Don't forget that KX96 also has that repeater in downtown Toronto.

I noticed that "Real Rock", 88.1-HD2, is gone.  The country music HD2 on Today FM, 93.5, is also gone.

I'm a bit of a radio nut and still listen to AM and FM quite a bit.  I've got an HD radio in the car so that's the only place I can listen to it.  My main listening in the car, however, is streaming Spotify or BBC Radio 6.  When the radio bug strikes me, I find myself listen to 1220 CFAJ or The Grand on 94.7 HD3.  When I'm downtown, I listen to 680 News on HD to avoid the streetcar line interference and allow me to listen all the way into the parking garage at my office.  Other than that, I will occasionally take a spin across the FM band to look for any new HD channels. 

I think HD radio is doomed due to lack of receivers and lack of radio listeners in general these days.
 

The other HD channels are the same as usual, Hot Country and Arise.
 

Not used in a spot, but the 680 News use of the word "overnight" really irks me.  "Snow is expected in the overnight" or "the Dundas ramp will be closed for the overnight".  Who speaks like that? Why not just say  "snow is expected overnight" or "the Dundas ramp will be closed overnight".  This seems to be consistent among their staff, not just one person.  There are many more 680 News phrases that bug me such as "gold is $1900 the ounce" instead of "an ounce" but I'll stop now.

Today I noticed that CIND 88.1 has a new HD3 that appears to be playing All Green Day, All The Time .  This morning, after work and right now, it's Green Day.
 

They mentioned it in their ID at the top of the hour too.  "Now transmitting in HD" or something like that.

I was listening to one of the programs and switching in and out of HD to get an idea of the change in sound quality and the host mentioned CHLO and HD a few times.  The difference in HD sound quality is like taking a radio with a narrow bandwidth filter active (< 4 KHz) and switching to a wide filter (> 9 KHz).  I'm guessing there is no stereo on AM HD?

I sent a reception report to Classic 1220 last week and also suggested that they be the first in the area to implement AM HD since they play music.  Guess it's too late now  
 

fybush wrote:

The only Buffalo stations that have physically moved since the 1980s are 1080 (lost its site on LaSalle Ave. and is now diplexed on the WECK-1230 tower on Genesee St.) and 1270 (moved from Grand Island to diplex on the 970 site).

I find that 550, 930 and 970 all still come in very well in the west end of Toronto if I'm in a location with lower noise.  1270 is the one station that barely comes in now.  I guess the move from Grand Island explains why.
 

RadioActive wrote:

So for those who have one, let me ask: is it worth it? Do you find yourself listening to stations on HD more? Or is it just a once-in-a-while curiosity?

It came free with the car 
Similar to what others have mentioned, I listen to 680 News on HD when I'm near my office in downtown Toronto.  As soon as I hit the intersection at King and Church, the streetcar RFI wipes the AM signal out.  With the HD station, I can listen throughout downtown and into the P1 level of our parking garage where the AM is non-existent.  Classical 96.3 is better in HD because there is no flutter or other distortion as you drive around.  I sometimes listen to The Grand, even though the audio isn't that great, because it mixes with WBUF on FM.
 

tvguy wrote:

The other variable that drives me crazy is the inconsistency of "display" info that stations transmit for their HD 2's, 3's and 4's

Yep.  Look at CIND HD2, "Real Rock".  All I get on my display is three lines of the text "HD2".  No mention of the station name. On the other hand, more and more stations are transmitting their logos in colour.  CIDC just added theirs.  The VW radio adds the logo to the preset when you save it.  I have a "680 News" button in glorious green and white!  I noticed a couple of stations sending artist/album pictures.  I think it was Wave and The Grand.

Not complete for the Toronto area.  The list is missing the following stations:

88.1 CIND
92.1 CKPC
96.3  CFMZ
103.5  CIDC

The information given is also very confusing.  For example, there are no AM HD stations in Toronto although the list might make you think so.  900 CHML listed as 900 HD3 is found on CING 95.3 HD3 and CFRB is on CKFM 99.9 HD2 not 1010 HD2.  The listing for 92.5 CKIS FM HD2 is actually 680 News.  It's a terrible presentation!

I have a list somewhere of HD stations in the Toronto area that I can post.  This includes several Buffalo stations.

- Mike
 

I think it's just the huge amount of electromagnetic interference these days that's killing AM reception.  I'm in Etobicoke, and I can be listening to CKDO just fine in the car but drive a few blocks and it's gone, buried in noise.  Same for shortwave listening.  In my apartment, AM radio is almost impossible to listen to as the noise level is so high.  Turns my old Panasonic RF-2200 a super-sensitive paperweight 

I remember trying to get 107.7 in Scarborough and it was barely receivable there.

(For those who don't know it, the Panasonic RF-2200 is one of the finest AM receivers ever made)

In my area (central Etobicoke), WBFO is completely wiped out by 88.9's HD signal and WNED-FM is mostly wiped out by 94.7's HD signal.

Too bad.  I miss WBFO's Saturday and Sunday night blues when I'm in the car.  HD radio might be cool and all but the in-band implementation really sucks.
 

andysradio wrote:

Sound FM will be moving to 102.7 [yes another 102.7] from 100.3 next month to allow for CKRZ-FM Oshweken to increase power to 5kWs.
http://soundfm.ca/

Has CKRZ already increased power?  I only ever hear Barrie on 100.3 here in the west end of Toronto but lately CKRZ has been showing up.

- Mike

I can pick it up surprisingly well in central, west Etobicoke.  Much stronger signal than CHTO on 1690.  

Perhaps Ryerson should have given the CBC/SRC a call and asked what they think about them using 89.9.  I'm sure CIUT wouldn't mind having them as a neighbour.