CBON-FM

The Canadian Broadcasting Corporation received approval for an FM station at Sudbury to provide French AM network service. It would operate on a frequency of 98.1 MHz and have an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. An FM transmitter was also approved for the English AM service. CFBR (French) and CKSO (English) would continue as affiliates of the networks until FM penetration increased in the region. The CBC was warned not to relegate its AM network to the FM band and to use AM frequencies where available, to reach the largest possible audience. The CRTC wanted this done in Sudbury with these newly licenced FM stations to be used in the future for the CBC FM network. 

The CBC opened CBON-FM on July 21. CBON provided the main French (AM) Radio-Canada service to the region along with some local and regional programming. CFBR-AM had been the Radio-Canada affiliate in Sudbury. The “ON” in the call sign: Ontario North.

Just before CBON went on the air, it was authorized to operate from studios in Sudbury.

On October 31, CBON-FM-20 went on the air at Thunder Bay.

CBON-FM-21 Gogama opened March 10.

CBON-FM-22 Geraldton and CBON-FM-23 Manitouwadge signed on the air on March 26.

On March 31, CBON-FM-19 Nipigon was opened.

CBON-FM-18 Sault Ste. Marie opened on June 10.

CBON-FM-24 Kapuskasing was opened on April 4.

On August 1, CBON-FM-25 went on the air at Timmins.

CBON-FM received permission on December 17 to operate a new FM transmitter at Hearst, using frequency 90.3 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 10,500 watts.  This transmitter would replace existing AM rebroadcaster CBON-3 at Hearst.

A new transmitter was authorized for Wawa on the same date. The new FM station would replace the existing AM facility, CBON-13, and broadcast over 90.7 MHz, with an effective radiated power, of 890 watts.

On August 7, the CBC received approval for a CBON rebroadcaster at Chapleau, operating on the frequency 91.9 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 345 watts.  It would replace existing CBON-9 Chapleau, a low-power AM station.  

CBON-FM-26 Hearst was opened on September 1.

On September 8, CBON-FM-27  went on the air at Wawa.

CBON-FM-28 Chapleau opened on March 7.

On September 16, CBON-FM was granted a licence for a transmitter at Elliot Lake, operating on 101.7 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 1,000 watts. The CBC indicated that it would shut down CBON-5 Elliot Lake, within a year of the date on which the new FM transmitter became operational and CBON-6 Blind River, once it was determined the region was being adequately served by the new transmitter. It was noted that CBCE-FM Little Current, would relay programming to the new FM station at Elliot Lake by utilizing the Subsidiary Communications Multiplex Operation (SCMO) channel.  

On the same date, a new FM transmitter was approved for Espanola, operating on 94.9 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 870 watts. The new transmitter would replace the existing AM signal, CBON-7 at Espanola.

CBON received approval on September 26 to add an FM transmitter at Dubreuilville, on the frequency 97.9 MHz, with an effective radiated power of 50 watts. It would replace the existing AM transmitter, CBON-11 at Dubreuilville.

On January 29, CBON-FM-11 Dubreuilville signed on.

CBON-FM-5 Elliot Lake opened on February 19.

On August 28, CBON-FM-7 Espanola received authority to decrease effective radiated power from 870 watts to 520 watts. The decrease in power is associated with a decrease in the antenna height as well as other changes in technical parameters to reflect as-built conditions.

On October 29, CBON-FM-7 signed on at Espanola. 

CBON-FM-18 Sault Ste. Marie received approval May 15 to increase effective radiated power from 1,700 watts to 3,590 watts.

On December 5, CBON-FM received permission to replace two aging AM transmitters with FM. The new transmitter at Haileybury would operate on a frequency of 99.7 MHz, and have an effective radiated power of 780 watts. It will replace CKVM Ville-Marie, QC, which would disaffiliate from the network. A new FM transmitter at Kirkland Lake would broadcast on a frequency of 93.7 MHz, and have an effective radiated power of 2,650 watts. It would replace the existing CBON-1 (AM) Kirkland Lake. 

On the same date a new FM transmitter was approved for Kirkland Lake, operating on 93.7 MHz with an effective radiated power of 2,650 watts. It would replace the existing AM transmitter, CBON-1 Kirkland Lake.  

On February 1, CBON-FM-1 Kirland Lake and CBON-FM-2 Haileybury were opened.

The Radio-Canada network was renamed “Première Chaîne” on September 1.

Radio-Canada’s Chaine culturelle service arrived in Sudbury with the launch of CBBX on 90.9 MHz with effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. CBBX received its programming from CBFX-FM Montreal.

As of 2001, CBON-FM operated the following rebroadcast transmitters: CBON-FM-1 Kirkland Lake, CBON-FM-2 Haileybury, CBON-FM-5 Elliott Lake, CBON-6 Blind River (on air since July 29, 1966), CBON-FM-7 Espanola, CBON-10 Matachewan (on air since August 5, 1969), CBON-FM-11 Dubreuilville, CBON-12 Mattawa (on air since December 7, 1970), CBON-FM-17 North Bay (on air since July 10, 1976), CBON-FM-18 Sault Ste. Marie, CBON-FM-19 Nipigon, CBON-FM-20 Thunder Bay, CBON-FM-21 Gogama, CBON-FM-22 Geraldton, CBON-FM-23 Manitouwadge, CBON-FM-24 Kapuskasing, CBON-FM-25 Timmins, CBON-FM-26 Hearst, CBON-FM-27 Wawa, CBON-FM-28 Chapleau. CBON-FM broadcasts approximately 30 hours of local programming each week from Sudbury.

