must normally comply with appropriate Technical Standards listed in Section 3. A TAC (Technical Acceptance Certificate) is required for the equipment if the applied Radio Standards Specification appears on the Category 1 Equipment List.

2.2 Although a radio system conforms to the requirements of this SRSP, the Department may require modifications to the system whenever harmful interferenceFootnote 2 is caused to other radio sites or systems, except when such interference is due to inadequate receiver selectivity as dealt with under 2.3 below.

2.3 The Department reserves the right to limit protection to licensed radio receivers only to the extent of bandwidth of the transmitters whose emissions they are licensed to receive. Licensees and/or applicants should use receiver selectivity characteristics or filters that provide rejection of harmful interference.

2.4 Systems that employ a base station as an automatic repeater station shall transmit on frequencies identified as base transmit frequencies. Dispatcher stations (often referred to as control stations) operating through an automatic repeater station shall transmit on frequencies identified as mobile transmit frequencies.

2.5 Single frequency operation utilizing the base/repeater transmit frequency (known as repeater talk around) may be permitted within the authorized service area at the discretion of the system operator and will be on a non-interference basis to the other users in the case of radio service provided by a radiocommunication service provider. Such operation may be licensed on a case-by-case basis beyond the service area of a paired frequency system as an adjunct to it. The public safety mutual aid channels are exempted from the restriction of this section.

2.6 Very low capacity fixed systems may be authorized in these bands on a secondary non-interference basis in accordance with Radio Systems Policies and should be in accordance with applicable technical provisions of Standard Radio System Plan 507 (SRSP-507).

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3. Related Documents

3.1 The current issues of the following documents are applicable.

3.1.1 Standard Radio System Plan 507 (SRSP-507): Technical Requirements for Line-of-Sight Radio Systems Operating in the Fixed Service in the Bands 932.5-935 MHz and 941.5-944 MHz. http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf00055.html

3.1.2 Radio Standards Procedure 100 (RSP-100): Radio Equipment Certification Procedure. http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf01130.html

3.1.3 Radio Standards Procedure 101 (RSP-101): Application Procedure for Planned Radio Stations Operating on Frequencies below 960 MHz.
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf00023.html

3.1.4 Radio Standards Specification 119 (RSS-119): Land Mobile and Fixed Radio Transmitters and Receivers, 27.41 to 960.0 MHz.
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf01063.html

3.1.5 Radio Systems Policy 003 (RP-003): Policy Guidelines for Mobile Radio Trunked Systems. http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf01058.html

3.1.6 Radio Systems Policy 004 (RP-004): Policy for the Licensing of Very Low Capacity Point to Point Links in the Band 30-890 MHz.
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf01060.html

3.17 Spectrum Utilization Policies SP Gen (SP Gen): General Information Related to Spectrum Utilization and Radio Systems Policies.
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf01049.html

3.1.8 Spectrum Utilization Policy SP 30-896 MHz (SP 30-896, Part I): Spectrum Allocation and Utilization in Certain Bands in the Range 30.01-896 MHz, Part I.
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf01051.html

3.1.9 Radiocommunication Regulations: The new Radiocommunication Regulations replace the General Radio Regulations, Parts I and II, the Interference Causing Equipment Regulations and the Radio Operator Regulations. They provide for the necessary regulatory framework in which to manage the radio frequency spectrum.
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/sf01265.html

3.1.10 Terrestrial Radiocommunication Agreements and Arrangements
http://www.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/smt-gst.nsf/eng/h_sf01361.html

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4. Band Plan

4.1 Sharing Arrangements Along the Canada/United States Border

4.1.1 In the interest of equitable sharing of spectrum along the border and to reduce coordination and administrative effort and time, the governments of Canada and the United States have entered into arrangements whereby certain portions of the bands 806-821/851-866 MHz and 821-824/866-869 MHz are set aside on a block allocation basis for the unrestricted geographic use of either country in border areas. The terms of these arrangements take into account the demographic differences that exist along the border between the two countries. Protection and sharing zones are illustrated in Annex B, Figure 2. The bands are shared on a block allotment basis within the sharing zones and the entire bands are available for assignment within the protection zones as illustrated in Annex A, Figure 1. There are, however, certain power and height restrictions applicable within both the sharing and protection zones.

