Aviation Communications
In Canada, aviation communications occur in the VHF and UHF air bands, but the majority of the communications are in the VHF band.
VHF Air Band
In Canada, the VHF aeronautical communications band lies between 108.000 MHz and 136.975 MHz. The majority of the civil and military communications are AM, but there are a slight percentage that are carried via NFM.
| 108.000 - 117.975 MHz | Navigational Aids |
| 118.000 - 121.400 MHz | Control Towers |
| 121.500 MHz | Int'l VHF Emergency Frequency |
| 121.600 - 122.900 MHz | Ground & Apron Control |
| 122.700 - 123.900 MHz | UNICOM Frequencies |
| 123.450 MHz | Air to Air / Pilot chit chat |
| 124.000 - 128.800 MHz | Arrivals & Departures |
| 128.825 - 132.000 MHz | Company Operations |
| 132.000 - 135.975 MHz | Area Control Centre (Enroute) |
| 136.000 - 136.975 MHz | Shared - ATC/Company Ops & Datalink |
UHF Air Band
The Canadian UHF military aeronautical band is located between 225.000 MHz and 400.000 MHz and is primarily used for military traffic. This area is used to monitor for foreign invasions, NORAD operations, search and rescue (SAR), training and day-to-day operations. Air traffic control facilities are equipped to transmit on both the VHF and UHF frequency simultaneously. In the past 5 years (as of 2007), Transport Canada has deactivated most of it's UHF communication network, as all of Canadian Military now have had both VHF and UHF comminucations installed in thier aircraft. UHF is generally only used in close proximity of military bases, training areas, NORAD operations, military air-toair comms and close to the U.S. boder. More information concerning military UHF communications, is covered on the military page.
Callsigns
Each operator of a scheduled or charter flight uses a airline call sign when communicating with airports or air traffic control centers. Most of these call-signs are derived from the airline's trade name, but for reasons of history, marketing, or the need to reduce ambiguity in spoken English (so that pilots do not mistakenly make navigational decisions based on instructions issued to a different aircraft), some airlines and air forces use call-signs less obviously connected with their trading name. For example, British Airways uses a Speedbird call-sign, named after the logo of its predecessor, BOAC, while America West used Cactus reflecting that company's home in the state of Arizona and to differentiate itself from numerous other airlines using America and West in their call signs.
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