sowny.net | The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum


You are not logged in. Would you like to login or register?

July 21, 2023 2:31 pm  #1


What Has Been Going On With CFRB's Signal?

Three times on Friday, I've turned on1010 only to find no signal there. It happened once during Moore in the Morning, another time right in the middle of a Mark Towhey interview and a third instance just before 1 PM.

It sounds almost like it does when they do their pattern change at night and in the morning - a few seconds of static as if the TX has been completely turned off, then a brief return, another drop-out for 2 secs. followed by another return, another drop-out and back on the air. 

The one in the noon hour seemed to go on for a while. 

Obviously something is wrong - they never do that in the middle of the afternoon. Hope it gets fixed before dark (but if not, WINS here we come!)

 

July 21, 2023 3:33 pm  #2


Re: What Has Been Going On With CFRB's Signal?

OH...did they let the engineering department go too? 


RadioWiz & RadioQuiz are NOT the same person. 
RadioWiz & THE Wiz are NOT the same person.

 
 

July 21, 2023 4:14 pm  #3


Re: What Has Been Going On With CFRB's Signal?

The CFRB site has always been a magnet for lightning strikes and static discharges. The towers are 550 feet high.  When either occurs, the transmitter sees a shift in load impedance and throttles back output powerm all the way down to zero if necessary. The 2 second ramp-up time is a typical time to restoration for a Nautel transmitter.  We have had several severe weather/thunderstorm warnings in Toronto over the last few weeks, so I'm surmising that that was the cause.   And yes, it can happen repeatedly as long as there are storm clouds in the area.

 

July 21, 2023 4:36 pm  #4


Re: What Has Been Going On With CFRB's Signal?

When did CFRB change to Nautel AM tx? Was this part of the re engineering when the site was being parcelled off for commercial development...  The site went from 8 or 9 towers to the tighter and higher 4 tower arrangement.  Maybe just before the sale to Astral ???

I recall that they were big into 50Kw Continentals when the Clarkson site had the new building and site upgrades in the mid 80s...  

 

July 21, 2023 7:36 pm  #5


Re: What Has Been Going On With CFRB's Signal?

When I first saw this post today, I checked it here in London. Seemed OK around 3:00 PM.


After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.
 

July 22, 2023 4:05 pm  #6


Re: What Has Been Going On With CFRB's Signal?

According to the CFRX web site, the Continentals were installed in 1981. A Nautel was installed in 2018.
 

 

July 22, 2023 4:14 pm  #7


Re: What Has Been Going On With CFRB's Signal?

Skywave wrote:

According to the CFRX web site, the Continentals were installed in 1981. A Nautel was installed in 2018.
 

Hush. Don't even mention CFRX. Bell probably doesn't even know about it.


After all is said and done, more is usually said than done.
 

July 22, 2023 5:59 pm  #8


Re: What Has Been Going On With CFRB's Signal?

turkeytop wrote:

Skywave wrote:

According to the CFRX web site, the Continentals were installed in 1981. A Nautel was installed in 2018.
 

Hush. Don't even mention CFRX. Bell probably doesn't even know about it.

It's kinda the only explanation!

 

July 22, 2023 6:55 pm  #9


Re: What Has Been Going On With CFRB's Signal?

Ssh. Don't tell Bell MBA's about CFRX.

 

July 23, 2023 7:46 am  #10


Re: What Has Been Going On With CFRB's Signal?

Yeah, it cost's about 25 cents an hour for the electricity.