Table A below shows the channels allocated for Canadian use according to the Canada/United States Arrangement concerning the use of the bands 806-821/851-866 MHz and 821-824/866-869 MHz.

Table A
Area Spectrum Availability Restrictions
OUTSIDE SHARING AND PROTECTION ZONES All channels Unrestricted
PROTECTION ZONES (i.e., areas adjacent to sharing zones I and III and extending from 100 to 140 km within each country). All channels Annex B, Table A1
SHARING ZONE I (Outside Sectors 1 & 2) Within 100 km of the Canada/U.S. border area. 809.75-817.25/854.75-862.25 MHz 821.00-822.50/866.00-867.50 MHz, except public safety mutual aid channels, see section 4.2.4 Annex B, Table A1
-Within Sector 1 (81°W to 85°W) (Portion of Zone I) 811.25-815.75/856.25-860.75 MHz 821.00-821.45/866.00-866.45 MHz Annex B, Table A1
-Within Sector 2 (71°W to 81°W) (Portion of Zone I) 808.25-818.75/853.25-863.75 MHz 821.00-823.10/866.00-868.10 MHz Annex B, Table A1
SHARING ZONE II Within 140 km of the Canada/U.S. border area. 809.75-817.25/854.75-862.25 MHz 821.00-822.50/866.00-867.50 MHz, except public safety mutual aid channels, see section 4.2.4 Annex B, Table A2
SHARING ZONE III Within 100 km of the Canada/U.S. border area. 809.75-817.25/854.75-862.25 MHz 821.00-822.50/866.00-867.50 MHz, except public safety mutual aid channels, see section 4.2.4 Annex B, Table A1

4.1.2 Special Provisions for the Canada/United States Arrangement Concerning the Use of the Bands 821-824/866-869 MHz

4.1.2.1 The public safety mutual aid channels, listed in section 4.2.4, are available on a non restricted basis everywhere in Canada. Further, they are available to both the United States and Canada on a shared basis within the coordination zones. These channels are to be used only for coordination of tactical communications between different public safety agencies, or for other similar emergency communications.

The mutual aid channels are separated by 500 kHz. The use of these channels in the border area may be locally coordinated in accordance with general sharing principles. These channels are to be 25 kHz wide and adjacent channels will not be assigned closer than 25 kHz. These channels are available for assignment to operators eligible under section 5.1.2 in the 821-824/866-869 MHz bands or the 806-821/851-866 MHz bands.

4.1.2.2 The Canada/U.S. arrangement contains special provisions whereby:

  1. Areas of 30 km radius from the city center coordinates of Peterborough, Ontario [44° 18'N, 78° 19'W] and Kitchener-Waterloo, Ontario [43° 27' 30"N, 80° 30' 00"W] are considered to be within the protection zone.
  2. Within an area of 30 km radius from the city center coordinates of London, Ontario [42° 59'N, 81° 14'W], Canada shall have the full use of the bands 821.00 to 823.10 MHz and 866.00 to 868.10 MHz on an uncoordinated basis.

4.1.3 Special Conditions for the Use of Certain Frequencies

Frequencies primarily allotted for unrestricted use by the United States may be assigned in Canada for use within the sharing zones under the following conditions:

  1. The predicted maximum power flux density (pfd) of the signal at the border, calculated using free space propagation (taking into account any antenna discrimination in the direction of the border), does not exceed the limits specified in Annex B, Tables C1 and C2.
  2. In Sharing Zone II, in recognition of special topographical conditions, the use of a point-to-point propagation model is permitted; in which case the limit for the predicted maximum pfd shall be -107 dBW/m2 at or beyond the border.
  3. In all three sharing zones, assignments for these stations are subject to the condition that in the event the actual signals exceed -107 dBW/m2 at or beyond the border, the licensee will take immediate action to eliminate any interference.
  4. Assignments on these frequencies will not be entitled to protection from U.S. stations.

