Mose did the same thing when AM-740 went on the air; teasers during testing followed by wall-to-wall Magic Windows commercials
 

Peter the K wrote:

Was listening on the road this afternoon.  Picked up clearly along Yonge Street from Steeles to St. Clair.  Sounds great.

But I was wondering.  Since this is a repeater of AM740 (right?) why not just hit the ground running and throw the live program up on the frequency instead of "test programming"?  Is there a regulatory or other technical reason for doing it this way?

 

My guess is that it's a good way to build a buzz without commercials and little to no cancon. I have been listening the last two days on my commute from east to west and west to east along the 401. Signal falters at either end but is clear for 70 % of the route. Today there was some interference from CHYM FM in the west end.Wonder where the transmitter is. A fairly good signal for a low power outlet.

Most of the songs played were top 5 or top 10 hits from the 60's and 70's with the odd standard and 80's hit. Would be great if they dug a little deeper and strayed out of the top 500 of all time. How about playing The In Crown by Dobie Gray instead of Drift Away or Sail on Sailor by The Beach Boys instead of Good Vibrations or Rubber Bullets by 10 CC instead of The Things We do for Love. There were a few evergreens played that I never get tired of ( example some of Phil Spector's girl group hits – they are such perfect pop masterpieces  and oh a track from Dusty Springfield from Dusty in Memphis). Did not hear a single Canadian artist. No Guess Who, Gordon Lightfoot, Anne Murray, Chilliwack, Lighthouse or even Bobby Curtola. 

One thing I found a bit odd. Their test announcement, which is repeated every few minutes, they ask to send comments or concerns to..... What “concerns” are they anticipating ? 



 

Last edited by Fitz (August 28, 2015 12:22 am)

Was listening to this signal periodically over the past few days here in northern North York and the thing comes in surprisngly strong. I say "surprising" because the CRTC granted them a power of just 22.4 watts, with an ERP of  82 watts, hardly a powerhouse signal. Yet it's easily receivable on even the weakest radio in my house, one that doesn't actually have an FM antenna. And remember, this was only supposed to blanket the downtown core. Curious. 

Equally interesting to me is that, after a few days of monitoring it, it showed up on Saturday night for the first time (at least for me) with a stereo signal. I'm pretty sure the thing was in mono before, which, of couse, AM 740 is as well. And since it's supposed to be a simple repeater of that station, I was surprised to hear it out of both channels. 

One last thing - their barker announcement seems to me to be very misleading. It states that you're listening to a test for a "new FM station." Well clearly, that's not the case. It's supposed to be a receivable version of the AM signal they claim those in downtown offices and highrises can't get. How, exactly, is that a "new FM?" Nitpicking, perhaps, but it seems deceptive to me.

And remember, this is the nested TX Moses and his cronies claimed they had to have to survive, even threatening to take AM740 off the air altogether if they didn't get it. (Or as they threatened in their application to the CRTC, "the station would no longer be viable.") There's no mention yet of the new signal on the AM740 website. 

I will be watching to see if they rebrand AM740 in any way to highlight their new FM toy, in much the same way CKDO in Oshawa now seems to give ID priority to its 107.7 signal over 1580, when the former was granted simply to cover dead spots, especially following pattern change after dark. The Wisen Znaimers would be crazy to change the branding (although perhaps after being in its current format since 2008, they could finally stop calling it the "New AM740") but stranger things have happened. 

Radiowiz wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

There's no mention yet of the new signal on the AM740 website. 

No, but it's Twittered: https://twitter.com/mosesznaimer/status/634096299885895680
 

 . . . it was announced toward the end of Saturday's Redinger/Gelman program (11:00 a.m.) 
 

RadioActive wrote:

Was listening to this signal periodically over the past few days here in northern North York and the thing comes in surprisngly strong. I say "surprising" because the CRTC granted them a power of just 22.4 watts, with an ERP of  82 watts, hardly a powerhouse signal. Yet it's easily receivable on even the weakest radio in my house, one that doesn't actually have an FM antenna. And remember, this was only supposed to blanket the downtown core. Curious. 

Equally interesting to me is that, after a few days of monitoring it, it showed up on Saturday night for the first time (at least for me) with a stereo signal. I'm pretty sure the thing was in mono before, which, of couse, AM 740 is as well. And since it's supposed to be a simple repeater of that station, I was surprised to hear it out of both channels. 

