The Canadian Challenge

By Karl Forth
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Hearing all the Canadian shortwave stations in the 49 meter band is a fair challenge for the Cicago DXer. Hearing all of the medium wave stations, which these outlets re-broadcast is a challenge for a DXer anywhere.

The shortwave stations (CFCX, CKZN, CKZU, CHNX, CFRX, CFVP and CKFX) have been the subject of several articles elsewhere. Several DXers in the Chicago area have managed to hear all seven of these stations. Several DXers have logged six of the seven medium wave stations (CFCF, CBN, CBU, CHNS, CFRB, CFCN and CKWX) during the past ten years or so. No one in the Chicago area (or anywhere else, probably) has logged all 14 of these stations.

Taken as a group, the medium wave stations are undoubtedly more difficult. Despite the higher powers used (in the most extreme case, CKWX-1130 AM has 5,000 times the power of CKFX-6080) interference on medium wave is much greater.

All of the seven stations and their shortwave relays are big city operations, and most were pioneers n broadcasting in North America. All of the stations have been aware that their shortwave and medium wave signals are received at faraway points, and all have proven to be friendly to DXers. All seven stations have consistently verified reception on both their medium wave and shortwave transmitters.

So, let’s take a look at each of these stations, and a former member of this "club".

Although intimidating to the beginner, hearing CFVP on 6030 kHz from Calgary, Alberta is not that difficult. This station can usually be heard in the 1-3 a.m. CLT slot, or between 6 and 7 a.m., when AFRTS station is off the air. This station programs pop music, and features plenty of identifications, ads, promos, time checks, etc. This station dates back to 1931, but is using a new solid state 100 Watt transmitter, and a 41 ft. quarter wave antenna.

The Am station here, CFCN, 1060 kHz, goes back even further, to 1921. CFCN began in High River, Alberta, and moved to Calgary in 1922, broadcasting with a power of 750 Watts. In 1947, the station moved to its present frequency. CFCN broadcasts with 50,000 Watts, non-directional days, with a nighttime antenna pattern that favors the north, northwest and southwest.

Hearing CFCN is dependent on three factors. First, KYW in Philadelphia must be off the air (KYW used to have a regular Monday morning silent period, but is now off only occasionally), second, above average northwest conditions must be in place, and finally, the Mexico City station must not be too loud.

Station counters (on shortwave anyway) were able to chalk up a new one recently, when the transmitters of both CFCN and CFVP were relocated to a new site south of Calgary.

One Canadian shortwave station that can no longer be heard is CJCX on 6010 kHz. This station broadcast with 1,000 Watts, relaying CJCB-1270 in Sydney, Nova Scotia. CJCX was relatively easy to hear, but it was not put back on the air after a fire at the station. CJCB was (and still is) very difficult to log. It has not been heard in the Chicago area since 1972.

Another Nova Scotia medium wave station CHNS, 960 kHz, in Halifax is also quite difficult and has been noted in this area only a handful of times in the early and mid 70’s. CHNS transmits with 10,000 Watts, but little power is beamed to the west.

This station’s shortwave relay, CHNX on 6130 kHz, broadcasts with 500 Watts and is much easier to hear. The best time to log CHNX is during the early morning hours when 49 meters is relatively quiet. Listen for a basic MoR format. CHNX came on the air in 1929, three years after CHNS.

Newfoundland is one of the toughest provinces to hear on medium wave. CBN-640 from St. John’s, Newfoundland broadcasts with 10,000 Watts and is rarely heard at sign-on at 3:27 a.m. CLT. (Two related stations, CBNM-740 in Marystown and CBT-540 from Grand Falls have also been heard at this time). These frequencies are fairly clear, but since these stations are pretty far north, conditions have to be just right for them to be received in Chicago.

Shortwave DXers may count Newfoundland as a separate country. CKZN operates on 6160 khz with 300 Watts, and is usually heard fairly well at sign-on (all these Newfoundland stations sign-on at the same time). There is some interference from the Colombian station on this frequency, Emisora Nueva Granada in Bogota, but this does not affect CKZN as much as it affects CKZU. This is one of the most interesting Canadian shortwave stations to listen to.

The other CBC shortwave station is located all the way across Canada in Vancouver, British Colombia. CKZU also operates on 6160 kHz and is the hardest Canadian shortwave station to hear. The station’s 500 Watts do not put in nearly as much strength as CKZN and suffer much more interference from the Colombian on the same frequency. The best time to try is in the 2-3 a.m. time period, after which CKZU signs off.

