Updates for Canada (Latest info — Sept. 10, 2010)
 

Just thought I'd pass along a number of changes in Canada you might be interested in. These are all in the Industry Canada database.

For your list of current stations:

• CKAL-DT Calgary (Ch. 49).

For your list of pending stations:

Approved DTV stations yet to come on the air

• CFCN-DT(1) (Ch. 29) Calgary: Channel change and power increase.
• CFEM-DT-1 (Ch. 20) Val D'Or
• CFVS-DT-1 (Ch. 10) Rouyn-Noranda
• CKRT-DT (Ch. 7) Rivière-du-Loup

Technical changes to existing DTV stations

• CIVT-DT (Ch. 32) Vancouver — higher ERP for post-transition
• CHAN-DT (Ch. 22) Vancouver — application to stay on Ch. 22 and use higher ERP for post-transition

Applications for new DTV stations to come on the air ASAP

• CBRT-DT (Ch. 21) Calgary
• CHNM-DT-1 (Ch. 29) Victoria

Applications for DTV stations to come on the air as of Aug. 31, 2011

• CIHF-DT (Ch. 8) Halifax
• CKMI-1-DT (Ch. 15) Montreal

Applications for analog stations to come on the air as of Aug. 31, 2011

• CHWI-60 (Ch. 26) Windsor, Ont.

P.S. There are also plenty of DTV stations that are being rubber-stamped by the CRTC without public announcement. They are routinely added to the Industry Canada without notice.

Any Update?
 

downbeat,

Any update to this?

Applications for DTV stations to come on the air after Aug. 31, 2011

# CJOH-DT (Ch. 13) Ottawa
# CFRN-DT Edmonton (Ch. 12)

I'm assuming based on the comments that were recently made by our industry minister that these requests would be denied?

I find this upsetting that CTV isn't getting their butts in gear in some demographics ,whereas in others like in Calgary, they were up and running first! :mad:

Don't assume there's any nefarious going on.
A lot of the DTV changeover dates are governed by simple technical and infrastructure problems.
For CJOH and CFCF, for example, those stations are re-using their current analog channels for their new digital services. Obviously, digital and analog can't both be on at once on the same channel, and it's likely not economically feasible anymore for those stations to operate another station in digital alongside their main operations during what's left of the transition period.
I don't know what's the hold up in Edmonton. Maybe it has something to do with CFRN (12) and CITV (13) ending up on neighbouring channels.
In Calgary, CTV, Global and Citytv need to move to UHF permanently, so it makes sense for those stations to get a head start and switch ASAP.

P.S. If you read my earlier reply, my apologies — I misunderstood the question. That improper response has been removed.

CIVQ on the air
 

Télé-Québec confirmed in a news release its station CIVQ-DT Quebec City has come on the air. If you can read French:
http://www.telequebec.tv/communiques/?id=159

Here's CIVQ-DT's IC database excerpt:
Québec / AU / 25 / CIVQ-DT / R-QF / 464827 lat / 711300 long / 153.0 metres / 9300 watts / 536.00 MHz

I'm not sure what you mean by this. CTV is applying to flash cut CJOH on ch. 13. Why should it be denied? (Personally, I'd rather see CJOH at 30 or 40 kW instead of 20, but I understand there could be coordination issues with the FCC wrt WVNY on ch 13 in Burlington. In any case, it beats the lower power that they were originally allocated in the post-transition plan.)

[QUOTE=tvlurker;1899]According to downbeats post CJOH and CFRN have applied to extend passed the AUG 31 2011 digital cut over drop dead date. (or at least that is how I read it) To me this means they are trying to continue to operate in Analog passed Aug 2011. This is what I feel will be denied.

I am frustrated that CFRN in Edmonton is taking so long. Who knows what the hold up is, all I know is I e-mailed them and asked a number of months ago and they said it wouldn't be operational until 2011 so the hold up issues have been on going for quite a while.

No I didn't so all good.

[QUOTE=FreeJAC;1902]I believe downbeat had a typo in his original post. CTV quite clearly states:

Sorry, that was a typo on my part. That header should read AS OF August 31, 2011, not AFTER. It's been fixed.

Cfrn-dt/citv-dt
 

FreeJAC - Yes - in the case of CFRN-DT Edmonton they need to remove half of the Channel 3 VHF Lo antenna from the top part of the mast in order to install the channel 12/13 multi bay Hi band antenna! The ERP of the Channel 3 analog service was 609 Kw. I have seen the antennas and the arrays are massive, so removing the top stack is a major piece of work at a great height!
Also I believe that CITV is sharing the new antenna and so they will suffer a similar delay before going on air. This will involve periods of Channel 3 shutting down/going to low power in order to allow the work to take place without harming the contractors. A large undertaking to say the least! I don't know exactly what the time frame is but will attempt to find out.
The transmitter site is called "Big Looma" apparently ;)

Thanks. That makes me feel a little better, understanding the work that is required to get the job done. How does the situation in Calgary compare?

What becomes of the lower half of the Channel 3 antenna? (and the old channel 13 antenna, as well?)

I would think that the lower stack on channel 3 will continue in operation until Aug 31 2011 when it will be dismantled. I imagine that the power is about 50% of the original ERP 300 Kw at a lower EHAAT (a fraction of it's former glory). The old Hi band stack will also be removed after the switchover date I would think, unless it can be used as a backup antenna? The Channel 3 transmitter is a Larcan 30 Kw M series unit the same that Calgary is using at present on Channel 2 but they had a whopping antenna gain when both stacks were in use.

In Calgary. a new stayed mast has been erected by Harvard broadcasting for their FM use on the Global TV site but it also was fitted with UHF panel antennas on-top 378 Meters EHAAT. The old original Channel 2 mast was becoming dangerous as it suffered various effects due to stress possibly caused by weather conditions and so it has been taken down. The new CICT-DT transmitter on channel 41 should be on the air any time now! Rogers is also sharing the new installation with it's CityTv and Omni channels. CFCN already have a new UHF stack on the top of their newer tower (2001) and have received CRTC approval for their 10 Kw transmitter producing 220 Kw ERP on Channel 29. I am waiting for a timeframe for their switch-on. :)

CKEM-DT in Edmonton seems to be operational as of today. :D It looks real good too.

downbeat you can update your OP

Cfrn
 

I see that someone received a reply from CFRN as quoted below:-

So it seems that Channel 3 is going QRT (off the air for good) when the DTV transmitter is ready for service!

Excellent! It can't come soon enough!

Cfrn/citv
 

Since my earlier postings - I have to make the following corrections.

1. CFRN will continue broadcasting on Channel 3 until Aug 31 2011.

2. The new CFRN-DT will come on next year on Channel 12 as was said.

3. The Channel 3 CFRN transmitter is an old RCA tube unit.

4. It is CITV that is using the Larcan M series unit on Channel 13.
The same transmiitter as used in Calgary on Channel 2.


Sorry for the errors - these were pointed out to me by a Global broadcast engineer!

Updated original post to include technical change for CICT-DT Calgary coming into effect.

So far, since the CICT transmitter site has moved, I get zero signal. Cannot get confirmation if they are actually transmitting on channel 41. The previous site provided an excellent signal.

frank - the reception really depends exactly on where you are located in the city - but the new permanent signal is generally much stronger than the previous temporary one. You may need to move your antenna or relocate it to your loft or roof. You may want to do some testing for the signal which is very location dependant. The new transmitter power (ERP) is 50,000 watts compared to 3,500 watts previously. It now covers about 4 times the population and has even been received in Red Deer.