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What Is This Toronto "Radio" Station? Does It Still Exist?
Here I thought I'd heard just about every Toronto radio station there is. But then I came across this review of a discontinued Panasonic radio that the owner loved for DX purposes. At one point in his review, published in 2020, he discusses how good the sensitivity of the unit is, and notes this:
"I can hear YWA, a non-directional radiobeacon (NDB) from Toronto, Canada just below the AM band on a frequency of 516 kHz. If you own a RF-2200 or DR22 tune to the bottom of the AM band and listen for it. You may also hear the warbling sound of NAVTEX stations on 518 kHz. Switch on the BFO and wait for dark, you might get lucky like I have."
What, exactly, is he referring to? Is there a "station" called YWA in Toronto? If so, what is it for? Is it still on the air? Have to admit I've never heard of it before, and I'm not sure if any of my radios are capable of tuning it in. It's obviously not an actual station as we know it, but it apparently has assigned call letters and appears to be for airplane navigation.
Wikipedia provides one possible answer, but I'm not 100% positive I understand the techno-speak. Has anyone here ever heard this?
- In Phase
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Re: What Is This Toronto "Radio" Station? Does It Still Exist?
This is (or was) a navigational beacon. YWA seems to be operating out of Petawawa today.
Many have been decommissioned.
You can still see some sites. There is one located near Lowe's north of The Queensway, just east of The East Mall
[url],-79.5474242,3a,75y,232.43h,108.04t/data=!3m6!1e1!3m4!1snuWR2AFCy_kRciYTR_Z-EA!2e0!7i16384!8i8192!5m1!1e1?entry=ttu[/url]
- fybush
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Re: What Is This Toronto "Radio" Station? Does It Still Exist?
There used to be a lot of these across North America. They weren't broadcast stations as we think of them, and they didn't have callsigns as such. They transmitted a repeating loop of Morse code, and so the beacon on 516 simply sent the letters "YWA" over and over and over. The one down the road from me here in Rochester was on 400 kHz and was "RO" until it was decommissioned a few years ago.
There are radio hobbyists who listen for these and other "utility" stations. I've never much seen the appeal, but if you like it, you like it.
- Glen Warren
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Re: What Is This Toronto "Radio" Station? Does It Still Exist?
Here are a couple of pics of the NAV Canada beacon on Guelph Line North of No. 2 Side Road in Burlington. This beacon is still operational. The site equipment was upgraded in January 2022.
- Glen Warren
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Re: What Is This Toronto "Radio" Station? Does It Still Exist?
Look at the condition of this site... Snakes on a Plane...
more like Snakes in the Beacon structure... cut the grass!!!
Last edited by Glen Warren (July 16, 2023 10:33 pm)
- turkeytop
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Re: What Is This Toronto "Radio" Station? Does It Still Exist?
They're great for DXing. They always ID. That's all they do.
I've picked up some of these LW beacons from as far away as Manitoba and Alabama.
Last edited by turkeytop (July 17, 2023 12:24 am)
After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.
- Forward Power
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Re: What Is This Toronto "Radio" Station? Does It Still Exist?
In Phase wrote:
This is (or was) a navigational beacon. YWA seems to be operating out of Petawawa today.
Correct, YWA is the heliport at Garrison Petawawa.
When riding VIA Rail to and from Ottawa, I've seen the NDB for Smiths Falls-Montague Airport (YSH) right beside the tracks in SF, not far from the former Hershey plant... looks a lot like a typical non-directional AM transmitter site, but with a shorter tower.
- Juggie1
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Re: What Is This Toronto "Radio" Station? Does It Still Exist?
There is a NavCanada NDB near Sherway Gardens. It is the Queensway NDB at a frequency of 368 KHz. It’s active and also has a precision approach beacon collocated with it as this location is on the approach for runway 32. I’ll get a picture of the tower next time I am near there. The station id is ZYZ.
Last edited by Juggie1 (July 17, 2023 11:39 am)
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Re: What Is This Toronto "Radio" Station? Does It Still Exist?
I see from the Nav Canada site that they have decommissioned this site as of December 29, 2022! Explains why it is no longer on the air.
- YMCA
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Re: What Is This Toronto "Radio" Station? Does It Still Exist?
There is a NavCanada NDB near Sherway Gardens. It is the Queensway NDB at a frequency of 368 KHz. It’s active and also has a precision approach beacon collocated with it as this location is on the approach for runway 32. I’ll get a picture of the tower next time I am near there. The station id is ZYZ.
That's the one mentioned by In Phase in post #2. It's located behind 81 the East Mall. Easy to see with Google Earth.