The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / Arrr me mateys, there's a Zone plundering the airwaves

**Posted by RadioAaron** February 7, 2025 11:35 am

mace wrote:
Evuguy wrote:
Wait until CBL-FM turns up HD Radio. Coverage area will diminish to a few blocks and they will have to find a new frequency. Similar thing happened with those talking Mosque's (my term for them) around the city up until maybe 5 years ago. They were always on 87.9 until CIND enabled HD.
What if your car radio doesn't have HD capability?

Still causes the same problem.

**Posted by Fitz** February 7, 2025 12:02 pm

RadioAaron wrote:
mace wrote:
Evuguy wrote:
Wait until CBL-FM turns up HD Radio. Coverage area will diminish to a few blocks and they will have to find a new frequency. Similar thing happened with those talking Mosque's (my term for them) around the city up until maybe 5 years ago. They were always on 87.9 until CIND enabled HD.
What if your car radio doesn't have HD capability?
Still causes the same problem.

Not only did the addition of all the local HD signals last year impact the ability to receive distant /weak stations but the reception of those new HD stations on an analog radio would also have been impacted. A good reason for CBC 94.1 and Jazz FM to stay away from HD and for audiophiles the best solution would be for HD to disappear. HD Radio Self Noise

**Posted by RadioActive** February 7, 2025 12:23 pm

Speaking of pirate radio, a former illegal operator has raised funds to produce a documentary about the station she set up to broadcast to her neighbourhood in Los Angeles in the 90s. It lasted three years before the FCC found her and forced her off the air.

So while the story at the link below has nothing to do with this current illegal outlet in Oakville, it's informative to see what she went through. And there's also the trailer for her upcoming documentary, which she fundraised off of Go Fund Me.

How a pirate radio station shook Los Angeles: the story of KBLT

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** February 7, 2025 12:30 pm

How did the mosks get away with broadcasting for so long?

**Posted by Glen Warren** February 7, 2025 4:54 pm

The individual(s) that are behind this are having fun, and they have a sense of humour...
One of the liners / IDs that played at 3:20 and 3:25 pm this afternoon was...

"I want a full spectral sweep of all incoming signals" 93.9 The Zone... The Spirit of Radio

A nod to CFNY in its heyday.... and a bit of a poke at what they are doing....

**Posted by mace** February 7, 2025 5:09 pm

I was listening today between 10am and noon. Some syndicated program called Timewarp. Last time I was in Oakville, the signal lasted to just past QEW and Hurontario. Today it lasted, with much splatter from 94.1, to 401/427.

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** February 7, 2025 7:38 pm

That's a lot of wots for a pirat station.
Its more like an unlicenced LP FM station now.

**Posted by Glen Warren** February 8, 2025 5:31 pm

93.9 FM had a live announcer on this afternoon... maybe he is still on live.

Just before 3pm, the announcer was thanking fans and listeners for comments, and mentioned that they were trying a few things out on weekends... Also, later, there was a live promo for "Classic Rock" at 4:30pm (which is right now)....

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** February 8, 2025 6:41 pm

Glen Warren wrote:
93.9 FM had a live announcer on this afternoon... maybe he is still on live.

Just before 3pm, the announcer was thanking fans and listeners for comments, and mentioned that they were trying a few things out on weekends... Also, later, there was a live promo for "Classic Rock" at 4:30pm (which is right now)....

Its time for the zone to get a licence.
I hope this station streams soon.

**Posted by mjf** February 10, 2025 8:49 am

I've been hearing them in the west end of Etobicoke for the last few weeks on the car radio. Very choppy though, so I've been driving around the area trying to figure out where this local pirate was coming from but could never find a solid signal. I went to see my daughter at Sheridan College this weekend and wow, very strong signal at the Trafalgar campus. Great variety of music. We need more local radio!! Yesterday, just after 3 pm, they cut into CBC News (not the same as 99.1) and then a Google assistant playback of the Oakville weather.

**Posted by mjf** February 10, 2025 8:51 am

Saul wrote:
Not the few times I've driven through the area and checked, actually... maybe more in summer - I dunno.

I found the York region pirate on 93.9 in 2022 and 2023 when I was taking the kids up to summer camp. It wasn't there this past summer.

Last edited by mjf (February 10, 2025 8:51 am)

**Posted by Saul** February 10, 2025 10:18 am

mjf wrote:
Saul wrote:
Not the few times I've driven through the area and checked, actually... maybe more in summer - I dunno.
I found the York region pirate on 93.9 in 2022 and 2023 when I was taking the kids up to summer camp. It wasn't there this past summer.

I did note it a couple times last summer; sporadic. Didn't really pay attention. 93.7 Georgina really clobbers it and modulation never seems that great.

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** February 10, 2025 10:21 am

mjf wrote:
I've been hearing them in the west end of Etobicoke for the last few weeks on the car radio. Very choppy though, so I've been driving around the area trying to figure out where this local pirate was coming from but could never find a solid signal. I went to see my daughter at Sheridan College this weekend and wow, very strong signal at the Trafalgar campus. Great variety of music. We need more local radio!! Yesterday, just after 3 pm, they cut into CBC News (not the same as 99.1) and then a Google assistant playback of the Oakville weather.

Its opperating like a fully licenced community station from the sounds of it.

**Posted by DOPEfm** February 18, 2025 1:53 am

How's this broadcast doing? I'm planning a trip through the ge real area next week and will have to try and catch the signal.

**Posted by Glen Warren** February 18, 2025 7:34 am

DOPEfm wrote:
How's this broadcast doing? I'm planning a trip through the ge real area next week and will have to try and catch the signal.

I took a drive out to Oakville last Tuesday evening. It sounded great! I only heard three instances of signal drop or noise while on Dundas St.... at Sutton, and then Tremaine in Burlington, and finally at Dundas and Trafalgar in Oakville. All were momentary.

