The move to 680 caused quite a few problems for what was then known as CHFI. Long forgotten by many is that the station's AM version came second to its FM, the only time in Toronto radio history that happened, and that it was originally on 1540, but moved, making way for what is still CHIN-AM on that frequency.

April 1962:



But that move caused problems for one occupant on that channel out near London. July 1963: 



It didn't end there. The next "680" issue arose not in Canada but the U.S. And it wound up involving a major concession for Canadian regulators in May 1983:


If I'm not mistaken, 990 in Rochester is now WDCX-AM, the same call letters and programming of WDCX-AM in Buffalo. Very weird that the calls are shared in two separate cities, as well as on separate FM frequencies.

And yet their websites, linked in my post, say their call signs are the same, even though the frequencies listed are different.

Rochester site:



Buffalo Site:



Both listed as WDCX, without distinguishing the difference. You'd think they might note that but since it's a virtual simulcast of the Buffalo station, I suppose it's not worth it. I wonder if they do an on-air ID properly?

Interesting that CFTR's new Grimsby transmitter site cost about $3.5 million when completed in 1985.  CFTR was one of three Toronto AM stations to move their transmitter and towers south of Lake Ontario.  This allowed an unobstructed signal north to the city.

Sportsnet 590 and  AM 640 also have their transmitter sites in Niagara Region south of the lake. 
 
 

turkeytop wrote:

Those buildings look gawdawful. There's a similar one going up in downtown London. 
Must be the same architect.

It looks like real life Jenga
 

paterson1 wrote:

On this date in 1979 the CRTC approved CFTR to increase power to 50,000 watts.  More detail from RadioWest.ca
In 1979, the CRTC tentatively approved CFTR-AM Toronto's increase in daytime power from 25,000 to 50,000 watts, from a new transmitter site at Grimsby, 56 km South West of Toronto, using eight 410 foot towers. The existing Mississauga site would continue to be used for nights only, and remain at 25,000 watts. It took until February 1985 before it actually happened, with most of those five and a half years spent negotiating with the FCC. But a few months later, in June 1985, night power was increased to 50,000 watts, and Grimsby was used for both day and night patterns.

I won't say his name but there used to be an engineer at CFTR who would come in at 9 AM every day, stick around for 10 minutes, then tell everyone, "I'm going to the transmitter." And he'd be gone until the next day, presumably because the trip to Grimsby and back took him so long. 

But after a while, I suspected there was something else going on and that somewhere in the city, there's a secret engineers' bar called "The Transmitter." And THAT'S where he went every day. 

Whatever the real story, I've never seen anyone leave work like that so often and get away with it. 

Nope, I heard him say it at 'TR several times. Never did know if he really went where he said he was going.