The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum » Car Radio Presets: Then And Now

mace · September 22, 2023 10:33 am

I am curious. What were your AM and FM [If it was available] presets on your first automobile and your current one. Have they changed over the years? Here are mine. 1978 Plymouth Volare: I was 25. AM- 550, 680, 900[easy access to 890 at night] 1050, 1150. FM- 92.9, 93.7, 96.9, 98.5, 102.5. Back then all the Buffalo stations had clear signals. Today. 2006 Toyota Camry. I am 70. AM- 550, 680, 900, 1010, 1220[was 1150 through the oldies and sports era] FM- 97.3, 98.5, 99.9, 102.5[soon to be changed] 104.1, 107.1. I have only listed the FM-1 on the Camry for comparison purposes. There are six more FM presets on FM-2. My 1978 vehicle had only five FM presets and it was mono only. I couldn't afford FM "Stereo" It was either FM Stereo or power steering.

Jody Thornton · September 22, 2023 5:51 pm

When I drove my folks' Pontiac Acadian in the 80s, on AM was CFTR, CHML and CFRB (for Mom and Dad), CKOC and CHNR (the latter which remained until I actually worked there, and dumped the car in 1992)

On FM, I had Mix 92.9 (WBUF), Kiss 98.5 (WKSE), Majic 102 (WMJQ), K-103 (CKLH) and CHUM-FM.

Today on AM I have, CKTB, 640, 680, 740, 900 and 1010 (99% of the very little time it's on, I have CtyNews 680 on). On FM-1, I think preset Lite 885, Jazz FM 91, Kiss 92, Energy 95.3, Boom 97.3 and CHFI. FM-2 has CBC 99.1, Bounce 102.9, Z 103.5, CHUM 104.5 and Q-107. Most of the FM listening is done by my lady friend on Jazz FM.

RadioAaron · September 22, 2023 6:56 pm

My "then" is irrelevant as I'm not from the GTA but my "now":

AM: None. It's on 680 and doesn't move
FM1: 88.1, 92.5, 95.9, 97.3, 99.1, 104.5.
FM2: 93.5, 94.1, 98.1, 99.9, 102.1, 107.1

(104.5 was previously 102.5)

Last edited by RadioAaron (September 22, 2023 7:00 pm)

paterson1 · September 22, 2023 7:04 pm

The car I drove in high school was my mom's Chevy Nova. It had a great AM radio, but over all was a bit of a lemon! It was even canary yellow..

Pre-sets were- CFTR, CFRB, CHUM, CKOC, CHAM. Would also tune in CJOY in Guelph which wasn't officially a top 40 station but played mostly top 40 music, announcers were a little more adult. Evenings CJOY did have a unique announcer, Johnny Williams, who played lots of funk and R&B mixed in with top 40. CFRB was my mom's AM station. Car didn't have FM.

Later vehicles that had FM, still listened a lot to AM but also FM 96 London, CHFI, Mix 99.9, CHTZ, KOOL (Kitchener), CFNY, Rock 102 (Buffalo), CHUM FM, CING (Energy), FM 102 (Wingham), Q107, Y108.

Today on AM- 570 (City News Kitchener), AM 640, 680, 900 CHML, 1010, and 1460 CJOY (after all these years!). I only have six AM pre sets but I also listen to Zoomer 740, and sometimes TSN 1050.

Current FM - In no particular order- BOOM Toronto, Radio One, CHYM FM, Bounce 99.5, 105.3 Virgin (all in Kitchener), FM 96, Virgin Radio, 102.3 JACK (all in London), Dave Rocks (Cambridge), Magic 106.1 (Guelph), The Grand (Fergus), Y108 (Burlington/Hamilton), Heart FM (Woodstock), Lite FM (Brantford). Also occasionally I tune in Country 106 in Kitchener, CBC Music.

BOOM is about the only Toronto FM that comes in consistently clear where I am in K/W. CHUM FM, Q, Virgin Toronto, CHFI and others are hit and miss, so I don't listen to these much in the car.