4.2 Channelling Plans

4.2.1 Channelling Plan for the 806-821 MHz and 851-866 MHz Band

Channels start at 806.0125 MHz and are spaced 25 kHz apart, for a total of 600 channels. The frequency corresponding to the channel number can be determined by the following formula, where n is the channel number:

fn = 806.0125 + (n-1)*(.0250) where n = 1 to 600

A channeling plan for these bands is outlined in Annex A, Table 1. The geographic availability and suballocation plan is shown in Annex A, Figure 1 and in Annex A Table 2 and Table 3. However, the use of interstitial frequencies is not recommended in the bands 806-821/851-866 MHz, unless systems make use of 12.5 or 6.25 kHz wide equipment, and the EMC show no harmful interference to nearby adjacent-channel stations. Spectrum availability and associated suballocation plan in the bands 806-824 MHz and 851-869 MHz are also shown in Annex A, Figure 1.

The standard channel spacing for this spectrum is 25 kHz and assignments begin 12.5 kHz from the band edge. Different channel spacings than specified above will be considered if they allow for the use of equipment which is more spectrally efficient, e.g. more voice channels or bits/s/hertz than would otherwise be obtained.

Furthermore, to improve spectrum efficiency, re-use in wide-area systems or networks, where many blocks of frequencies may be licensed to one holder, assignment of frequencies to each particular site does not have to follow the block allocation structure defined herein. Each frequency that may be used on a particular site must be approved by the District Office as it will impact on the geographic re-assignment of that particular frequency, unless an arrangement has been made for the use of the frequencies within a specified geographical areaFootnote 3 The spacing between associated mobile and base station frequencies is 45 MHz.

The majority of the spectrum in the bands 806-821 MHz and 851-866 MHz is channelized in 5-channel groups. Within a given 5-channel group the separation between channels is 250 kHz. Groups are combined so as to form spectrum blocks of 1.25 MHz each; each block of spectrum is therefore made of 10 groups of channels or 50 channels. The spectrum channelized in such a fashion is intended for use mainly by trunked systems.

4.2.2 National and Wide Area Radio Systems in the Bands 806-821 MHz and 851-866 MHz

As outlined in Annex A, Table 2, twenty channels are suballocated for national land mobile radio systems and twenty channels are suballocated for wide area radio systems. Ten more channels may be assigned for local or wide area systems and forty channels are held in reserve for future assignment.

A national land mobile frequency assignment will be considered if the operational function satisfies the following requirements: (1) operational necessity for the mobile and/or portable radio equipment to travel and be used on a regular basis, normally within all regions of the country, AND operational necessity for the mobile and/or portable radio equipment to operate on the same frequency(ies) at all operating locations; OR (2) to provide response to unpredictable emergencies of national geographic scope and concerns. National systems can be of conventional or trunked type.

A wide area land mobile radio system is a system that has common frequencies assigned for use under the following conditions: (1) operational necessity for the land mobile/portable radio equipment to travel and be used on a regular basis between two or more geographic areas (a geographic area is defined as the coverage area obtained from a base station in accordance with its effective radiated power (ERP) and effective antenna height); AND (2) operational necessity for the land mobile/portable equipment to operate on the same frequency(ies) at all operating locations.

In areas where there is spectrum congestion, national and reserve channels may be assigned for local use at the discretion of the Regional Office.

4.2.3 Channelling Plan for the Public Safety Bands 821-824 MHz and 866-869 MHz

The arrangement for these bands provides channels spaced 12.5 kHz apart except for mutual aid channels (see section 4.2.4). The use of narrowband or equivalent spectrum efficient equipment is encouraged to allow for greater spectrum utilization. The spacing between associated mobile and base station frequencies is 45 MHz. The detailed channel designation is given in Annex A, Table 5.

