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April 8, 2022 10:37 am  #1


CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

It has been a long time coming but CHCH in Hamilton is moving to their new facilities on Monday.  Here is one of the teaser promos they started running today on Morning Live...https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=eq410plMxpA

 

April 8, 2022 11:34 am  #2


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

This won't make much difference to viewers, but engineers might like it - it turns out something else at CHCH is moving: its transmitter site. According to an application to the CRTC, it's requesting permission to move its TX site some 20 km away from where it currently sits, because the area where the huge tower now sits is increasingly in the middle of a growing housing development. 

Instead, they've found a new place in what their documentation calls "farmland," which the station argues will not cause any additional interference to existing stations, will get it out of a growing neighbourhood and will make it easier for engineers to reach for maintenance and emergencies. YesTV will also be moving to this new tower.

"Recognizing the increasing incompatibility of the site with residential development, and anticipating potential future issues, starting in 2018, Channel Zero initiated a search for an appropriate potential new transmitter site, followed up by the sales process of the Stoney Creek Site.

After reviewing a number of options, on July 19, 2019 Channel Zero reached an Agreement of Purchase and Sale for a parcel of land at 367 Highway #5 West, Flamborough, Ontario, again located within the City of Hamilton, for a new transmitter site (“Flamborough Site”).  The Flamborough Site is located approximately 8.5 kilometers northwest of central Hamilton, in a predominately rural area with surrounding land used for agriculture and some commercial/industrial purposes. Land preparation is currently underway for transmitter tower construction, with a target completion date of Fall 2023."



I'm not an engineer, but it looks from the map that the new tower might make CHCH less easy to get in parts of Buffalo.

 

April 8, 2022 11:50 am  #3


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

Some FM's will need to relocate too

 

April 8, 2022 3:10 pm  #4


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

RadioActive wrote:

This won't make much difference to viewers, but engineers might like it - it turns out something else at CHCH is moving: its transmitter site. According to an application to the CRTC, it's requesting permission to move its TX site some 20 km away from where it currently sits, because the area where the huge tower now sits is increasingly in the middle of a growing housing development. 

Instead, they've found a new place in what their documentation calls "farmland," which the station argues will not cause any additional interference to existing stations, will get it out of a growing neighbourhood and will make it easier for engineers to reach for maintenance and emergencies. YesTV will also be moving to this new tower.

"Recognizing the increasing incompatibility of the site with residential development, and anticipating potential future issues, starting in 2018, Channel Zero initiated a search for an appropriate potential new transmitter site, followed up by the sales process of the Stoney Creek Site.

After reviewing a number of options, on July 19, 2019 Channel Zero reached an Agreement of Purchase and Sale for a parcel of land at 367 Highway #5 West, Flamborough, Ontario, again located within the City of Hamilton, for a new transmitter site (“Flamborough Site”).  The Flamborough Site is located approximately 8.5 kilometers northwest of central Hamilton, in a predominately rural area with surrounding land used for agriculture and some commercial/industrial purposes. Land preparation is currently underway for transmitter tower construction, with a target completion date of Fall 2023."



I'm not an engineer, but it looks from the map that the new tower might make CHCH less easy to get in parts of Buffalo.

They are correct, the last time I was ever in that dump of a city I did see it in a crowded area but then again did anyone see CKVR barrie?   Condos right below it.  Does it matter?  I dont know.   Would it matter if something happened like 1977 plane crash again? Probably.

The CHCH tower is a legend if that gets torn down which looks like in not long time, but wondering if the new site might give issues for GTA as the signal now wont exactly be beaming across the open lake rather over land.

Is there a link to the CRTC article?

Last edited by markow202 (April 8, 2022 3:42 pm)

 

April 8, 2022 7:58 pm  #5


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

Growing up I lived in 5 different places in sight of the tower, so it is definitely a landmark in east Hamilton and Stoney Creek. In '74, I even took my banana-seat bike up the old road that went up the mountain to the tower and regretted not taking my Instamatic with me. Going back down the road I flipped over the bike and landed on my chin. Back then the original 1954 tower was still at its full 544 foot height. It got partly dismantled in the 80s.

They're going from 132 kW to 459 kW, so that should help with signal availability, especially in Niagara where there's some interference from a low-power station on Grand Island (WBNF), a repeater of Jamestown religious station WNYB. Ironically, the owners of WNYB are putting up their own repeater on channel 27 because the ch. 5 transmission signal is too weak to be picked up by carriers.