Last edited by paterson1 (September 24, 2023 8:20 am)

Forward Power · September 22, 2023 10:28 pm

I don't drive, and I don't quite recall what the presets were on my wife's previous vehicles ('98 Chrysler Neon, '05 Dodge SX 2.0, '08 Ford Escape), other than Ottawa's Hot 89.9 being on the first preset, where it remains to this day on our '19 GMC Terrain. We don't use the AM side at all, as it's just CFRA (580), TSN 1200 and CityNews 1310, none of which interest us as forty-somethings. Current presets on the Terrain are:

FM1: Hot 89.9; Jump 106.9; Boom 99.7; Kiss 105.3; CHEZ 106
FM2 (when visiting family in the Belleville and Kingston areas): Mix 97 Belleville; Move 98.3 Kingston; 95.5 Hits FM Belleville; Rock 107 Trenton/Belleville; K-Rock 105.7 Kingston
FM3 (visiting Peterborough/Kawarthas): 100.5 Fresh Radio; Move 99.7; The Wolf 101.5; Bounce 91.9 Lindsay; 94.9 The Rock Oshawa

mic'em · September 23, 2023 7:56 am

I lived in too many areas across the country to list any of the then, but now, on AM, 590, 640, 680, 740, 820 and 1010. I primarily listen to 640 as the signal is strong in the Blue Mountain region. On the FM side, 89.1, 93.1, 95.7, 97.7 [ Collingwood] , 104.1 and 105.9. I primarily listen to 89.1[ Max FM Orillia] or 95.7 [ Rock 95 Barrie].

turkeytop · September 23, 2023 9:49 pm

I got my first car in 1965. It didn't have a radio but I bought one from a junk yard and mounted it under the dash. It was AM only and had 5 preset buttons. All these years later I can't recall exactly what my presets were but I can guess pretty confidently.

CKLW - 800 khz
WLS - 890 khz
WCFL - 1000 khz
WBZ - 1030 khz
?? - 1220 khz Cleveland OH

My Chevy Equinox I drive today has AM, FM and SXM. There are several banks of presets and I don't even use them all. AM, FM and SXM can be intermingled within any of the banks.

I have one bank dedicated to the stations I listen to when we're in Florida.

WMNF - 88.5 Tampa (public Radio)
WUSF - 89.7 Tampa (NPR)
WDUV - 105.5 New Port Richey
WXGL - 107.3 St Petersburg
WGUL - 860 khz Dunedin FL
WTAN - 1340 khz Clearwater

I have another bank just for listening during the trip to Florida. They're all SXM.
CH 169 CBC Radio I
CH 122 NPR Now
CH 16 The Blend
CH 17 The Bridge
CH 73 60s Gold

At home here I have

CKWW - 580
WSM - 650
CFTR - 680
WCBS - 880
CBC Radio I - 93.5

CH 67 - Real Jazz
CH 70 - Siriusly Sinatra
CH 76 - Symphony Hall
My wife likes cowboy music so I have a preset for the Willie Nelson Channel

RadioActive · September 23, 2023 10:02 pm

That 1220 AM you listed in Cleveland was the great WGAR, a killer Top 40 with great personalities in its day.

Dale Patterson · September 24, 2023 12:15 am

Well, I got my first car in 1971, and the AM pre-sets would likely have been:

1010 CFRB
1050 CHUM
1150 CKOC
1280 CHAM
1430 CKFH

I got FM in my car the following year (I had to pay extra for it as they weren't standard issue yet).

99.9 CKFM
102.5 WBEN-FM
103.3 WPHD
104.5 CHUM-FM
(can't remember what the fifth one would have been)

Nowadays I listen almost exclusively to SiriusXM - 50s Gold, 60s Gold, 70s on 7, Soul Town, PGA Tour Radio

RadioActive · September 24, 2023 7:27 am

Dale Patterson wrote:
Nowadays I listen almost exclusively to SiriusXM - 50s Gold, 60s Gold, 70s on 7, Soul Town, PGA Tour Radio

September 24, 2023 12:10 pm

mic'em wrote:
I lived in too many areas across the country to list any

Mic'em -- Have you investigated your reception options around Elliot Lake, yet?