The 821-824/866-869 MHz spectrum is channelized in 6-channel groups with channel spacing for trunked systems within one group being 500 kHz. Expansion of trunked systems to more channels per group is to be from other trunked systems groups with 250 kHz separation higher in frequency except in Sector 1 of Sharing Zone I (i.e. between 81°W and 85°W longitude). In this Sector, the 450 kHz allotted for Canadian use is not sufficient to accommodate a trunking system with 250 kHz channel separation within one group of channels. Here, trunking schemes with much closer channel separation than 250 kHz using hybrid combiners are feasible and would be considered.

The geographic availability and suballocation plan for these bands is illustrated in Table A and Figure 1 in Annex A, and in Annex A, Table 4.

4.2.4 Public Service Mutual Aid Channels

The following channels are available to public safety organizations in both Canada and the United States on a shared basis for the purpose of mutual aid:

International Calling Channel I-CALL 601 821.0125/866.0125 MHz
International Tactical Channels ITAC-1 639 821.5125/866.5125 MHz
ITAC-2 677 822.0125/867.0125 MHz
ITAC-3 715 822.5125/867.5125 MHz
ITAC-4 753 823.0125/868.0125 MHz

4.2.4.1 Continuous Tone-Coded Squelch System (CTCSS) Frequency

The CTCSS frequency 156.7 Hz will be used on the five mutual aid channels.

4.2.5 Trunked and Conventional Radio Systems

In accordance with RP-003, an applicant for a trunked radio system is usually assigned up to five pairs of channels at a time. However, where an application is made for other than five pairs of channels to be used on multiple sites, the application will be considered subject to adequate justification being provided. Minimum loading of the existing channels in accordance with Section 5.2 will be a condition for system expansion.

For the 806-821/851-866 MHz bands, the blocks will be normally used in sequence: block A initially, followed by block B, then C and so on according to the availability of the spectrum in the area concerned. The expansion of an existing system will be normally made in the next block available of the sequence in order to maintain a minimum spacing of 250 kHz. Conventional (i.e. non trunked) systems can be assigned frequencies from the available spectrum in a given area.

4.2.6 Use of the bands 809.75-813 MHz and 854.75-858 MHz in the Vancouver area

The following conditions supersede the restrictions stated in the public document Implementation of the Mobile Service, in the Bands 406.1-410 MHz, 420-430 MHz, 806-821 MHz and 851-866 MHz released by the Department in December 1982.

The band 809.75-813 MHz paired with the band 854.75-858 MHz is now available for use in the Vancouver area provided that base station sites are located so as to avoid the potential of image interference to the reception of TV channel 63. The applicants planning to use this part of the spectrum in the Vancouver area should contact the District Office prior to finalization of their sites for base stations.

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5. Channel Sharing and Loading Guidelines

5.1 Channel Sharing

Section 40 of the Radiocommunication Regulations states: "The assignment of a frequency or frequencies to a holder of a radio authorization does not confer a monopoly on the use of the frequency or frequencies, nor shall a radio authorization be construed as conferring any right of continued tenure in respect of the frequency or frequencies".

5.1.1 Public Safety - Hierarchy of Safety Service Providers

The bands 821-824 MHz and 866-869 MHz are designated for use by public safety services. Public safety services (services involving safety of life and property) will continue, if possible, to have access to exclusive channels and any eventual sharing of channels by public safety services will be with other public safety services. The Department recognizes the following hierarchy of safety service providers:

  1. Category 1 - police, fire and emergency medical services.
  2. Category 2 - forestry, public works, public transit, dangerous chemical clean-up, customs and other agencies contributing to public safety.
  3. Category 3 - Other government agencies and certain non-government agencies.

Category 1 system operators are eligible for trunked or conventional systems. Category 2 system operators are eligible to share trunked systems with Category 1 users provided the latter remain the major users of the system. Major users are agencies which have priority over other types of users on the system. Category 2 system users would not be eligible to operate their own systems within this band unless the local district director is satisfied that their operation would not preclude the future introduction of a Category 1 system. Category 3 system operators and selected supervisory personnel of non-government agencies (e.g. hydro and gas utilities) may be permitted access to public safety systems during emergency situations where their access will be controlled by the major users operating those systems.

