They have until April 2018 to be up and running. So there's still a while to go.  

DOPEfm wrote:

Has this station hired any on-air personalities?

I thought they were still testing, lol

DOPEfm wrote:

Has this station hired any on-air personalities?

Funny you should ask. I've been trying to get information on this station for months. I've phoned them and left messages for the owner. I've emailed both the owner and the chief (and as far as I know) only announcer, their music director Peter Borbely. Never got a reply from either one. 

My question was essentially the same as yours - when, if ever, do they plan to stop testing and get on with running a real radio station? They've been in test mode since Feb. 2020! That's an insane 18 months, and while I know the pandemic got in the way, I can't see how they're paying the hydro, let alone any other costs without a single second of paid advertising in all that time. (There are the occasional PSAs, but they don't make any money on those.)

I thought Sauga 960's story was weird, with some seven years from licence to start-up. But when they finally did hit air, at least it was with a full line-up. I was hoping CFAJ would finally make a big sign-on splash on Labour Day. ("New season - new station!") But I'm now doubtful that will be the case. 

For now, the never-ending test continues. I can't ever recall a station being in test mode for so long. I'm not sure they will ever pass this "test" the way things are going! And that could ultimately mean a failing grade. 

Glen Warren wrote:

The operating costs must be mounting up...  property taxes. electric utility, insurance etc.   and still in test mode.....

I was already asking the same question much earlier in another 1220 thread.
What is paying for all of this? If there were sister stations already on the air, one could say, nice tax write off.

Anyway, when they do finally sign on, I'm guessing there will be a lot of digital storage revenue on a Saturday morning or something, (ie infomercials from the States for FAT ABSORB etc...)

darcyh wrote:

I am too far away to receive the signal. I generally like to listen to stations when they are in test mode. For those of you who can receive CFAJ perhaps you can comment.

1) Are they operating 24 hours a day?
2) Is the test programming repetitive, using the same playlist over and over?
3) Do they seem to be running at their full 10 kilowatts of power? Perhaps folks familiar with the old CHSC signal coverage could compare.
4) Any evidence of transmitter pattern change at sunrise or sunset?
5) Is there a time limit on testing? 

Not sure I can answer all your questions, but if I'm wrong, I'm sure others here will correct me. 
1) Yes, it's up and running 24/7.
2) The playlist is what most people here have been excited by - it seems to be quite extensive and they play a lot of oldies you don't hear anymore. Also cover different eras - i.e. from the 60s to the 80s and beyond. 
3) I believe they are 10K during the day.
4) Yep, like the old CHSC, they're greatly reduced in TX power at night to protect Cleveland.
5) That's a good question and there doesn't appear to be one - they've been in test mode since Feb. 2020 and still no sign of an honest-to-goodness sign-on date. But they have to be officially on the air sometime, don't they? (I'm hoping for Labour Day or just after, but on air announcements continue to say "test broadcast.")

By the way, if you'd like to monitor what they're up to or hear what the "test" sounds like, they're streaming live at classic1220.ca. 

Skywave wrote:

5) Broadcast Procedures and Rules Part I states:
"The period for on-air testing shall be a minimum of three weeks to a maximum of six weeks unless otherwise authorized by ISED"
and
"Within four months of the successful completion of on-air testing,the applicant shall certify to ISED under the authorized approval of a qualified professional engineer that the broadcasting undertaking is ready to commence operation in accordance with the approved technical submission, and request permission to commence operation".
 

Some great info, thanks. But they've been "testing" since early 2020. Wouldn't that mean they've far exceeded that four month deadline? How long can they reasonably and legally go before the government says, in effect, "enough already!"?

Skywave wrote:

A few clarifications:

3) The signal strength that I am measuring in north Toronto is not consistent with a 10 kW directional coverage according to their filed maps.

 

 Thanks for the clarifications.

With respect to the measured strength of the signal; is it more or less than you would expect? Perhaps you could comment.

About 15 years ago (more or less) and for a few weeks, I remember receiving 570 CKGL from Kitchener here in the Grand Bend area. It was coming in like a local. Normally I don't hear it at all. It was occasionally mentioned on the air that they were rebuilding their transmitter towers. I suspected they were operating with a different directional pattern. Then one day, I could no longer receive them. Back to regular pattern. It was nice while it lasted.





 

I am certainly no technical expert, but Skywave's comments about the difficulty in getting the parameters alligned properly when switching from day to night pattern could possibly be a reason test mode continues? Perhaps the station has a relatively green technical staff and they are having difficulty getting the day/night change correct. I would think that would be a pretty important problem to solve before ending test mode. Just a thought. I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time, or the last.