Speaking of CBC Radio 2 from Victoria, I have brought it to the attention of the CBC chief engineer for BC on multiple occasions on the past few years. Even mentioned it to programming mgt, who eventually realized what I was talking about a few yrs ago. They told me their computer that receives the signal from the CBC's Toronto centre (like that spelling, eh?) kept defaulting to a low setting. Apparently, it still does. No one at CBC in BC is even looking at the tech parameters for the station, apparently. Or listening, I must presume.
I've given up bringing it to their attention anymore, since I no longer listen to what used to be my very favorite station, since they made massive staff and programming changes designed to drive away discriminating listeners like me. David Wisdom, Jurgen Gothe, and Dannielle Charbonnaut, where are you now??
The low volume on that frequency is also not an issue related to classical music programming (with they have scant little of anymore, and the non-classical is no longer compatible "crossover" material, but odd "Canadian Idol" style pop and off-jazz, not even groovy chill out material). If anything, it sounds tinny and shrill, albeit at 1/3 standard volume. And has for the better part of a year now.
But, again, I digress.
The Radio 2 tower is on Salt Spring Island, which causes a little blockage getting thru the island hills toward Bellingham, but shoots a nice clean signal toward Edmonds. It also comes in with a decent signal in much of Seattle, especially on a west facing hill, but the low volume issue makes it seem as if the signal is weaker than it actually is. You can listen to it all the way from Seattle to Vancouver without much fading, but a little multipath.
The other Vancouver transmitter for Radio 2 on 105.7 is north of the city with the rest of them, and also gets down to Everett OK. But when I compare it with the signal on 92.1, it usually sounds better - cleaner and at a proper volume.
Lately, I've been enjoying the upgraded signal of Espace Musique (the Radio-Canada cultural service ) from Victoria on 88.9. The weeknight music programming is usually sublimely wonderful, with a mix of classical, blending with world music by 7pm, then evolving into mostly jazz by 10pm most nights. And the mid evening announcer's nicotine stained voice is actually wonderful to listen to speaking French. (I think his name is Daniel Bergman.) I find it much more satisfying to listen to than the same old same old everywhere else, and more imaginative than most of what's on TV. Good music for reading or dining or hot tubbing or whatever. Any of you listen to it yet? I think the emphasis on downtempo is a big part of how the mix seems to fit the evening daypart. Sunday afternoons are often like that, too, with a little more jazz standards in the mix. Sure would be nice to hear a Seattle non-comm try something like that.
I do wish the CBC Radio 2 people paid better attention to how their French counterparts from Montreal mix up fine arts music with ancillary genres, so they might sound less forced and artificial, and learn how to segue music without all of the 'trainwrecks.'