And Markow - here's the link.
 

Last edited by Ida Spencer (April 10, 2022 7:20 pm)

 

April 10, 2022 7:36 pm  #6


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

Some historic pics of the original tower construction in 1954, from the Hamilton Spectator collection of the Hamilton Public Library:

 

April 11, 2022 11:13 am  #7


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

The new tower/antenna will be directional with the 455KW toward GTA.Niagara area will only get about 50KW and now be 20km further.Kitchener looks better.
 

 

April 11, 2022 5:34 pm  #8


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

I have no knowledge, but this seems to be a stupid expense with little to no benefit that I can see.   It makes me think the hosing developer has offered them considerable money for the current transmitter land.     Fort Erie and parts of Niagara will lose reasonable signal coverage.  I also think this can harm the current radio stations like 95.3 who are on their tower under heritage status, which may not get approved for the same coverage area/power.   If memory serves me right, I also think CITS-DT (Yes TV) is on their current tower, which also will be required to move.   The new site will also require way more power as well. 

If I was the CRTC, I would question the logic completely as it makes no sense to me to move the tower based on "homes" coming into the area.   Examples of this not being an issue.   CFPL- London, CHCJ Hamilton (located on a tower by a bell exchange office, next door to homes).     

Update:  I had a chance to read the application.... The truth is in black and white

"In May, 2021 Channel Zero executed a definitive agreement for the sale of the Stoney Creek Site to a developer for a new residential development. The agreement is scheduled to close in April, 2024."
 

Last edited by radiokid (April 11, 2022 5:51 pm)

 

April 11, 2022 6:37 pm  #9


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

I don't see this as being that big a deal.  If the coverage maps are accurate they are missing mostly just water from lakes Ontario and Erie in the east and south while picking up cities and towns like Woodstock in the west and to the north.  The actual coverage areas look to be not that different.  Also having a tower that size near houses is never a good thing and we don't know the condition of the current transmitter building and tower.  Could be it needed to be updated anyway, and if Channel Zero can sell the existing site to a developer that is already building houses in the area, so what?  Unless there is some technical reason, can't see why the CRTC wouldn't approve this.   

     Thread Starter
 

April 11, 2022 7:22 pm  #10


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

CHCH has put up an almost 20 minute video about their new location and the history of the station. It aired in segments on their morning show Monday. You can see the entire thing here. 

 

April 11, 2022 10:35 pm  #11


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

I watched the 6pm news tonight on the livestream on their YouTube channel. Pretty good for the most part. Constant audio issues throughout the whole show. Hopefully they can work on it for tomorrow. Mainly whoever just started talking, you couldn't hear them for a few seconds. And in the promo for the after the break story, there was an echo of the anchor's voice, but only while the video was on screen, not the anchor.

 

April 12, 2022 1:54 am  #12


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

If this is the trend, I can see this happening for Barrie CTV CKVR

 

April 12, 2022 7:38 am  #13


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

The new CHCH set looks great but the sound is a bit off.

 

April 12, 2022 12:17 pm  #14


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

A few minor technical issues yesterday that have been noted above.  They floated the idea of an open house yesterday morning but that would depend on the COVID situation.  For most CHCH staff, yesterday was the first day back from working at home for the past two years.

Interesting that it looks like they are planning to have a licensed cafe in the new building.  I noticed what looked like bottled wine on the shelf and Tim Bolen showed off the beer fridge which seemed to be stocked with beer.  In fact he had one. 

They didn't show the second large studio which is reserved for other productions.  They hope to rent out this space for movie and TV productions which has been booming in the Hamilton area.  I have seen the building from the outside and they certainly did a nice job with the landscaping and the large new addition that doubled the size of the original facility. 

     Thread Starter
 

April 12, 2022 12:50 pm  #15


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

I watched the entire 19 minutes plus of that video and there's one thing I'd really like to know. As they wander past the common area around the 7-minute mark, there's a tiny room that's sealed off by a transparent glass door. It's very small and does not seem like it will hold more than one person. To me, it kind of looked like a phone booth, albeit with a chair to sit on. 

What in the world is that room for? He walks right past it without even acknowledging it's there. 

 

April 12, 2022 12:55 pm  #16


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

RA...  read this...  then you'll be in the "Loop"

https://loopphonebooths.com/

 

April 12, 2022 12:56 pm  #17


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

RadioActive wrote:

I watched the entire 19 minutes plus of that video and there's one thing I'd really like to know. As they wander past the common area around the 7-minute mark, there's a tiny room that's sealed off by a transparent glass door. It's very small and does not seem like it will hold more than one person. To me, it kind of looked like a phone booth, albeit with a chair to sit on. 

