1 of 1- RadioActive
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CHRY Wants Another Signal Into Toronto
What started out life as Radio York now wants the rest of the city to hear its magnificence. Or at least that’s what they’re asking the CRTC. The entity known as “VIBE 105.5”, an “Urban Alternative” format, recently filed a request to add another frequency so it can expand its range to the eastern part of the GTA.
They complain that their meagre 158 watts are being interfered with by a station on the same frequency in Uxbridge, and they’re stuck between two other frequencies used to communicate with planes at the airport. And they say they’ve received a “tremendous” amount of email about signal loss in the eastern part of the city.
So what are they proposing? Taking on the adjacent frequency at 105.3 from a TX at 100 Wingarden Court in Scarborough, sharing a tower with the relatively new CJRK-FM, which began broadcasting at 102.7 FM earlier this year. The station, which calls itself a “treasured cultural” institution in its filing, insists it can gain up to 600,000 additional listeners if given the go ahead.
“Our current station branding VIBE105 – Your Main Source would not need to be altered and would naturally/effectively assume the frequency designation and execute a seamless marketing/awareness campaign,” they explain in their submission.
My question? Isn’t this supposed to be a campus radio station serving York University? And didn’t they fire all the people who were doing their special ethnic shows on the station in a major purge about a year ago? Are they now trying to suggest that what was a campus-only outlet is suddenly worthy of expansion, simply because it wants to get a slice of the GTA commercial pie?
They claim in their application that they were licenced to present programming not available anywhere else on the local dial. Seems to me they dismissed all those who were doing that and are now just trying to get their foot in the door to a place where they really have no business entering.
- Radiowiz
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Re: CHRY Wants Another Signal Into Toronto
I used to answer phones for CHRY during pledge drives for the station. (usually once a year in October)
I was interested in doing this again this year for them, but I'm told the new Vibe no longer needs pledges
because it makes enough money from radio ads.
What does that tell you?
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- Don
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Re: CHRY Wants Another Signal Into Toronto
There is a zero chance of this being approved.
- RadioActive
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Must admit I'm curious about one thing. How does the "Vibe 105.5" format possibly serve York University, for which CHRY was granted the original licence? And just because it has an arguably original format, why should it get extra coverage? I'd love to hear the new 92.9 The Grand over the air where I live in northern North York, but it's not strong enough to reach here. Should they be allowed a power boost or a repeater just because nobody else is doing that particular format full time in Toronto proper?
Once again the CRTC is asleep at the switch...
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Thread Starter- RADIOFREAK
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Re: CHRY Wants Another Signal Into Toronto
92.9FM The Grand is strong enough to get to North York, but the smarties at the CRTC in there great wisdom decided to place that station on 92.9fm, so nobody outside Haldimand area could ever hope to receive that station. because there is another station in Buffalo broadcasting on the same frequency. duh
- Radiowiz
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Don wrote:
There is a zero chance of this being approved.
Are they in any trouble as is?
They somehow found the budget to broadcast live from the CNE. NOT as a York U. Station, but instead as Toronto's Urban alternative...as if they truly have nothing to do with York U, and could move off the York U. property in a heartbeat if desired.
Yes, it is true that they were only @ the CNE weekends and select other days, but that's still a rather high expense.
Being on CNE grounds is not cheap, and I highly doubt CNE donated the space to them.
Don, I have no ability to suggest that you're wrong, but their efforts are interesting...
Last edited by Radiowiz (September 8, 2016 11:19 pm)
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
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- Kilgore
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I highly doubt CNE donated the space to them
The CNE is in serious financial difficulty & may have begged them, + others, to appear & pretend they were happy to be there
- Radiowiz
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I highly doubt CNE donated the space to them
The CNE is in serious financial difficulty & may have begged them, + others, to appear & pretend they were happy to be there
I'm well aware that President's choice pulled out at the last second, (stayed with dog show only) but American Express filled the space quickly...at least where the tents outside were.
CNE is doing just fine.
Vibe approached them and not the other way around.
RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person.
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.
- RadioActive
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There’s a new wrinkle in this story. Apparently CFMS-FM, the station at 105.9 in Markham, wants to change its antenna site. The outlet claims its signal can’t reach some of the areas its licenced for, including Richmond Hill, Vaughan and even parts of North York.
The application notes that the change could affect those on adjacent frequencies – CHRY is at 105.5 – but engineers believe the interference will be minimal. I wonder how the people at Vibe 105, which is already claiming they can’t be heard in certain parts of the GTA, will feel about a station planning to create more noise on the already heavily used part of the dial.
In its filing, CFMS claims it gets interfered with by, among others, CHRE in St. Catharines. The claim is reprinted below and whoever drew this thing up needs a proofreader. There are so many mistakes in this single paragraph, it’s mind boggling they actually submitted the document to the commission without someone spotting it.
“From the south, the signal is frequently impacted by St. Catherine 105.7 FM station (CHRE) this signal is very strong perhaps due to lake affect and it creates interference to the analog and HD signals in Markham, Richmond Hill, from the west Corus Guelph station on 106.1FM (Magic) creates interference in Vaughan, 105.5 FM York University and from the North Orillia station on 105.9 FM…”
Someone needs an editor stat! Perhaps what’s most unusual about their proposal is that with the change of antenna site comes a change of power – but this time, it will go down. Because the proposed site is at 34 Centre St. in Richmond Hill on a building that's 11 storeys high, the wattage will decrease from 2,500 to 1,300. Also interesting to note that CFMS broadcasts in HD. Who knew?
The decision is due in the coming week, and it will be instructive to see if CHRY has any objections.
Last edited by RadioActive (September 10, 2016 9:55 pm)
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Thread Starter- RadioActive
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Re: CHRY Wants Another Signal Into Toronto
Well, CHRY won't have CFMS interference to worry about anymore. The CRTC has denied the latter's application to move its transmitter, thus increasing its coverage in Richmond Hill and Vaughan.In its decision, the commission ruled that while the move would increase its footprint in those cities, it would end up reducing its reach into Markham - the very area it's licenced to serve.
And while they applaud the experiment with HD Radio, that wasn't enough reason to adjust their analog signal. Finally, in a read-between-the-lines comment, they added you should have known when you got 105.9 that there were propagation problems but you agreed to the terms of the licence anyway. So forget trying to change it now.
It will be interesting to see if this same logic applies to the pending CHRY decision, which is essentially asking for the same thing.
Last edited by RadioActive (September 12, 2016 12:32 pm)
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Thread Starter- Radiowiz
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Re: CHRY Wants Another Signal Into Toronto
It will be interesting to see if this same logic applies to the pending CHRY decision, which is essentially asking for the same thing.
Interesting indeed, but 105.9 is fairly new, (and was expected to know) while Vibe is behaving like a station that perhaps wishes to do things different from their originally intended sign on licence.
This should be good...popcorn anyone? lol
Last edited by Radiowiz (September 12, 2016 12:56 pm)
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- Saul
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Re: CHRY Wants Another Signal Into Toronto
Given the CRTC revoked CHSC St Catharines for playing multicultural programming instead of oldies, and other examples, is CHRY risking anything in attracting the CRTC's attention?
- Don
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Re: CHRY Wants Another Signal Into Toronto
Depends. What they're doing may very well be technically within their license.