I headed down Eighth Ln. and then across Upper Middle to Grand Blvd (Falgarwood), then over to Trafalgar and the QEW and finally back to Burlington along the QEW,

Very solid signal, with only the three short instances of noise or drops... not too bad.

The playlist is varied and rich, and its great to hear music that I haven't heard in years... And the IDs are very polished and tight....

Still think the person(s) behind "The Music Zone" have an extensive background in radio. Or, they are a real fan of the classic CFNY "The Spirit of Radio"

**Posted by PwrSurge** February 22, 2025 7:27 pm

Fitz wrote:
the amazing thing is that they are very public about it, even being carried by a satellite company and carrying the CBC news which I heard a bit of yesterday.

SkyChoice is not a satellite company but rather a ground based provider. In addition to wireless towers, they also provide Internet over cable, DSL or fibre. As long as you can get Rogers, Bell or Cogeco at your home, you should have no problem getting service from them.

**Posted by martyb** February 26, 2025 7:45 pm

I've been listening on and off for a while, driving on the QEW and around downtown Oakville. Reception is strong and there's a pretty surprising amount of coverage! Anyone able to provide an aircheck or MPX recording? Seems to be music shows scheduled based on various times of the day.

Heard some dead air the other morning instead of Nina's syndicated show lol Been regular music since, I hope they play more Timewarp or some other show instead of the 80s music

**Posted by martyb** February 26, 2025 7:55 pm

PwrSurge wrote:
Fitz wrote:
the amazing thing is that they are very public about it, even being carried by a satellite company and carrying the CBC news which I heard a bit of yesterday.
SkyChoice is not a satellite company but rather a ground based provider. In addition to wireless towers, they also provide Internet over cable, DSL or fibre. As long as you can get Rogers, Bell or Cogeco at your home, you should have no problem getting service from them.

https://www.skychoice.ca/channeldetails/2425

Looks like they got a logo, does RDS2 have the image!?

**Posted by martyb** February 27, 2025 5:55 pm

Heh, just when I found something awesome it's off-air hope it's not the end and just some transmitter melting lol

**Posted by martyb** February 27, 2025 6:31 pm

Well that was short lived, back on air and strong signal again. Wonder if they had an antenna burn up or something

**Posted by Saul** February 27, 2025 6:46 pm

If it can happen to CKTB it can happen to a pirate...

**Posted by martyb** February 27, 2025 7:15 pm

Saul wrote:
If it can happen to CKTB it can happen to a pirate...

https://gta.boardhost.com/viewtopic.php?id=6353

heh, MusicZone's outage was much shorter in duration and was able to get on the air before the QEW clears out

**Posted by martyb** March 1, 2025 4:42 pm

Here's to all who've listened to MusicZone, finally got the OK to post this publicly!
https://stream.xsa.ca/
Happy listening mates, have you been gripped by the spirit of radio?

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** March 1, 2025 4:50 pm

martyb wrote:
Here's to all who've listened to MusicZone, finally got the OK to post this publicly!
https://stream.xsa.ca/
Happy listening mates, have you been gripped by the spirit of radio?

Thanks for the stream.
Nice music mix.
Its like a real community station, almost like a station you would hear in a small town.

**Posted by martyb** March 10, 2025 3:10 am

Glen Warren wrote:
DOPEfm wrote:
How's this broadcast doing? I'm planning a trip through the ge real area next week and will have to try and catch the signal.
I took a drive out to Oakville last Tuesday evening. It sounded great! I only heard three instances of signal drop or noise while on Dundas St.... at Sutton, and then Tremaine in Burlington, and finally at Dundas and Trafalgar in Oakville. All were momentary.

I headed down Eighth Ln. and then across Upper Middle to Grand Blvd (Falgarwood), then over to Trafalgar and the QEW and finally back to Burlington along the QEW,

Very solid signal, with only the three short instances of noise or drops... not too bad.

The playlist is varied and rich, and its great to hear music that I haven't heard in years... And the IDs are very polished and tight....

Still think the person(s) behind "The Music Zone" have an extensive background in radio. Or, they are a real fan of the classic CFNY "The Spirit of Radio"

How's the reception lately? I've noticed a whole lot better ground coverage near downtown.

**Posted by Glen Warren** March 10, 2025 9:14 am

martyb wrote:
....

How's the reception lately? I've noticed a whole lot better ground coverage near downtown.

Sounds great!!! We were in Oakville on Friday evening... came in from the west on the QEW, down to Speers and Kerr, and then to the Oakville downtown area... back along Randall / Rebecca and onto the QEW at Third Line.

Very clean, solid signal....

**Posted by mace** March 10, 2025 9:35 am

GOOD NEWS [Maybe] I noticed on the World Radio Map, when you select Hamilton or Toronto, 93.9 is listed. It doesn't work [yet] Perhaps it has just been added and is a work in progress. No transmitter site is indicated, simply Oakville.

**Posted by Scarboroughbluffsradiof99** March 10, 2025 1:33 pm

I love that site.

**Posted by Glen Warren** March 11, 2025 1:14 pm

MusicZone! 93.9 was off the air earlier this morning as I was heading out to run some errands... 10:15 or so...

Nice to hear that they are back on air when I returned home after the noon hour.

**Posted by martyb** March 11, 2025 10:28 pm

Sounds liek they went off the air again sometime today. Loud and clear in in the morning, better than I heared in a while! But static in the late afternoon

The main stream page now redirects to https://musiczonefm.ca/ !!

There's an interesting message there that implies more than just technical difficulties! The direct stream link is the same as the one I was given above, it's still streaming.

Last edited by martyb (March 12, 2025 1:04 pm)