RadioActive · September 24, 2023 12:37 pm

My presets were similar - and yet very different - from others here.

AM was 1) 680 2) 640 3) 1010 4) 610 5) 820 6) 900

As for FM? Well, outside of CBC R1, Q107, Boom, 104.1 WHTT (and later maybe AM740's 96.7 repeater), I really didn't set for anything else. My car came with FM2, an alternate 6 extra presets, but I don't recall ever using them, since unlike just about everyone here, I almost never listen to FM, except perhaps on a good tropo day.

I know some here will never understand it, but there's absolutely nothing on that band that currently interests me. And while I wish I'd had 12 AM presets, the same number on FM that came with the car were useless to me. If music is not what you're looking for, then FM frankly has little to offer. I know I'm in the extreme minority here, but that's the way it works for me. Which may explain my passionate plea to keep AM in cars.

(Although in my new vehicle, I do use FM to listen to the AM stations in better quality on HD, so there's that.)

mic'em · September 24, 2023 3:28 pm

g1org1o wrote:
mic'em wrote:
I lived in too many areas across the country to list any
Mic'em -- Have you investigated your reception options around Elliot Lake, yet?

Gio, there is a FM outlet there, A Moose affiliate , but I'm not sure where it is broadcast from. It sounded voice tracked the day last month that we were there to see the house we are buying. I only had to go about 30km east to pick up the rock FM from Sudbury. So, once we are living there, i will just scan the dial and/or play my large collection of burned Cd's. Both my cars have Cd players. I just put a new stereo in my old truck, no CD, but has USB, my son is making a stick for me that I will use in it. It is a fair weather ride only as you know. It was the truck that I had up there, I moved my brother to Blind River, so the radios in the Kia and Malibu may have better reception as far as receiving Sudbury radio. I also will look into playing my phone thru Bluetooth so I can receive Max FM ,but that will depend on cost.

NW · September 24, 2023 5:36 pm

My 2021 Honda Civic has 6 AM and 12 FM presets.

The 6 AMs are set to 590, 680, 940, 1010, 1230 and 1570. 940, 1230 and 1570 are for DX starting/jumping off points. I suppose if I wanted to listen to 1050, I would use 1010 and move up four spots. And if I wanted to hear ranting about the Buffalo Bills I can just tune down fro 590 to 550.

FMs are 88.1, 94.9, 97.3,, 99.1, 102.1, 107.1 and 107.9 on the first tier.
....and 91.7, 97.7 on the second tier. I forget what the other four are currently as they get changed..but they are for FM DX possibilities (like 88.7).

MJ Vancouver · September 24, 2023 6:03 pm

As a kid in early 90s London, I recall my father’s presets being the four local stations that existed at the time - CFPL 980, CJBK 1290, CKSL 1410, and CHLO 1570. Not sure of the fifth station but given how frequently he went to Toronto back then probably 1050 CHUM, which we always listened to when in the GTA. Never remember him listening to anything on FM other than CBC.

These days living in BC’s Lower Mainland my 12 FM presets on FM are 5 Vancouver stations and also KISM 92.9 from Bellingham on the first set, and six Seattle stations on the second set; on AM I have a mix of Vancouver and Seattle stations.

Last edited by MJ Vancouver (September 24, 2023 6:06 pm)

September 24, 2023 6:15 pm

mic'em wrote:
I only had to go about 30km east to pick up the rock FM from Sudbury

At the rate global warming is taking place, is just a matter of time until you will be enjoying rock FM from Sudbury while sitting under a palm tree with an iced Tim Hortons in hand

mace · September 24, 2023 6:48 pm

MJ Vancouver wrote:
As a kid in early 90s London, I recall my father’s presets being the four local stations that existed at the time - CFPL 980, CJBK 1290, CKSL 1410, and CHLO 1570. Not sure of the fifth station but given how frequently he went to Toronto back then probably 1050 CHUM, which we always listened to when in the GTA. Never remember him listening to anything on FM other than CBC.