CKZU relays CBU, the main English CBC station in British Colombia. CBU broadcasts on 690 kHz with 50,000 Watts, and with a fair amount of power aimed at the Midwest on its night pattern. Despite the fact that 690 is fairly clear, CBU has not been heard much in recent years and was much more common in the early 70’s, despite the lack of many changes on the frequency.

CKWX, 1130 kHz from Vancouver has been heard more often lately that CBU. (CFUN-1410 has offered the best signals from British Colombia lately and has been the "indicator station" for other medium wave reception from this area.) Despite its 50,000 Watt power and relatively favorable antenna pattern, CKWX is not easy due to the heavy interference on the frequency. Stations in New York and Shreveport operate at night with 50,000 Watts, Detroit and Milwaukee stations have 10,000 Watts of nighttime power, and a Minneapolis station is on the air during darkness with 25,000 Watts. The best time to try is late at night, or near local sunrise, when interference from the east is reduced.

CKWX has a sister station that has no such interference problems. CKFX is on 6080 kHz wit a power of only 10 Watts, and has been one of the hottest shortwave stations to hear in recent years, even though it’s been on the air since 1947. Everyone, I seems, is reporting this formerly elusive station. Even though it has been reported in all corners of North America and beyond, it still requires a great deal of persistence and patience to log. The best time to try is around 2 or 3 a.m. CLT. Listen for country and pop music, ads, "Super Country" Ids, etc. You may hear the music weakly a number of times before finally nailing down an ID.

A station that is much easier to hear, much closer to the Midwest, and 10 kHz below CKFX is CFRX from Toronto, Ontario on 6070 kHz. CFRX can be heard during the evening, early morning, and even during the day. CFRX was rumored to be leaving the air a couple of years ago, but it’s still going strong with 1,000 Watts beamed mostly north from its transmitter site in Mississauga, Ontario.

CFRX relays CFRB, which operates with 50,000 Watts and is generally heard well on its 1010 kHz channel. If you’re too close to WCFL (1000 kHz), you may have to wait for that station’s Monday morning silent period (12:30-5:00 a.m. CLT) to hear CFRB clearly. CFRB/CFRX features a big city, laid-back MoR format.

CFCF, 600 kHz in Montreal, Quebec, is the only station of the 14 described here that has not been heard in the Chicago area at all recently (within the past 15 years or so). CFCF beams nearly all of its 5,000 Watts night power straight north, and operates with a directional antenna pattern during the day as well. A construction permit for 50,000 Watts at night might make CFCF possible during initial equipment tests, but a more restrictive antenna pattern is sure to negate the power boost from a DXer’s point of view.

CFCX, which relays CFCF on 6005 kHz with 500 Watts, is the easiest Canadian shortwave station to hear after CFRX. It can be heard during the evening and early morning with interference from Radio Reloj in Costa Rica on 6006 kHz. Telephone talk shows are often featured. CFCX is another old-timer, coming on the air in 1930. Both stations currently broadcast from a site in Caughnawaga, Quebec.

No one is quite sure of the present audience of the shortwave relays, but they seem to have a better future than shortwave in general in some other parts of the world. (New equipment has been installed recently for CFRX and CFVP.) Almost all of the medium wave stations have become more difficult to hear in the past five years, and will probably become even more difficult in the future.

No matter how hard or how easy these seven shortwave and seven medium wave stations become, it’s a safe bet that they will remain sought after by DXers for some time to come.

2001 NOTES BY CHRISTOS RIGAS:

The following is the list of stations discussed in the article above reflecting the present situation:

SHORTWAVE                                      MEDIUM WAVE                               CITY, PROVINCE

6005 kHz – CFCX - 500 Watts        600 kHz - CIQC - 50,000 Watts           Montreal, Quebec
6030 kHz – CFVP – 100 Watts     1060 kHz – CKMX – 50,000 Watts         Calgary, Alberta
6070 kHz – CFRX – 1,000 Watts  1010 kHz - CFRB – 50,000 Watts           Toronto, Ontario
6080 kHz – CKFX – 10 Watts        1130 kHz – CKWX – 50,000 Watts        Vancouver, British Colombia
6130 kHz – CHNX – 50 Watts        960 kHz – CHNS - 10,000 Watts         Halifax, Nova Scotia
6160 kHz – CKZN – 300 Watts       640 kHz – CBN – 10,000 Watts           St. Johns, Newfoundland
6160 kHz – CKZU – 500 Watts       690 kHz – CBU – 50,000 Watts            Vancouver, British Colombia