In Canada, the Basic amateur radio exam is a single test, but it can lead to two different qualifications depending on your score. Pass it and you can operate on the VHF and UHF bands. Score higher and you also gain access to the HF bands, where most long-distance operating happens. This guide explains the thresholds, what each result allows, and how to choose a target so you are not aiming too low or wasting effort.
One exam, two possible results
There is no separate honours exam and no extra paperwork to apply for it. You sit the Basic exam, a multiple-choice test of roughly 100 questions covering regulations, operating procedures, basic electronics, propagation, antennas and safety. Your percentage score decides which qualification is recorded. Because it is the same exam, the extra effort for honours is entirely about knowing the material better.
The numbers: 70% and 80%
The pass mark for the Basic qualification is 70%. Basic with Honours requires 80% or higher. If the exam has 100 questions, that means roughly 70 correct answers to pass and 80 to earn honours. Your examiner will confirm the exact format on the day.
A common mix-up is to treat 70% as the honours mark. It is the ordinary pass mark, and a 70% score gives you the Basic qualification without honours. The ten-point gap between the two results is the whole difference.
What Basic alone lets you do
With a plain Basic qualification you may operate on amateur bands above 30 MHz. That includes popular bands such as 6 metres, 2 metres and 70 centimetres, so you can use local repeaters, join nets, try simplex, and talk through amateur satellites where the rules and your equipment allow. Many operators enjoy years of activity there, especially if a club or repeater network is nearby.
What honours adds: the HF bands
Basic with Honours adds the amateur bands below 30 MHz. These are the HF bands such as 80, 40, 20, 15 and 10 metres, where signals can travel across continents and oceans by bouncing off the ionosphere. If your goal is worldwide contacts, digital modes like FT8, or contests and awards, honours is what opens that door. The live HF propagation page shows why those bands behave so differently from local VHF.
Basic operators are also limited in transmitter power, generally 250 watts DC input to the final amplifier, and Advanced adds more, including higher power. Check the current ISED rules for the details of each class.
Is there another route to HF?
Historically, a Basic holder could also gain HF access by adding a Morse code qualification. That route may still exist, but most newcomers find it simpler to raise their exam score. Confirm the current options with ISED or an accredited examiner rather than relying on any secondhand summary.
Which one should you aim for?
Ask what you want to do on the air. If you only want local repeaters, emergency communication in your area, or handheld operating, plain Basic may be all you need. If you are curious about HF at all, aim for honours from the start. Retaking an exam later costs time, and studying for the higher mark once is usually easier than returning to the material again.
Also remember that licences are national. Canada and the USA differ: in the USA, HF privileges are divided by licence class, with wider access starting at General, so Canadian honours does not map neatly onto a US class. Our guide to US licence classes explains the American side. In every case, transmitting requires the correct licence and you must follow the rules of the country you are operating in.
Set your target and build a plan
Treat 80% as the floor, not the goal. Exam-day nerves, an oddly worded question or one weak topic can cost several points, so practise until you routinely score around 90%. Then a bad morning still leaves you above the honours line.
- Read each syllabus topic once, then take a short quiz on it immediately.
- Track which topics cost you points, especially regulations and electronics calculations.
- Repeat the weak topics rather than re-reading what you already know.
- Take full-length timed practice exams near the end.
The exam practice questions on HamRadioList are a handy way to do this, and the Canadian crash course gives you a structured order to study in. For background on the whole process, see our full guide to getting a Canadian licence.
A quick readiness checklist
- You score 85 to 90% or better on full practice exams, more than once.
- You can explain, not just recognise, why the wrong answers are wrong.
- You know the regulations and safety sections well, since these are easy points.
- You are comfortable with the basic formulas the syllabus expects.
- You know where and when your accredited examiner will hold the exam.
Common mistakes to avoid
- Aiming for exactly 80%. Any slip then means missing honours.
- Memorising answers. Real exam questions may be worded differently, so learn the reasoning.
- Skipping regulations and safety. They are fair marks, and they matter once you are on the air.
- Confusing 70% with the honours mark. Pass and honours are different scores.
- Relying on one study source. Mix reading, practice questions and mock exams.
After the exam
Once you are qualified, the next step is getting on the air. If you earned honours, our walkthrough on making your first HF contact is a good follow-up, and a free online logbook helps you keep track of every contact from day one. Remember that you cannot transmit until your qualification and call sign are issued.
If you have questions about the process, the ham radio FAQ covers the basics in plain language.
Wrap-up
Basic requires 70% and opens the bands above 30 MHz. Basic with Honours requires 80% and adds the HF bands below 30 MHz. Since it is the same exam and the extra effort is modest, most people who might ever want to try HF should study for honours and practise until they comfortably clear the mark. Choose your target, build your plan, and give yourself a margin.
How HamRadioList can help
If you are working toward the Canadian Basic exam, try the free exam practice questions to see where your scores really sit, and the Canadian crash course for a structured path through the material. Once you are licensed, the free logbook is a good place to start recording your first HF contacts, and the live HF propagation page shows which bands are open.
- License exam practice - practice questions for the US and Canadian amateur exams.
- Canadian crash course - a fast path to the Canadian basic qualification.
- Live HF propagation - see current band conditions before you call CQ.
- Free online ham radio logbook - log every contact, import and export ADIF, sync with QRZ.com and keep your awards organised.
- Ham radio FAQ - plain answers to the questions new operators ask most.
New here, or getting back on the air? Create your free HamRadioList account to log contacts, check band conditions and practise for your exam, or browse more guides from the blog. HamRadioList is built by amateur radio operators in Nova Scotia for operators everywhere.