ODDS & ENDS

[Dan Sys]

AMP Radio 90.3 in Calgary has a new set of calls. No surprise that Newcap ditched CFUL in favour of CKMP.

CIBW 92.9 in Drayton Valley, AB got the go ahead to increase power from 7.400 watts to 22,000 watts (50,000 watts Max. ERP). This move will likely result in CIBW becomming a rimshot for the Edmonton market.

CIOC 98.5 in Victoria has applied for a synchronous repeater on 98.5 with 635 watts (3,500 watts Max. ERP) on Salt Spring Island, BC to alleviate their signal deficiencies in the northern part of their coverage area.

CKQB-1 99.7 Pembroke has applied to move to 99.9 and reduce power from 45,200 watts to 7,500 watts. This was necessitated by the approval of the new Astral station in Ottawa on 99.7.

CBI 1070 in Sydney has received an extension until July 9, 2010 to flip to 97.1 FM. The new CBC Espace Musique station in Timmins at 105.7 also received an extension until June 29, 2010 to get on the air. Also CHNC 610 in New Carlisle and CHGM 1150 in Gaspe can remain on the air until December 1, 2009 to resolve signal issues with their new flipped FM's.

 

[Tincap]

CKQB-1 99.7 Pembroke has applied to move to 99.9 and reduce power from 45,200 watts to 7,500 watts. This was necessitated by the approval of the new Astral station in Ottawa on 99.7.

The power reduction will be a bummer for those driving between Deep River and Mattawa...there's not much on the dial out that way.

BG

 

[Yeziknoradio]

CKQB-1 99.7 Pembroke has applied to move to 99.9 and reduce power from 45,200 watts to 7,500 watts. This was necessitated by the approval of the new Astral station in Ottawa on 99.7.

The power reduction will be a bummer for those driving between Deep River and Mattawa...there's not much on the dial out that way.

BG

I'm sorry?...what's the purpose of the Pembroke repeater again?

(Who was it MEANT to serve, and are they still being served...?)

 

[mjlarochelle]

I'm sorry?...what's the purpose of the Pembroke repeater again?

(Who was it MEANT to serve, and are they still being served...?)

My guess as to why they have a repeater has to do with that station's history. The old CJSB on 540 had a huge coverage area, which I believe included a good chunk of the upper Ottawa Valley. After CJSB moved to FM in 1994 as CKQB-FM, that would've left the upper Ottawa Valley without that station - and so the repeater was probably added to keep that station available. Same logic has been used by CBC when it has converted AM stations to FM, and FM repeaters are needed in areas previously served by the AM station that can't get the new FM station, as was the case with the Toronto station in Midwestern Ontario.

It was also an easy way for then-Standard Radio to put a rock format station in Pembroke without having to program it locally. More listeners, more value for advertisers. They already were programming country-format CHVR locally, and they have done nothing but cut back at that station in recent years. CHVR used to have the likes of Tony Grace in its news department, and now that station has a very much pared back news operation.

 

[mimo]

Believe it or not, the Pembroke repeater also makes it into parts of Ottawa, especially the west end, and I've even heard it as far east as Orleans, which is at the east end of the city for those who don't know the geography. With the TIS station at 99.7 now, it's made the reception for Pembroke much more difficult, but when you get out towards Bayshore, Kanata Stittsville and Aylmer on the Quebec side, the Pembroke relay definitely starts to make it's presence known. I haven't been outside of the Ottawa area past Stittsville, but I'm willing to bet once you're 15 minutes west of there, 99.7 is probably almost as strong as 106.9 on some radios.

 

[Tincap]

Believe it or not, the Pembroke repeater also makes it into parts of Ottawa, especially the west end, and I've even heard it as far east as Orleans, which is at the east end of the city for those who don't know the geography. With the TIS station at 99.7 now, it's made the reception for Pembroke much more difficult, but when you get out towards Bayshore, Kanata Stittsville and Aylmer on the Quebec side, the Pembroke relay definitely starts to make it's presence known. I haven't been outside of the Ottawa area past Stittsville, but I'm willing to bet once you're 15 minutes west of there, 99.7 is probably almost as strong as 106.9 on some radios.

We also get it down here south of Ottawa. However, the nice thing about the 47k signal was that it could be picked up east of Mattawa, after losing the North Bay signals. And having driven that route many times, believe me, there's not much choice up there. Although I've never really been a Bear/Virgin fan, it acted as a homing beacon on those long barren stretches...

BG

 

[Yeziknoradio]

It seems to be a pretty big signal cut still...

 

[Tincap]

It seems to be a pretty big signal cut still...

I believe that when the repeater was first placed there in Pembroke, the intention was that it was to cover the entire upper Ottawa Valley region (which is why the CRTC approved the 47k power rating.). However, numerous other 'local' stations have popped up, possibly allowing the cut in power. Having said that, none of these newer stations are north of Pembroke and have the reach up the Valley which the Bear/Virgin has, resulting in some smaller communities being served only by the CBC repeaters (great, repeaters full of repeats, LOL!).

BG