1 of 1- jon
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CFRB Quietly Turns 90
Did anyone hear or read any mention by CFRB, on air or on their web site, of Sunday being the 90th anniversary of the station's official opening ceremonies?
A big piece of history, not just because CFRB became, in the 1960s, the station with more Canadians listening to it than any other. In 1927, it was the first station in the world to run their transmitter directly off standard AC power. Until then, all transmitters ran on Direct Current, requiring either batteries or Mechanical Generators.
The CFRB Call Letters stood for Canada's First Rogers Batteryless.
And the brains behind it all was Ted Rogers, Sr., in the days before there was a Ted Rogers, Jr.
Unfortunately for Ted, Jr., his mother was forced to sell the station in 1946, seven years after Ted Sr. died.
The original transmitter was located at Bond Lake and ran 1000 watts on 291 metres, which is just above 1030 KHz, not far from their current 1010 dial position.
- Chrisphen
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Re: CFRB Quietly Turns 90
jon wrote:
The CFRB Call Letters stood for Canada's First Rogers Batteryless.
I think it still does.
- jon
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When I was doing contract work for AGT, after it was owned by TELUS, the CEO reminded staff that AGT no longer stood for "Alberta Government Telephones", so I think it is fair to say that Bell feels the same way about "Rogers" in the CFRB call letters as George Petty did about the G in AGT.
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Thread Starter- unclefester
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Re: CFRB Quietly Turns 90
Old Gordon could be pretty edgy... I remember he caused quit a sensation by asking swimming star Elaine Tanner about her period as it affected her training. That caused quite a ripple.
I worked for his son Gordon or "Gord" as he was known Sinclair Jr for a while...
- RadioActive
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CFRB's first home, around 1927. (From the Hammond Museum Of Radio)
QSL Card from 1964, courtesy of Engineering Radio
- geo
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Interesting shot (middle) of O. Codger & U. Fester winding up the gramophone for another Rudy Vallee tune
- dwelsman
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I thought the first CFRB studio was where the current Keg Mansion is. The old Massey place on Jarvis. I remember Dave Trafford broadcast from that location on his final "noon" show a few years ago as a tribute. Am I right?
- ig
- Iain Grant
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You are.
When the station first launched it was in the Massey Mansion which had been converted into an art Gallery.
2 years later they moved to the 'new' building with the largest radio studios in Canada @ 37 Bloor west.
36 years later in '65 they moved up to 2 St. Clair west,
and in May 2014 moved again down to 250 Richmond.
I thought the first CFRB studio was where the current Keg Mansion is. The old Massey place on Jarvis. I remember Dave Trafford broadcast from that location on his final "noon" show a few years ago as a tribute. Am I right?
Madness takes its toll. Please have exact change.
- Dale Patterson
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"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
- jon
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Anyone care to estimate the total full-time staff of CFRB at the time of the ad (June 1965)? There are 24 on-air folks pictured.
I have no idea, but I would feel safe giving pretty good odds that total staff would be at least triple that number, i.e. - 72. And I wouldn't be surprised if the number was over 100.
Last edited by jon (February 22, 2017 6:36 pm)
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Thread Starter- RadioActive
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Re: CFRB Quietly Turns 90
Just found this. What a difference between how CFRB marked (or didn't) their 90th birthday and how WGN Chicago did it in 2014 and again five years later.
90 Years In 90 Minutes
WGN Radio 95th Anniversary Special
- Dale Patterson
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Re: CFRB Quietly Turns 90
"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram