I'm surprised to hear (read?) you say you're getting Radio 1 in stereo. AFAIK, Toronto's 99.1 signal has always been mono, which is a sore point with me.

Some here have suggested since so much of their programming is talk, they skipped stereo for a more stable signal. But I've always believed that's such a tremendous waste of one of FM's better features over their old 740 output on AM.

Are you sure you weren't thinking of CBC Music, formerly known as Radio 2? That one is in stereo, although very few seem to listen to it.

Would be interesting to see if any CBC Radio 1 FM stations broadcast in stereo. Certainly some music programs like Vinyl Tap would benefit but there would be obviously some reception issues.

I think Vinyl tap as heard on CBC Music is in stereo but I just checked the web site and the stream of archived shows appears to be in mono. I listened to the beginnings of shows entitled Bubblegum Pop parts A and B ( # 39 and 40). Incidentally Randy makes an error in part one ( and yes I am veering off topic) and plays Yummy, Yummy Yummy and says it's by the 1910 Fruitgum Co and we all know it's by the manufactured Ohio Express ( and not the real one and there was a real group on the first hit Beg, Borrow and Steal).  Also in the part B they play Love Grows but it's a bad remake and not the hit version. Ok well some of the originals were bad too but some were guilty pleasures.

Last edited by Fitz (July 19, 2019 9:00 am)

markow202 wrote:

Is it because mono "hides" the static sound when the signal is weak and stereo emphasizes it?  Like pushing the stereo on/off button on a receiver to hide the hiss?

That and the fact that a mono FM signal propagates better although no commercial music station since the early 1970's has chosen to stay mono for obvious reasons.
 

Fitz wrote:

markow202 wrote:

Is it because mono "hides" the static sound when the signal is weak and stereo emphasizes it?  Like pushing the stereo on/off button on a receiver to hide the hiss?

That and the fact that a mono FM signal propagates better although no commercial music station since the early 1970's has chosen to stay mono for obvious reasons.
 

CKNR Elliot Lake was in Mono when they signed on in 1997. I know of major market stations that run 3 db or 6 db reduced stereo separation to overcome distant listening issues with less than ideal coverage.