Canadian CB... calls -- more info

[Rich Wales]

A while back, there was some discussion in rec.radio.broadcasting about
the use of call signs beginning with the letters "CB" by stations of the
Canadian Broadcasting Corporation (CBC) -- even though, technically, the
block of call signs beginning with "CB" is assigned under international
regulations to Chile, not Canada.

At the time, the only information I had on this issue claimed that there
was an unidentified "international agreement" under which CBC stations
were allowed to use calls beginning with "CB". I made further inquir-
ies, and today I received some additional information from an official
of Industry Canada (the federal government department responsible for
radio and TV):

In 1937 the CBC requested from the Department of Transport that
call signs beginning with the letters "CB" be assigned to the
CBC. It was pointed out that although the international assign-
ment of call letters beginning with "CB" properly belonged to
Chile, the use of any call letters for broadcasting was feasible
under the General Radiocommunication Regulations of Madrid 1932,
provided precautions were taken to avoid the possibility of con-
fusion.

As Canada is far away from Chile, and the call signs would only
be assigned to CBC stations operating in the standard broadcast
bands, i.e. not short wave, the Department of Transport approved
the use of the "CB" call letters by the CBC, with the understand-
ing that their use in Canada would not conflict with the use of
the same call signs in Chile.

The reply did not specifically indicate whether Chile was consulted on
this issue back in 1937, or whether Chile has ever explicitly either
acquiesced or objected to the CBC's use of "CB" calls. I'm making a
followup inquiry on these points, and if/when I receive a reply, I'll
share it in this newsgroup.

Rich Wales <ri...@mks.com>
Kitchener, Ontario, Canada