It seems almost superfluous, but I guess AM 900 was originally assigned to the Hamilton market. So the Commission made a point of noting that by granting CHIN's frequency move request, it "would preclude potential applicants from using it in Hamilton."

That seems obvious - any other station on the frequency so close by would obviously interfere with the other. But I suppose the Commission had to note it for the record. Not that there was a mad rush for anyone to start another AM station in The Steel City. 

Partly out of reverence and thanks (mostly out of laziness) that I never reprogrammed CHML's place on my car radio.  Now I wonder if the programming will compel me to. 🤔

I should probably reprogram the AM 6 button.  Funny 820 hasn't been funny for quite a while.

Another sentimental button is button 5; CHHA, 1610.  I spent time shipkeeping in the Port Lands in 2016, and noticed their tiny tower over by the soccer fields on Unwin Avenue.  The station's signal comes in quite well here in the southern part of the Niagara Peninsula.  A nice reminder of an interesting and enjoyable work experience.

The land seems to be sold for development. They'd have to relocate. To where, in the GTA? If anything, a move to 106.5 would have made sense. I don't know if Evanov would have had to sign off on CHIN using 103.9, which Evanov's PRIDE once occupied; and frankly if it was good enough for an Evanov station then on 103.9, in a more reasonable universe the CRTC would simply allow it for CHIN (theoretically, of course, since no one is asking for 103.9, that I know of). If the 1250-1320 equipment is being refurbished for CKTB, it's done like dinner, anyhow. CHIN really has been babied by the CRTC. They have 91.9, which is way better in the GTA itself than 1540 ever was. NW, you'd better DX 900 while you can...

Saul wrote:

And maybe with all the talk of 640 or some other major channels in Toronto potentially biting the dust ...

Actually no. If 640 shuts down, CHIN might not want it.
In another thread, 900 AM is the starting point for what might be a cheaper way to maintain AM radio...  https://gta.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=15995

Direct article link:  https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/products/information-station-specialists-preps-new-am-broadcast-antenna

Last edited by Radiowiz (January 15, 2026 1:29 pm)

NW wrote:

Saul wrote:

The land seems to be sold for development. They'd have to relocate. To where, in the GTA? If anything, a move to 106.5 would have made sense. I don't know if Evanov would have had to sign off on CHIN using 103.9, which Evanov's PRIDE once occupied; and frankly if it was good enough for an Evanov station then on 103.9, in a more reasonable universe the CRTC would simply allow it for CHIN (theoretically, of course, since no one is asking for 103.9, that I know of). If the 1250-1320 equipment is being refurbished for CKTB, it's done like dinner, anyhow. CHIN really has been babied by the CRTC. They have 91.9, which is way better in the GTA itself than 1540 ever was. NW, you'd better DX 900 while you can...

Still another couple of years to hear WACA-Laurel MD, WURD-Philadelphia, WKDA-Lebanon TN and WFIA-Louisville battling it out at night on 900.      And still time for me to continue to look for CKBI-Prince Albert 

Bet you it's much sooner than that.

Jonathan W wrote:

I doubt 103.9 Toronto is available without Evanov's permission. 103.9 wouldn’t normally have been available when Proud FM came around because it would cause interference to its second adjacent 103.5 Orangeville. But because Evanov owned both, it could accept the interference. It’s similar to how Zoomer squeezed in to 96.7 Toronto. Zoomer accepted the interference to its own second adjacent 96.3 Toronto.

Um...not just that, but also I don't think Evanov and CHIN are friends.
Evanov would sooner want to use 103.9 for AM 530 programming, not CHIN if they could.

