This post has been corrected.
A new radio station has snuck onto the airwaves in Montreal. It’s calling itself “Radio Enfant” and transmitting on 106.7 FM.
It’s an initiative of two schools, and is operating over the holidays until the beginning of January. It’s a low-power transmitter, so the signal is very weak, but I could pick it up for most of a late-night walk downtown after hearing about it on the Radio in Montreal group.
Radio Enfant recently launched a station in Gatineau at 1670 AM, at a CRTC-approved 1,000 Watts of power. It decided, apparently on its own, to start something up on 106.7FM in Montreal, after learning that this frequency was vacated by Aboriginal Voices Radio, which decided to surrender its license for CKAV-FM-10 on that frequency.
The only thing is that, unlike the Gatineau station, Radio Enfant hasn’t been issued a CRTC license to operate a radio station in Montreal. It says it’s planning to apply for one (or has already applied, but the CRTC hasn’t released that application yet), but that’s kind of backwards, and means the Montreal stations are technically pirates.
UPDATE (Jan. 7): Sheldon Harvey, a local radio enthusiast, informs me that they have an experimental operating license from Industry Canada, which means they are operating legally. My apologies.
Fortunately, Radio Enfant isn’t interfering with any existing stations. Boom FM, a station in St. Hyacinthe on 106.5FM, still comes in fine (which is good, because it’s an Astral Media Radio station, and Astral is a funding partner in Radio Enfant). There are no stations in the area at 106.9 – but there are in Trois Rivières, Sherbrooke and Ottawa that basically cancel each other out here.
The Montreal station will be on the air for another couple weeks and will then go silent until a license is obtained, from what I understand. Although this way of operating will be a huge strike against them. The antenna is in the plateau and is difficult to hear because there is a pirate also operating on 106.7. The pirate is playing continuous country music and seems to be coming from Kahnawake. So which signal you hear depends where you are located.
Pirate radio sounds kinda awesome and makes me want to go watch Pump Up The Volume.
Don’t tell the person in my house who went through all the trouble to get a CRTC license about that or his head might explode.
The CRTC and Industry Canada need to be notified about any pirate radio transmitters. This can lead to both fines and jail time. This is a very serious matter. You want a license? Then apply for one. Nobody has any business putting up a transmitter and causing problems to other licensed stations, air traffic control, and even causing interferance so close to the US border on Industry Canada and FCC agreed frequency uses. These childish idiots have no idea what they are doing, and what problems they can cause. Smartin up.
As well, I had read somewhere that the old CKAV-FM frequency was to go to CKDG-FM. I can’t locate the info right now in order to post a link.
Unless I’m missing something, the CRTC hasn’t issued the frequency to anybody yet. The AVR license was only turned in a few months ago.
CKAV-FM gave back their license back in April.
http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2009/090406/nerw.html#can
Click on Canada at the site.
I’m sure I read the CKDG-FM info either at the CRTC site, or FYBUSH. I just can’t find the info now.
Either way, This doesn’t change the problem in the Montreal area of people operating without a license. There was a big stink about some kid operating without a license in the Ottawa area the past 2 weeks. He was shutdown by Industry Canada.
Okay, I located the info at the CRTC site
http://www.crtc.gc.ca/eng/archive/2009/2009-508.htm
My mistake. CKDG-FM not to go to 106.7, but probably 106.3
from my understanding after reading the decision. But as indicated, at the time would have effected 106.7 if they had not returned their license.
This is for a new multilingual station, separate from CKDG-FM, which is operated by the same group, as I understand the ruling.
The bigger mystery on 106.7 MHz is the apparent pirate operation playing non-stop country music. This signal has been on the air since at least December 12th, 24 hours a day, broadcasting continuous country music with no ideas, no announcements, no station breaks, etc.
Steve and Janice Karlock, hosts of the International Radio Report on CKUT, tracked the source of this signal to an area of Kahnawake, QC, along Highway 207 on the South Shore. We reported on this signal on the programme on December 13 as well as posted information about the signal on the Radio in Montreal Yahoo discussion group.
Given all the media attention that the kid in Ottawa got for his pirate operation, I find it surprising that this apparent pirate has been allowed to continue transmitting for at least 11 days straight.
Are Industry Canada and the CRTC aware of this transmission. You would think by now that they would be, but the station continues to broadcast.
I would like to clear up some mis-information in your original article on the Radio Enfant operation currently broadcasting on 106.7 MHz here in Montreal.
I spoke with a representative of Industry Canada this morning who informed me that the Radio Enfant station is completely legal. A temporary experimental operating permit was granted by Industry Canada to Radio Enfant to operatate two transmitters, both on 106.7 MHz, until January 11, 2010. One transmitter is located in Le Plateau; the other in the Ahunstic borough of Montreal. Industry Canada does not issue standard call letters for these types of operations. Instead they are issued permits bearing identification starting with the letter “V”, much like commercial or amateur radio callsigns.
Therefore, the Radio Enfant operation is definitely not a pirate and is not operating without the knowledge of the CRTC and Industry Canada.
The country music being heard continuously on the same frequency of 106.7 MHz. is a completely different kettle of fish. That operation is currently under investigation.
Thanks for the correction, I’ve updated the post.
this morning (9-9) radio enfant displaced vpr 107.9. I am making inquiries and complaining to crtc and informing vpr but as yet have no info more than on current web sites. I STRONGLY recommend that anyone wishing to preserve access in monteal to our one last adult radio station strongly COMPLAIN . cbc has mostly gone to the dogs and radio-canada is as sickening as most commercial stations. LET’S SPEAK UP!!
Since VPR (WVPS) is an American station, the CRTC can’t and won’t order any station on this side of the border to protect it.
Theo,
I agree with you. I also listen to VPR at night (for their BBC broadcast). Maybe RadioEnfant could use the AM band for their experiment like they do in the Outaouais region ? I hope they do. VPR is the reason I stay (relatively) sane (no tv).
Sorry for the zombie thread, but if anyone is still in tune with this topic, is Radio Enfant still broadcasting on VPR’s frequency? I haven’t bought my antenna yet so I can’t really get much besides the really strong broadcasts and I might not bother if I can’t get VPR.
Thanks!