One last thing - their barker announcement seems to me to be very misleading. It states that you're listening to a test for a "new FM station." Well clearly, that's not the case. It's supposed to be a receivable version of the AM signal they claim those in downtown offices and highrises can't get. How, exactly, is that a "new FM?" Nitpicking, perhaps, but it seems deceptive to me.

And remember, this is the nested TX Moses and his cronies claimed they had to have to survive, even threatening to take AM740 off the air altogether if they didn't get it. (Or as they threatened in their application to the CRTC, "the station would no longer be viable.") There's no mention yet of the new signal on the AM740 website. 

I will be watching to see if they rebrand AM740 in any way to highlight their new FM toy, in much the same way CKDO in Oshawa now seems to give ID priority to its 107.7 signal over 1580, when the former was granted simply to cover dead spots, especially following pattern change after dark. The Wisen Znaimers would be crazy to change the branding (although perhaps after being in its current format since 2008, they could finally stop calling it the "New AM740") but stranger things have happened. 

Was wondering about many of the same points and surprised that such a low power station can be heard throughout the city.

The signal has been in stereo from the start but I'm still confused about the rule for stereo FM for AM repeaters. CKDO FM was not intitially in stero but now is. CBC Radio1 in Toronto has their main signal on FM and continues to broadcast in mono probably based on some outdated rationale ?
 

Despite repeated announcements that they're still testing and will be duplicating AM740's programming "soon," the actual simulcast appears to have begun. They were the same as of Monday morning. 

The CRTC has made it clear in a Vancouver decision that the 4 station limit per market per owner stands.
That's two AMs and two FMs.
CKNW applied for a similar infill FM transmitter in Vancouver but was denied because Corus already has the limit of stations with two of each.
50kw AM stations have problems with noise when it comes to penetration of the concrete, steel and glass canyons of downtown, mixed in within Toronto and Vancouver specifically, rectification from trolley wires and all sorts of other electronic noises.
You can get an infill FM if you have fewer than four stations, as did 740s owner, IF a frequency is available.
Otherwise, the Commission has said "NO!"
 

Last edited by Mike Cleaver (September 1, 2015 4:40 am)

So does this make them the new newer AM740?  

Sugar, Sugar by Andy Kim & the Jugheads sounds considerably sweeter on FM 96.7
 

Last edited by geo (September 1, 2015 6:37 pm)

Don wrote:

Fitz wrote:

The signal has been in stereo from the start but I'm still confused about the rule for stereo FM for AM repeaters. CKDO FM was not intitially in stero but now is. CBC Radio1 in Toronto has their main signal on FM and continues to broadcast in mono probably based on some outdated rationale ?
 

The signal can be in stereo. It doesn't acually have to re-broadcast the AM signal so long as the content is identical.

CBC in mono is to reduce multipath and give a cleaner signal on its fringes. Given that they're not music based, this is smart. I wish NPR stations did the same.

Does the Radio 1 Toronto feed not have a repeater ( or two) to cover the fringes. The station does have some music programing, Randy Bachman's VT for example and they play the occasional song during their drive shows.

Re Sugar Sugar and Andy Kim - he wrote the song but technically it is lead singer Ron Dante ( The Leader of The Laundromat) and The Jugheads. 

I have tuned in bit over the last two days. I did not hear a lot of music and the only song that stands out is That’s Life by Sinatra and good to hear that after a long time. Re 96.7 and Downtown, yes that's Downtown, Downtown Toronto that is - as heard on the station's on air promos,  is there some kind of stipulation in their repeater license  that they can only promote that signal as covering DT. The signal can he heard clearly in many parts of the city. Why not take advantage of that fact and say we're now available in FM stereo throughout many parts of the city or are they just being careful not turn people away in case the FM signal does not come in loud and clear  and that is guaranteed in the DT core only.

RadioActive wrote:

Anyone else notice that the AM signal is slightly ahead of the new one on FM? If you were to put both bands on at once, you'll hear a slight delay on 96.7.

What happens when you have the AM, FM and online running? 

 

Last edited by Radiowiz (September 2, 2015 10:50 am)

Quite pleased with the new signal.  I live steps from the 506 Carlton street car so this is much appreciated!

Last edited by Leslieville Bill (September 2, 2015 2:44 pm)

Home is fine but when I am under the streetcar tracks, in my car, I can hardly hear anything becuase of the interference.

Peter the K wrote:

But then again, if it helps control the population of the downtown progressives, maybe it's not such a bad thing after all.   

I represent that remark!