They are mostly Italian.
Any guesses on what will happen?
Will they bring back there ukrainian, russian, bulgarian, albanian, and tamil programing?
Or will they surve newer ethnic groups like arabic, african languages, more bangladeshi programs, and malayalam?
Or, will they have a mostly italian format?
I think they should do ither 1 or 2 and just have there italian format on hd2.
Or, sell 91.9 because they are still having a heard time finding a south asian produser.
Sell it to the owners of the arabic radio station in montreal.
Or, keep 91.9 and make it an ethnic english language station for the second and third generations with an ac format during the day and third language programs during evenings and weekends.
Ithink they were trying for a bylingual english and ethnic languages format for 740 in 2000.

gch wrote:

Why is the power being reduced so much?   It will be a worse signal than 960...I guess they are not keeping CHML's towers, wherever they may be 

I wondered that, too. CHML was receivable a long way away from Hamilton. My sister, who now lives in Staten Island, N.Y., used to tell me CHML was one of the few Canadian stations she could get in New York City at night. She told me it came in very well. She was sad when I told her it was gone. 

So if it was capable of carrying such power so far away, why can't CHIN do the same kind of thing? I'm sure it has something to do with the area we're in and interference to other stations, but if 'ML could make it work, surely CHIN could. We're not that far away from Hamilton. 

I'm sure someone here can explain it. 

gch wrote:

Why is the power being reduced so much?   It will be a worse signal than 960...I guess they are not keeping CHML's towers, wherever they may be


 

I recall reading on this site that those towers were demolished quite a while ago. 
43°19'59.88"N, 80°7'14.16"W

That's Valens Road in greater Hamilton, just north of Concession Road 6W.

Last edited by Easily Amused (January 15, 2026 5:21 pm)

Radiowiz wrote:

Jonathan W wrote:

I doubt 103.9 Toronto is available without Evanov's permission. 103.9 wouldn’t normally have been available when Proud FM came around because it would cause interference to its second adjacent 103.5 Orangeville. But because Evanov owned both, it could accept the interference. It’s similar to how Zoomer squeezed in to 96.7 Toronto. Zoomer accepted the interference to its own second adjacent 96.3 Toronto.

Um...not just that, but also I don't think Evanov and CHIN are friends.
Evanov would sooner want to use 103.9 for AM 530 programming, not CHIN if they could.

I think they are better friends than you think.   Currently 1540 has been duplexed into the 530 site for daytime only service after having to leave Toronto Island. 10,000 is their current wattage from there, but being an Omni directional site, is the issue for them to direct the signal any differently. 103.9 I doubt would be an option, as the limited wattage would not help CHIN much.. but 106.5 could be.

Interestingly, CHML never came in very well in Toronto, just a short few miles (relatively speaking) away. It was aimed elsewhere and I was always disappointed by the fact it was probably the only commercial Hamilton AM station that simply wasn't well received here. (CKOC and CHAM, on the other hand, were like locals.)

I wish CHIN-AM, the scene of my first "volunteering" job in radio (i.e. no pay) a lot of luck with this. After being on 1540 since 1966, it's going to be tough to get its audience used to the new dial position. Although they have a year to do it.  

It's fascinating to see them talk about the original range of the signal on 1540 in this very old article about CHIN's sign on. I'm guessing there's no way they'll get that far out on 900.

But this story also contains my favourite lost factoid about this ethnic radio station. 

When it signed on, it was never meant to be in any language but English! That, of course changed very quickly. And notice who the first morning man was - Al Boliska!

Under the AM Agreement between the US and Canada, Nighttime is not a problem between 900 and 890 and 910. And as far as CHIN 900 and CKNX 920 and WFDF 910, as long as they don't overlap on land, it's not a problem for Daytime. CHML 900, even with 50000 watts, didn't overlap 900 in Gaylord, MI and 900 in Fremont, OH. The allotments remain in my recollection.

When CHYR 710 was operated at Night on 710, there was an appeal made to the international bureau by WLW 700,  at the urging of some radio aficianados who listened to WLW. CHYR had to return to 730 at Night. And until CHFI/CFTR 680 went for high power, it was allowed for both to operate with CHLO on 680 before they moved to 1570. Those were much closer, and on a lower frequency. WOR 710 still has to protect CHYR 710 Leamington though, even when it's been gone for decades, under the International Agreement. WJR 760 is not protected on Canadian Land from WTOR 770. Strange how that is allowed, but that is the FCC rules, not International. Even though WTOR pretends it's a Toronto station!
 

Last edited by CK-722 (March 1, 2026 12:43 am)