Background

MARCC was formed in June 2005, and the first Board of Directors was elected at the organizing meeting in July 2005. The Council was established to continue the work of Tom Blair, VE4MT/VE4TOM, the tehn-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 every 50 club members, up to a maximum of four representatives. MARCC is funded by nominal dues for each representative.

Whenver possible, band plans are adapted 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 informed by the Manitoba District of Industry Canada that their standard operating policy is not to assign frequencies to amateurs. They defer all coordination to the amateur community, specifically RAC-recognized bodies. The Manitoba Amateur Repeater Coordination Council is recognized by the Radio Amateurs of Canada as the amateur radio repetaer coordination body for Manitoba.

In April 2015, a meeting was held for all repeater owners and operators in Manitoba to update repeater information and discuss MARCC, band plans, and channel spacing. Since the 2-meter VHF repetaer slots are flled, it was agreed that we would move to 15 KHz spacing for frequencies above 147.000 MHz and to 12.5 KHz spacing for frequencies below 147.000 MHz.

Objectives of MARCC

Frequency Coordination

• coordinate frequencies for amateur radio repeaters in Manitoba;
• compile and publish a data-base of amateur radio repeateurs;
• 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 the USA.

HAM Activities

• promote amateur radio activities in Manitoba
• maintain liaison with Radio Amateurs of Canada.

Directors and Executive

Other Repeater Coordination Councils

• Minnesota Repeater Council
• British Columbia Amateur Radio Coordination Council (BCARCC)
• Saint Lawrence Valley Repeater Council
• Western Washington Amateur Relay Association (WWARA)