RAC is offer courses for Canadian Amateurs to upgrade to Advanced Class and starting in August it will be offering Basic courses as well. The course is free but you are required to be a member of the Radio Amateurs of Canada at the maple leaf level( $100 per year) No mention on the site how testing is accomplished by did mention several students wrote and passed their exams early. https://www.rac.ca/survey-online-advanced-course/ RAQI (Radio Amateur du Québec inc) Is also offering an online course also $100 but includes a one year membership in RAQI. The course appears to be given in English no mention of a version in French. https://raqi.ca/node/233
Thank you very much for giving these courses a boost! RAQI's courses are available in both French and English. The RAC Courses are instructor-led using a videoconferencing platform. The RAQI courses are downloaded from the RAQI website and are not instructor-led. Many local clubs across Canada have courses, and some of these have moved to web-based delivery. About testing: there are several Canadian Accredited Examiners (AEs) who are conducting exams by distance. I am one of them. I am also the instructor for the Advanced Certificate courses offered by RAC. Mes cours sont offerts en anglais seulement, mais je parle français courrament, et je serai heureux à repondre à vos questions dans la langue de votre choix. Our regulator, the Federal Department of Innovation, Science and Economic Development (ISED) has given AEs some recommendations on how to conduct exams by distance. Videoconferencing platforms like Zoom, GoToMeeting and Skype are acceptable, so long as the AE can be assured that the full integrity of the exams can be assured, as is required in RIC-1. Some AEs are not comfortable with giving exams by distance, and some of these are coming up with clever ways to give in-person exams while maintaining physical distance. ISED has also indicated that for the period of the emergency, AEs anywhere in Canada may examine candidates anywhere in Canada. Under normal circumstances, AEs could only examine candidates within their province or territory. In the last few weeks, I have examined candidates from coast to coast. 73, Dave VE9CB
Dave, Thanks for the clarification. A really big Thanks for your efforts in upgrading amateurs. I scanned both the RAC and RAQI websites. Details seemed to be sparse, but I thought that anyone who was interested could dig a little deeper themselves. There is/was a "lively discussion going on over the US, Australian and UK clubs doing remote teaching and exams but nothing heard from the soft spoken GWN. Nice to know ISED is being reasonable about the testing. if you know your material. it does not take long. I did both the Basic and Advanced in 1h15 that included waiting for the exams to be graded. 73 Graham VE3GCX/VE2NTC
