1710 CHIM Radio vs Canadian "Official" Top End at 1700-1705 KC

[NQC]

Hey All,

Anyone know anything about  1710 CHIM ,ONT, Canada ?

Supposedly 84 watts. Yet the Canadian spectrum assignments list the TOP frequency as 1705 Kc ( 1700 centered), just the same as the USA .

The only known  North American  exception above 1705 Kc  I know of is  WQFG 689     centered on 1710 Kc in NJ.

Special permit ? Pirate  outlet  carrying  their licensed FM operations ?

Hmmmm,

K

[ChrisSmolinski]

Interesting that they got an allocation on 1710 kHz. No chance of me hearing them, with the Hudson County Lid TIS on 1710.

There are actually a few US TIS stations on 1710 kHz in addition to Hudson County, my DX ToolBox has them in its built in TIS Station tool.

I had to file a FOIA request with the feds to get the list of TIS stations on Federal property, as they are not in the FCC database since they're US government licensed stations 

DX ToolBox: https://www.blackcatsystems.com/software/ham-shortwave-radio-propagation-software.html

[NQC]

Hey Chris,

Do you think 1710 is TRULY legit for them (special permit ? )or did they just "show up" because it was clear and  available on all modern radios ?

IF (IF) they are squatting on frequency , they are pretty bold  since 1710 is published openly  on their web site.

Hmmmm.

Your thoughts  ?
 
FWIW, I have done a good bit of MW reading lately    re who gets what and  who can operate where : ie  in depth  TIS/ Info station regs  , the Pt 15 regs and  also info re  the regular broadcast stations.This how CHIM came to my  attention.
 
I can see  the CRTC maybe granting INFO station license ( like WQFG 689), but a full BROADCAST privilege ??

de N1NQC

[ChrisSmolinski]

I checked the CRTC website to find licensing information. I could not find any online databases or other information. Also, it's worse than the FCC website. 

I then remembered the FCC AM database files have the required Canadian Content, so I checked them. While they do show the various X band stations from Canada, they do not show 1710 CHIM.  I would not necessarily assume this proves they're not licensed as it could be an oversight in the DB files, but there's a data point.

[NQC]

Hey Chris,

Interesting.

It looks like CHIM is an "anomaly"-either the ONLY licensed "non info" station  in North America  on 1710  -OR- simply an unauthorized repeat of  their licensed FM operations .
 

I would THINK that a good FM operation would get a larger audience than a lonely / low power outpost would  way up on 1710 but who knows.

ANY engineer worth his field strength  meter would know that there  would be  a "near zero" response off of skywave at "64" watts. So pretty much scratch coverage into the boonies.

Not really getting it.

If I had a "chain" of FM  stations like they do, I am not sure I would "push things" by having a non licensed operation on a frequency that is probably NOT going to be such a HUGE addition to their  numbers.

"Different".

K

[Beerus Maximus]

Come on, searching the Canadian broadcast license database is easy. You just have to download a zip of .dbf files and fire up your copy of dBaseIII lol! Yes I am serious, their database is dBaseIII.

http://sms-sgs.ic.gc.ca/eic/site/sms-sgs-prod.nsf/eng/h_00015.html#Database

Online search of a single frequency search is here:

https://sms-sgs.ic.gc.ca/frequencySearch/searchBySingleFrequency/index?execution=e2s1&lang=en_CA

It does not appear CHIM 1710 appears in any of the data.

* Joking aside, Excel will open dBaseIII files.

[Kilokat7]

Hey All,

Anyone know anything about  1710 CHIM ,ONT, Canada ?

Supposedly 84 watts. Yet the Canadian spectrum assignments list the TOP frequency as 1705 Kc ( 1700 centered), just the same as the USA .

The only known  North American  exception above 1705 Kc  I know of is  WQFG 689     centered on 1710 Kc in NJ.

Special permit ? Pirate  outlet  carrying  their licensed FM operations ?

Hmmmm,

K

It's a pirate and was occasionally heard when active here in West Michigan.  I haven't heard it in several years but haven't checked this season using my North antenna.  I probably have logs of it here if you dig back far enough and for sure a video or two of CHIM reception at this location on my YT channel.

[NQC]

Hey All,

Thanks  for the replies.

I figured it was PROBABLY an "unauthorized" use of 1710, but wasn't quite sure.

The real sticking point  was they seemed to be the only ones "allowed" to use 1710 for broadcast, an unlikely reality. But I kept an "open mind" (until now ).

I appreciate the info.

K

[pinto vortando]

Only hearing the NJ station here...   blah, blah, blah, ad nauseam.
Do any local residents actually listen to this or even know it exists ?  Probably more AM DXers know about this station than the locals.

OK, you can turn the DX test off now, we all got it in the logbook.