From the earliest days of radio there has been a connection to religious services, starting on the AM band and quickly moving to shortwave bands, which could target audiences around the world.
For example, Vatican Radio, with its hallmark Laudetur Jesus Christus motto, was set up by no less than Guglielmo Marconi himself in 1931.
Recently, though, the COVID-19 pandemic has seen a resurgence of interest in radio in a hyperlocal sense through the use of low-power FM transmitters designed to reach congregants in their cars. So sudden has been this interest that the devices have become in short supply as pastors seek to adapt to ever-changing restrictions for services, and as congregants seek a connection that is more than a YouTube feed.
Although radio may have the feel of an old technology that no one really pays much attention to, it remains heavily regulated. In Canada that means at least two jurisdictions, one that governs the spectrum and another that governs its actual use.
In preparing for this column The B.C. Catholic set out to seek some clarity from the regulators. Hans Parmar, media relations spokesperson for Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (still widely referred to as Industry Canada), described the current situation with so-called Low Power FM (LPFM) broadcasts for church services.
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Under the Radiocommunication Act, Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada’s (ISED) mandate is to ensure the orderly development and efficient operation of radiocommunication in Canada and to minimize occurrences of harmful interference. With respect to broadcasting, ISED and the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) are responsible for different aspects of broadcasting in Canada. Unless exempted from regulatory requirements, broadcasting operations require both an authorization from ISED and a licence from the CRTC.
Several options are available to transmit a radio signal for church in-car services, with each having different coverage area characteristics and regulatory requirements. ISED provides for both Licence-exempt and Licensed low power transmitters in the FM broadcast band. Licence-exempt devices can be operated without the requirement of an authorization or licence from ISED or the CRTC. Typically, exempted devices will have a range of about 15 to 30 metres. These devices must meet criteria specified in Radio Standard Specification 210 (RSS-210) and will carry a label as having been approved under the standard.
Licensed low power devices require a licence that can be received by submitting an application to ISED. These devices operate at transmitter powers of up to one watt, and have a range which should provide radio coverage of 50 metres or more. These devices must meet criteria specified in RSS-123 and will also carry a label as having been approved under this standard. There is, however, a condition to keep the signal level below a specific threshold at the property boundary, so that the intended audience remains on church property. This prevents the undertaking from crossing into the realm of broadcasting, which will then involve the CRTC.
Low Power FM Broadcasting Undertakings may operate at powers up to 50 watts, however, they require a broadcasting certificate from ISED and are subject to CRTC regulation. The CRTC provides various exemption orders, one of which is for a House of Worship. The order can be found here – Broadcasting Regulatory Policy CRTC 2018-137 | CRTC – and may provide exemption from CRTC licensing as long as you only use it to broadcast live church services, among other criteria. The order should be reviewed carefully to ensure compliance with the terms and conditions. Also, a Low Power FM Broadcasting Undertaking will require a more detailed submission to ISED from a qualified technical person.
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Let’s digest that a little. Basically, an off-the-shelf solution can only be used without licensing if it has extremely low power output, about one microwatt as it turns out. At one time these solutions were known as real-estate radios that would broadcast a listing description to the property line. That might cut it in a very small church parking lot, perhaps reaching the fifty vehicles permitted here in B.C. under the current variance for religious services. But more than likely it wouldn’t do and that takes us into the realm of higher-powered devices, typically one to 10 watts.
And that in turn takes us into the realm of licensing. The term “licensing” coupled with the term “government” is going to be off-putting to most. David Bannerman, who runs MediaVoice, a company that specializes in assisting churches with broadcast solutions in eastern Canada, tells The B.C. Catholic that while there has been some streamlining of the regulatory process on the CRTC side, it will still take about 10 weeks to become licensed on the ISED/Industry Canada side. Furthermore, he notes that in major urban centres such as Vancouver, there may be few, if any, unallocated FM frequencies available.
Today’s LPFM transmitters are very nice units indeed. Priced in the $100 to $300 range, they will easily work for the current provincial health variance. Although they can be purchased at retailers in the Vancouver area, that doesn’t mean that they should be used without licensing. Setting up such a device is straightforward. Pick a quiet frequency in the FM band, set the power, if variable, to the lowest possible value, set the antenna (if variable) to a length specified in a length-frequency chart, and attach a lapel microphone. Make minor adjustments to the mic volume setting and the unit is ready to go.
Only live church services may be broadcast. You can’t bring out that Soeur Sourire record from the ’60s and start playing Dominique to the congregants in their cars!
In a future column I will take a look at the actual licensing process and explore some specific LPFM devices. As of this writing, no end is in sight to the restrictions that have driven the adoption of this decades-old technology.
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