General – Page 51 – Engineering Radio

MW/SW hybrid stations

There are four of these stations in Canada. In my scanning of the shortwave frequencies, I have found CFRX on 6070 KHz to put a strong signal into my location pretty much 24/7. At night it is drowned out by interference but daytime is listenable from local sunrise until about an hour before local sunset with a 100 uv signal. A look at the map reveals the CFRX transmitter site is roughly 300 miles away. CFRX is a relay of CFRB, 1010 KHz in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. CFRB does not come in here at all due to protecting 1010 WINS in NYC.

What I find very interesting is the station uses 1 KW TPO into a single 50-foot (117-degree) vertical tower. That is a pretty low-tech transmission facility, nothing like the minimum 50 KW with a 10 dB antenna requirement the FCC stipulates for shortwave broadcasters in this country. Even so, it generates a big useable signal, in the case of CFRX, covering nearly 300,000 square miles very inexpensively.

CFRX has been relaying CFRB’s signal since 1937. According to the ODXA site, the station uses a Bauer 701B modified to transmit on HF. The Bauer transmitters were always solid units. It went off the air in 2008 for several months while the transmitter was repaired, but eventually, it did return. Obviously, the station ownership finds value in the service and it continues today.

I often wonder why the FCC won’t allow a similar HF relay service here in the US. Daytime propagation on the tropical bands (75 and 60 Meters (3.9-4 MHz and 4.7 – 5.06 MHz respectively)) would allow low-power relays to cover large areas like CFRX. Tropical band propagation is such that nighttime coverage may be degraded by interference from other, more powerful stations offshore. Even so, it seems like a good way to cover a lot of ground in an economical way.

Other Canadian shortwave relay stations:

HF Call sign	Power/frequency	Parent station	Location	Power/frequency
CFRX	1000/6060	CFRB	Toronto, ON	50 KW/1010
CFVP	1000/6030	CKMX	Calgary, AB	50 KW/1060
CKZN	300/6160	CFGB (CBC R-1)	St. Johns, NF	4.5 KW/89.5 MHz
CKZU	500/6160	CBU (CBC R-1)	Vancouver, BC	50 KW/690

Power in watts, frequency is KHz unless otherwise noted.

I know the CRTC would like to do away with these stations, but I think that is foolish.

FCC seeks comments on Traver’s Information Stations (TIS)

Another one of those things that might work could possibly provide some service to travelers, but often falls short. Very similar to EAS, the government officials nominally in charge of the system have no idea of broadcasting. The Rhode Island TIS on I-95 had an endless loop proclaiming “This is the Rhode Island Department of Transportation Travelers Information System.” While that was welcome information, in a snowstorm, something about road conditions or perhaps the weather forecast might have been more appreciated. According to the FCC website, that was WPTJ441 on 1630 KHz with a power of 10 watts. The transmitter is located at the I-95 rest area on the Rhode Island/Connecticut state border.

The FCC is seeking comments on the current TIS in NPRM 10-203:

We solicit comment on whether to modify the existing rules governing the licensing and operation of Travelers’ Information Stations (TIS) to expand the scope of permitted operations. Since the inception of TIS in 1977, the Commission has authorized TIS operations to permit Public Safety Pool eligible entities to transmit noncommercial travel-related information to motorists on a localized basis. However, certain parties and licensees have sought to expand the scope of TIS operations in order to transmit more general alerts and public safety-related information to the public, including non-motorists. By initiating this proceeding, we grant petitions for rulemaking filed by Highway Information Systems, Inc. (HIS) and the American Associations of State Highway and Transportation Officials (AASHTO) requesting the commencement of a proceeding to amend the TIS rules. We deny the petition for declaratory ruling regarding TIS filed by the American Association of Information Radio Operators (AAIRO), but incorporate the issues raised in AAIRO’s petition into this rulemaking proceeding

The TIS as specified in the 1977 RO docket 20509 FCC 77-414 is outdated for the most part. The current rules, 47 CFR 90.242 give pretty specific requirements including things TIS stations are not allowed to retransmit, like NOAA weather forecasts. In one section of the NPRM, it is noted with the currently specified facilities, the average vehicle traveling the speed limit will transit the TIS coverage area in 90 to 120 seconds. For the above station, I found it was listenable for about 5 minutes, from the time I saw the sign next to the transmitter until it faded out, which works out to be about five and a half miles.

One alternate possibility is something like a carrier current station or a leaky coax setup buried in the median. Something like that might have more reliable coverage along the highway without blanketing the general area with a broadcast signal.

Again, in Rhode Island, drivers have the option of calling 511 on their cellphone, provided it is a hands-free cellphone. My only comment about that is when there is a major traffic jam and everyone is dialing 511 to get information, the cellular network will get congested quickly. Having a broadcast outlet for people to listen to on their car radios would be a more effective way to transmit information to the masses. As to what information a driver might want; here are a few suggestions:

Up-to-date traffic information including alternate routing instructions in case of a major tie-up.
Up-to-date weather information including roadway surface conditions and possible lodging locations
Up-to-date construction project information including alternate routing instructions for both car and truck traffic
When there are no traveling issues, other general information about rest stops, hospitals, tourist attractions, etc.

The most important thing is the information is up to date and relevant to a traveler.

Good luck, Mr. Voice

In case you are living under a rock and haven’t seen this, here is Ted Williams:

Homeless for ten years, living in a tent next to a highway and doing voice-over work for $1.00 per line. Almost like working in real radio for one of the big three consolidators. Anyway, I can’t think of a more humbling life experience, he seems to have kept his sense of humor and I hope that he lands that gig, God knows, some local radio station could use that talent.

Rumor has it that the Cleveland Cavaliers have offered him a good job. Hopefully, things will work out for him.

Great Circle Map Generator

For those of you who are interested in radio listening, particularly over long distances (AKA DXing) with even a moderately directional antenna, having a great circle map projection for your location is a necessity. Looking at a Mercator Projection, the normal “flat” map most are familiar with, one might come to the conclusion that due west from upstate NY lies the Washington/Oregon state border. Appearances can be deceptive, bearing away at 270 degrees true (due west) from upstate NY is the California/Mexico border.

This is because we live in a big sphere. In this regard, the only place the Mercator Projection is accurate is around the equator unless one is going due north (0 degrees) or due south (180 degrees). The further north or south from the equator, the less accurate a flat map is. Therefore, having a Great Circle map projection based on your location is handy for choosing the right azimuth to listen along.

As with many things, the internet provides the required tools to generate a great circle map for any location in the world. The first thing needed is an accurate fix of your location. This can be obtained via GPS, or, if you know how to look at a map and or satellite picture, itouchmap can be very useful. Once you know where you are, you can plug that information into this Great Circle Map Generator.

I saved the image as a bit map and used it as the wallpaper on my computer. That way, I just need to minimize any running programs and I can see what the correct azimuth is to any place in the world. This is for upstate NY:

great circle projection — Great Circle Projection