These days living in BC’s Lower Mainland my 12 FM presets on FM are 5 Vancouver stations and also KISM 92.9 from Bellingham on the first set, and six Seattle stations on the second set; on AM I have a mix of Vancouver and Seattle stations.

Seattle is quite a distance from Vancouver. I would have thought regular, reliable FM reception would be rare.

September 24, 2023 7:08 pm

mace wrote:
Seattle is quite a distance from Vancouver. I would have thought regular, reliable FM reception would be rare.

In addition to the distance, a mountain range south of Bellingham WA renders regular, reliable FM reception irregular and unreliable. Perhaps MJ Van has been listening to Bellingham FM radio

g.

turkeytop · September 24, 2023 7:54 pm

MJ Vancouver wrote:
As a kid in early 90s London, I recall my father’s presets being the four local stations that existed at the time - CFPL 980, CJBK 1290, CKSL 1410, and CHLO 1570. Not sure of the fifth station but given how frequently he went to Toronto back then probably 1050 CHUM, which we always listened to when in the GTA. Never remember him listening to anything on FM other than CBC.

These days living in BC’s Lower Mainland my 12 FM presets on FM are 5 Vancouver stations and also KISM 92.9 from Bellingham on the first set, and six Seattle stations on the second set; on AM I have a mix of Vancouver and Seattle stations.

Never been to BC. Are Victoria stations available in Vancouver?

My brother and his wife vacationed last year in Victoria. I asked him if Vancouver radio and TV were available there. He isn't a geek like I am, so he hadn't even tried it.

Last edited by turkeytop (September 24, 2023 7:58 pm)

dmcjeff · September 25, 2023 12:11 pm

As a Kid near Barrie ontario in the 80's:

680 CFTR and AM640

Then while living in North York (in my 20's, early 30's, into alternative, rock and high energy music)
FM:
107.9, 103.5, 107.1, 102.1, 102.5, 98.5

I'm in Barrie again now

Bounce 104.1, 97.3 Boom, Rock 95.7, 93.1fresh, CIDC 103.5 , 88.5 CKDX

Occasionally listen to: 91.1 Jazz Fm, CBC radio one for news / gardening shows, 99.9fm if my kid's in the car, Q107 and 104.5

Although I have many options as I subsribe ($13.99cad/mo) to 'streaming and internet' on my Model Y so I often stream Joe Rogan (Spotify )
and other podcasts (Rich Roll, Plant Strong podcast, the Loonie Hour, Captain Paul watson foundation podcast).

I listen to a lot less music nowadays in my late 40's and as the statistic goes, I rarely like new music I hear and quite often the reason I like it is that it's a remake of a great song from the 80's for example. #fastCar

Also Tesla has it's own music master streaming service that can 'make a radio stream' out of just one song for a genre of unending music.

Tune In also available as part of the Tesla streaming and so I listen to KUMU 94.7 Hawaii (Works here in Canada), and some of the Toronto stations via Tune In like Boom 97.3 for a more clear audio up in Barrie.

https://www.tesla.com/en_ca/support/connectivity

Last edited by dmcjeff (September 25, 2023 12:21 pm)

MJ Vancouver · September 25, 2023 12:22 pm

g1org1o wrote:
mace wrote:
Seattle is quite a distance from Vancouver. I would have thought regular, reliable FM reception would be rare.
In addition to the distance, a mountain range south of Bellingham WA renders regular, reliable FM reception irregular and unreliable. Perhaps MJ Van has been listening to Bellingham FM radio

g.

I drive down to Seattle several times a year, so I have the presets for their local stations so I don’t have to go hunting for the stations there I like.

I used to do the same thing when I lived in Toronto but was in London frequently - Toronto FM stations on the first tier, London stations on the second tier.

MJ Vancouver · September 25, 2023 12:23 pm

turkeytop wrote:
MJ Vancouver wrote:
As a kid in early 90s London, I recall my father’s presets being the four local stations that existed at the time - CFPL 980, CJBK 1290, CKSL 1410, and CHLO 1570. Not sure of the fifth station but given how frequently he went to Toronto back then probably 1050 CHUM, which we always listened to when in the GTA. Never remember him listening to anything on FM other than CBC.