On October 24, the CBC received approval to add a transmitter for CBON-FM at Marathon, operateing on a frequency of 102.3 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 765 watts. The CBC indicated that the FM transmitter at Marathon used to rebroadcast the programming of CBON-FM was previously licensed as a radiocommunication distribution undertaking and that the licensee had ceased the operation of this undertaking. The CBC agreed to maintain the service in Marathon and now wishes to have the transmitter added to the licence for CBON-FM.

CBON-FM operated the following rebroadcast transmitters: CBON-6 Blind River, CBON-10 Matachewan, CBON-12 Matawa, CBON-FM-1 Kirkland Lake, CBON-FM-2 Halleybury, CBON-FM-5 Elliot Lake, CBON-FM-7 Espanola, CBON-FM-11 Dubreuilville, CBON-FM-17 North Bay, CBON-FM-18 Sault Ste. Marie, CBON-FM-19 Nipigon, CBON-FM-20 Thunder Bay, CBON-FM-21 Gogama, CBON-FM-22 Geraldton, CBON-FM-23 Manitouwadge, CBON-FM-24 Kapuskasing, CBON-FM-25 Timmins, CBON-FM-26 Hearst, CBON-FM-27 Wawa, CBON-FM-28 Chapleau and CBON-FM-29 Marathon. 

Wayne Harvey’s position as Supervisor, Transmission Services, at CBC Sudbury was eliminated.

CBON-FM operated the following transmitters: CBON-FM-1 Kirkland Lake, CBON-FM-2 Haileybury, CBON-FM-5 Elliot Lake, CBON-FM-7 Espanola, CBON-FM-11 Dubreuilville, CBON-FM-17 North Bay, CBON-FM-18 Sault Ste. Marie, CBON-FM-19 Nipigon, CBON-FM-20 Thunder Bay, CBON-FM-21 Gogama, CBON-FM-22 Geraldton, CBON-FM-23 Manitouwadge, CBON-FM-24 Kapuskasing, CBON-FM-25 Timmins, CBON-FM-26 Hearst, CBON-FM-27 Wawa, CBON-FM-28 Chapleau, CBON-FM-29 Marathon, CBON-6 Blind River, CBON-10 Matachewan, and CBON-12 Mattawa.

On August 14, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application to change the technical parameters of CBON-FM-26 Hearst, to decrease the average effective radiated power from 10,500 to 8,340 watts (non-directional antenna). 

Late in the year, CBC Sudbury began broadcasting from its new location at 43 Elm Street, downtown. The new facility featured upgraded broadcasting technology and an open concept office. CBC had been located at 15 Mackenzie Street since signing-on the air in 1978.

On November 10, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application to change the authorized contours of CBON-FM-22 Geraldton. Average effective radiated power would decrease from 6,400 to 2,500 watts (EHAAT would decrease from 152.5 to 151.1 metres). The CBC stated that it wanted to replace its existing transmitter in Geraldton, which was now obsolete.

Early in the year, the CBC received CRTC approval to raise the antenna height for CBON-FM-2 Temiskaming Shores.

On July 11, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application to amend the licence for CBON-FM to operate an FM rebroadcasting transmitter in Blind River to replace the existing AM transmitter CBON-6. The new transmitter would operate at 98.5 MHz (channel 253A1) with an ERP of 136 watts (non-directional antenna with an EHAAT of 7 metres).

On July 12, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application to change the authorized contours of CBON-FM-29 Marathon. The horizontally polarized antenna would be replaced by a circularly polarized antenna, and the average ERP would be increased from 765 to 2,285 watts (maximum ERP increasing from 2,023 to 3,862 watts), and the EHAAT would increase from 273.2 to 279.9 metres.

On October 6, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application to change the authorized contours of CBON-FM-25 Timmins, by relocating the transmitter to the CBC television site in Timmins, decreasing ERP from 41,000 to 11,000 watts, and increasing EHAAT from 97.7 to 193 meters.

In October, CBON-10 (1110 kHz) Matchewan left the air and the licence was surrendered to the CRTC.

On March 23, the CRTC approved changes to the authorized contours of CBON-FM-22 Geraldton, by changing the antenna radiation pattern from non-directional to directional, the class of its transmitter from A to B, increasing the maximum ERP from 2,500 to 9,216 watts, decreasing the average ERP from 2,500 to 1,408 watts and increasing the EHAAT from 151.1 to 157.1 metres.

On April 20, the CRTC approved the CBC’s application to decrease the power of CBON-21 Gogama from 6,900 to 5,031 watts. EHAAT would be lowered from 170.5 to 163.3 metres. The radiation pattern would change from non-directional to directional.