CJLI-700 Calgary Testing

[jon]

The IRCA is reporting that CJLI "The Light" Calgary was heard on 700 KHz, testing with Music, ID then Open Carrier later on May 9th.

No other information yet in terms of a launch date. This is Touch Canada's equivalent of CJCA planned for Calgary. Touch is owned by the son of Dr. Charles Allard, famous for his involvement in founding CHQT and CITV-TV in Edmonton. The son, Charles Jr., founded Touch by getting CJCA back on the air after the previous owner simply signed it off after losing money; most previous CJCA staff moved to CHED.

[albertaboy4life]

Web site coming soon too - http://www.am700thelight.com/#

[skyvalleyradio]

jon - from examining the day/night coverage maps, you should be able to hear this during the day & probably at night too. CJLI might prove to be a tough DX catch here on the west coast: aside from nulling out CBU 690, none of the night radiation pattern puts any wattage west

[jon]

Checked several times over the last few days and nothing. Though I don't have anything set up at the moment that would allow me to detect an Open Carrier.

Both Day and Night patterns shoot almost all the power just slightly East of North, in a fairly tight lobe. Best shot in the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island is going to be just as they switch to Day pattern in the morning, but that is probably still only the equivalent of 1000 watts in your direction.

[albertaboy4life]

Been checking 700 AM off and on at various times and have also not been able to detect any signal.

Are they planning on running 50,000 watts full-time? Pretty sure CKRD 700 AM Red Deer used to drop nighttime power significantly. Perhaps as low as 25,000 watts?

Always amazed at how long some stations have taken to get on the air in Calgary. Rawlco took a long time launching 660 AM, 96.9 FM, and 97.7 FM. 660 and 97.7 each involved frequency changes prior to launch. 97.7 involved a trade with an Olds FM station (CKLJ) which went to 96.5 FM. Pattison also took a while launching 95.3 FM.

But over five years for this station, an entire license term normally, has to be a new record.

[skyvalleyradio]

CJLI will be 50 kW days & 20 kW night from slightly different coverage patterns

[jon]

Technically, the CRTC approved CJLI in its present form on September 15, 2014, as a brand new station. All previous extensions to the original license, dated April 24, 2009, had long run out.

http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2014/2014-478.htm

Night power drops to 20,000 watts, with 50,000 watts in the daytime.

I've never verified any of this, but the FCC probably wins the contest for longest period between license application and approval or denial with some of the U.S. clear channel stations who applied for powers greater than 50,000 watts back in the 1930s, when WLW Cincinnati was (sometimes) running 500,000 watts on a 5 year experimental license, but were not officially turned down until the 1980s when 50,000 watts was finally enshrined in the international broadcasting treaty as the maximum power on AM for the United States. The Cuban Missile Crisis of the early 1960s even had the FCC considering the idea of superpower AM stations once again, and stations like WCCO Minneapolis dusting off their old applications.

[albertaboy4life]

Listening to CJLI now as it continues testing of its 700 AM signal.

Hadn't heard anything on 700 AM until tonight.

An area code 780 number (Edmonton?) is announced every so often with instructions to call if one has any questions.

[jon]

Thanks for the tip. Just heard it here, too, and the phone number, 780-466-4930, is in the Edmonton CJCA/SHINE-FM building on Calgary Trail. "if you hear any interference"

Signal is decent in Edmonton, though not as strong as CFFR-660, but close. Presume they are running night pattern and power.

[radiofan]

In New Westminster, no sign of them. Just KXLX EPSN 700 from Airway Heights (Spokane, WA) and lots of slop from CBU.

[jon]

Listening now, they are definitely on their official Industry Canada test period. Which means, barring any issues, they should be officially on the air in about two weeks.

According to my calculations, if you live in the Lower Mainland or Vancouver Island and can hear KXLX at night, you should be able to get CJLI battling it out with KXLX, i.e. - of equivalent strength, after Calgary sunrise but before KXLX sunrise. Assuming the published Night pattern is correct, I just cannot see CJLI being heard on Night Pattern on the West Coast. Or much of anywhere else except between NNW and NE of the transmitter.

[merlin]

Wonder what is going to happen to am 1140 when 700 am the light comes on the air will 1140 go oldies or is there room in Calgary for two of the same