5.2 Loading Guidelines

The Department is currently revising its loading guidelines. Until such time as the new guidelines will be issued, the Department will continue to apply the following guidelines in determining adequate loading of communications channels, and thus, of radio channels.

5.2.1 Mobiles per channel

For the purpose of designating the loading guidelines, users will be divided into two major categories: safety services and other applicants. Noting that trunked usage is to provide more efficient use of the spectrum than conventional usage, the basic loading guidelines in terms of number of mobiles per communication channel for radio systems follow:

User Category  Radio System Type Mobiles per
Communication Channel
safety services conventional 30
trunked 50
others conventional 75
trunked 90

5.2.2 Traffic model

Another approach that may be applied by the Department in some locations, is based on traffic theory and makes use of the Erlang C model. This model assumes that the system will queue a certain number of blocked calls.

The Grade of Service will be defined by a specified delay, in message lengths, such that calls delayed will not exceed the specified delay with a probability P(t) of 0.03 (3%). That is, 97% of the calls placed will not be delayed by greater than the specified delay.

For Safety Services, the specified delay is 1 average message length; For Other Services, the specified delay is 3 average message lengths.

The average length is defined by the average Push to Talk (PTT) duration.

5.2.3 Other considerations

The Department recognizes that the above approaches may not be appropriate for all systems and networks. The Department will give consideration to technologies, changing user behavior or pattern, introduction of new services, systems, and network deployment as a whole when assessing frequency requirements.

These guidelines are to be interpreted as minimum levels, recognizing that they represent a broad average over many different services with different message characteristics. In the frequency assignment process, these guidelines will be utilized in conjunction with current observed channel occupancy data (obtained with automatic occupancy measuring equipment) to determine whether additional mobiles may be added to a channel or whether additional channels are required. Such observations will also be used to assess the general loading criteria and the inherent trade-off between sound spectrum management and acceptable grades of service.

RP-003 provides a detailed description of the policy governing the implementation of trunked systems.

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6. Technical criteria

6.1 Radiated power and antenna heights limits

Effective Radiated Power (ERP) shall be limited to that necessary to provide the required service as determined by the system requirements and will be subject to the limitations stipulated in Annex B.

6.2 Co-channel separation

Normally, the geographic separation between co-channel systems will be calculated based on a non-overlap of the 40 dBμV/m service contour of the existing station and the 22 dBμV/m interference contour of the proposed station.

The service contour of the existing station is usually calculated based on a probability of service of 50% of the time for 90% of the locations at edge of contour.

The interference contour is calculated using the probability that the signal level used is not exceeded more than 10% of the time, i.e. 90% of the time the signal is below the threshold, for 90% of the locations.

For the bands 821-824/866-869 MHz interference from the adjacent channel spaced 12.5 kHz apart will also be a consideration in base station siting. The normal geographic separation for base stations in this band will be 32 km between 12.5 kHz adjacent systems. This value, or an alternate method, is under investigation considering the development of the technology applicable to this band. Co-channel separation will be determined using the method described in the begining of this section.

Issued under the authority of the Minister of Industry

R.W. McCaughern
Director General
Spectrum Engineering

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Footnotes

Footnote 1

Different channelization from what is described herein may be considered if it results in increased spectrum efficiency.

Return to footnote 1 referrer

Footnote 2

For the purpose of this SRSP, "harmful interference" means interference which endangers the functioning of a radionavigation service or of other safety services or seriously degrades, obstructs, or repeatedly interrupts a radiocommunication service operating in accordance with regulations and technical requirements laid down by the Minister of Industry under the Radiocommunication Act.

Return to footnote 2 referrer

Footnote 3

While such arrangement may facilitate the reuse of a specific frequency, or set of frequencies within a specified geographical area, it does not waive the licensing requirements regulating this band.

Return to footnote 3 referrer

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