The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / Is City680 running very low power overnight?

**Posted by alangee** November 16, 2023 7:51 pm

I've noticed the past week or so that during the middle of the night I can barely hear 680, I live in east Mississauga, down by the lake and after 1:00 in the morning it is barely audible. However this morning at 5:00am, bingo, strong as always.

My question is, does anyone know if 680 is running extremely low power overnight for some reason or is it changing its antenna pattern?

**Posted by Evuguy** November 16, 2023 11:36 pm

In the past I've noted a low signal strength from 680 on a few occasions during overnights. One late night a few weeks ago, I tuned in and it was just dead air. I can only assume they might be doing work on their antenna array or are maybe running a lower powered auxiliary transmitter while they work on the main unit. Another possibility could be that there is construction taking place very close by to their Tx site and they have been asked to reduce power for safety reasons. Large metal objects like cranes and metal framing can have hazardous voltages induced into them by the high RF levels if not grounded out properly. This high RF level can also interfere with the operation of some site control equipment, from what I understand.

**Posted by turkeytop** November 16, 2023 11:51 pm

Evuguy wrote:
In the past I've noted a low signal strength from 680 on a few occasions during overnights. One late night a few weeks ago, I tuned in and it was just dead air. I can only assume they might be doing work on their antenna array or are maybe running a lower powered auxiliary transmitter while they work on the main unit. Another possibility could be that there is construction taking place very close by to their Tx site and they have been asked to reduce power for safety reasons. Large metal objects like cranes and metal framing can have hazardous voltages induced into them by the high RF levels if not grounded out properly. This high RF level can also interfere with the operation of some site control equipment, from what I understand.

I have a Sangean portable I use as my travel radio. The radios in hotel rooms are always garbage. Once, I cheched into one of the hotels in downtown Toronto. My room was on one of the higher floors. When I turned on the radio it didn't work. There were just random characters on the display.

I glanced out the window and saw the CN tower just a short distance away. That gave me a clue as to what was going on. The strong RF field was messing up the circuitry in the radio. I collapsed the telescopic antenna down into the radio and then it worked.

Later that evening I turned on my laptop. Every time it would just boot up then crash. I wondered if the strong RF was doing something to the computer. I took it down into the lobby on the first floor and it worked fine.

**Posted by Evuguy** November 17, 2023 10:07 pm

I've seen that happen myself with some digital portables. I have a 40 year old Grundig multiband set with an analogue dial as well as a digital frequency display. That display will go squirrly if in a high RF field from an FM transmitter. Interesting though regarding your laptop experience. I have to wonder how the folks who live in all those condo's along the Gardiner Exp. cope with these intense fields off the CN Tower and BMO sites.

**Posted by markow202** July 9, 2025 10:44 am

I think they are at low power again I can barely receive it here in Barrie (daytime) and usually clear

**Posted by turkeytop** July 9, 2025 12:10 pm

They've been weak during the day here in London for the past several weeks. I had it on this morning and at about 10:15 it went right out. I don't know if they went off the air or if it just became too weak to reach this far. I just turned on the radio now (around noon) and they seem to be right back to full strength, better than theve been in ages.

**Posted by Easily Amused** July 9, 2025 1:28 pm

turkeytop wrote:
They've been weak during the day here in London for the past several weeks. I had it on this morning and at about 10:15 it went right out. I don't know if they went off the air or if it just became too weak to reach this far. I just turned on the radio now (around noon) and they seem to be right back to full strength, better than theve been in ages.

The staffer tasked with feeding the hamsters was let go in the last round of layoffs. A summer intern is out getting new hamsters, high energy feed, and WD-40 to lubricate the hamster wheels. 🐹

**Posted by radiokid** July 9, 2025 5:44 pm

Perhaps it's just transmitter work going on... With the ratings they have + money it makes, doubtful it's some other issue related to cutbacks of any kind.