These days living in BC’s Lower Mainland my 12 FM presets on FM are 5 Vancouver stations and also KISM 92.9 from Bellingham on the first set, and six Seattle stations on the second set; on AM I have a mix of Vancouver and Seattle stations.
Never been to BC. Are Victoria stations available in Vancouver?

My brother and his wife vacationed last year in Victoria. I asked him if Vancouver radio and TV were available there. He isn't a geek like I am, so he hadn't even tried it.

I can get CBC Victoria on 90.5 clearly where I live. Not so much the others.

Last edited by MJ Vancouver (September 25, 2023 12:23 pm)

dmcjeff · September 25, 2023 12:28 pm

turkeytop wrote:
MJ Vancouver wrote:
As a kid in early 90s London, I recall my father’s presets being the four local stations that existed at the time - CFPL 980, CJBK 1290, CKSL 1410, and CHLO 1570. Not sure of the fifth station but given how frequently he went to Toronto back then probably 1050 CHUM, which we always listened to when in the GTA. Never remember him listening to anything on FM other than CBC.

These days living in BC’s Lower Mainland my 12 FM presets on FM are 5 Vancouver stations and also KISM 92.9 from Bellingham on the first set, and six Seattle stations on the second set; on AM I have a mix of Vancouver and Seattle stations.
Never been to BC. Are Victoria stations available in Vancouver?

My brother and his wife vacationed last year in Victoria. I asked him if Vancouver radio and TV were available there. He isn't a geek like I am, so he hadn't even tried it.

I lived in Vancouver for a year in 1995 and my buddy & I had met girls from Seattle (that would come up north to the dance clubs where the legal age was younger). We went to Seattle often.

I loved KISM 92.9 and also the sound and energy of KUBE 93.3 jams plus 107.7 'the end' (Alternative) Seattle..
Z95.3 was a joke to CHR if it was even classified as such in 1995 while the Seattle stations had real grit to them.. Could pick up the Seattle stations with a bit of fuzz as far up as Coquitlam where I lived at the time on the car stereos and depending on what hill you were going up or down.

djwildbill · September 25, 2023 2:03 pm

I was reading with interest people’s reply as to presets. Not sure how many here load their presets starting from left to right based on dial position. I mostly do.

I now have a newer vehicle and take FULL advantage of HD radio for the stations that are AM.

I have a 2021 Ford Escape and the presets can be a mixture of AM, FM, SiriusXM. I have 6 pages of 5 presets per page. Wish I could add more.

92.1 Lite 92
92.5 Kiss FM
92.5 HD2 CFTR CityNews 680
93.1 Fresh 93.1
95.3 Fresh 95.3
96.3 HD2 Zoomer Radio AM740
97.3 boom 97.3
98.1 CHFI
98.5 Kiss 98.5
99.9 Virgin Radio
99.9 HD2 CFRB Newstalk 1010
102.9 Bounce Radio
103.5HD Z103.5
104.5 CHUM 104.5
105.7 Move 105.7
1220 CFAJ Classic 1220
70’s on 7 SiriusXM
80’s on 8 SXM
90’s on 9 SXM
Pop2K on 10 SXM
10’s Spot on 11 SXM
Blend on 16 SXM
Bridge on 17 SXM
ClassicRewind on 25 SXM
1st Wave on 33 SXM
Groove on 50
PrimeCountry on 58 SXM
YachtRock 311 on 311 SXM
Hits 1 on 2 SXM
Venus 303 on 303 SXM

dmcjeff · September 25, 2023 6:24 pm

I miss 80's on 8 since I got my Tesla (no sirius xm) in March 2022

September 25, 2023 7:07 pm

djwildbill wrote:
I have 6 pages of 5 presets per page. Wish I could add more

It is tragic that Ford requires you to cope with only thirty (30) pre-sets. Perhaps if you go through those thirty carefully, you might come up with 2 or 3 that you use infrequently and which could be replaced(?). Just a suggestion