What in the world is that room for? He walks right past it without even acknowledging it's there. 

I was thinking that too but could be a private booth for important calls to be unheard? All of it is open concept with no real privacy.  My new work office is like that for the past few years - cant stand it 
 

 

April 12, 2022 3:09 pm  #18


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

Glen Warren wrote:

RA...  read this...  then you'll be in the "Loop"

https://loopphonebooths.com/

Wow, I've never heard of this. If I wanted to make a private call at work, I'd usually just slip into a vacant editing bay. I can't decide if this is a good thing or not. I wonder if you have to book time in the pod and if it's completely soundproof. After all, you have to have some private place to be when you're calling another station about getting a job someplace else!

 

April 12, 2022 3:58 pm  #19


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

Here's an in house feature on CHCH back in 1994 when they were owned by WIC Communications.  Interesting that the station had some good years in the 80's but clouds had formed financially in 1994 which was their 40th anniversary.... CHCH/WIC had applied for a comedy specialty channel with their partner John Candy.  Unfortunately John passed away before any decision was made.  Interesting look at the internal workings of the station back in 1994.  This feature was never broadcast on air..https://www.yout-ube.com/watch?v=ZXEPx3LluuI

Last edited by paterson1 (April 12, 2022 4:00 pm)

     Thread Starter
 

April 12, 2022 4:02 pm  #20


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

The station also still has repeaters in Ontario back from when it was ONTv - would they have done this now?  I dont know. 

 

June 2, 2022 11:15 am  #21


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

RadioActive wrote:

This won't make much difference to viewers, but engineers might like it - it turns out something else at CHCH is moving: its transmitter site. According to an application to the CRTC, it's requesting permission to move its TX site some 20 km away from where it currently sits, because the area where the huge tower now sits is increasingly in the middle of a growing housing development. 

Instead, they've found a new place in what their documentation calls "farmland," which the station argues will not cause any additional interference to existing stations, will get it out of a growing neighbourhood and will make it easier for engineers to reach for maintenance and emergencies. YesTV will also be moving to this new tower.

"Recognizing the increasing incompatibility of the site with residential development, and anticipating potential future issues, starting in 2018, Channel Zero initiated a search for an appropriate potential new transmitter site, followed up by the sales process of the Stoney Creek Site.

After reviewing a number of options, on July 19, 2019 Channel Zero reached an Agreement of Purchase and Sale for a parcel of land at 367 Highway #5 West, Flamborough, Ontario, again located within the City of Hamilton, for a new transmitter site (“Flamborough Site”).  The Flamborough Site is located approximately 8.5 kilometers northwest of central Hamilton, in a predominately rural area with surrounding land used for agriculture and some commercial/industrial purposes. Land preparation is currently underway for transmitter tower construction, with a target completion date of Fall 2023."



I'm not an engineer, but it looks from the map that the new tower might make CHCH less easy to get in parts of Buffalo.

The CRTC has approved the application, and CHCH will get to increase its power from 132,000 to 456,500 watts, while actually getting more antenna height. It won't affect OTA viewers in the GTA, where it comes in just fine. But I wonder if the added boost will make it more available in areas where the signal is a bit more iffy. The station has a year to get the new site up and running. 

CRTC Decision

 

June 2, 2022 7:24 pm  #22


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

Ken Soble, the man who owned CHML and ran CHCH at the beginning, was a big investor in real estate. Some old-timers who worked at CH bought houses from him. IIRC Niagara Television (the holding company that was granted the licence) would occasionally sell off parcels of land. It was inevitable that they'd have to move. Has anybody heard what Corus is going to do? Co-site 95.3 with the 107.9 tx near Mount Nemo?

Last edited by Ida Spencer (June 2, 2022 7:25 pm)

 

June 23, 2022 11:21 am  #23


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

RadioActive wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

This won't make much difference to viewers, but engineers might like it - it turns out something else at CHCH is moving: its transmitter site. According to an application to the CRTC, it's requesting permission to move its TX site some 20 km away from where it currently sits, because the area where the huge tower now sits is increasingly in the middle of a growing housing development. 

Instead, they've found a new place in what their documentation calls "farmland," which the station argues will not cause any additional interference to existing stations, will get it out of a growing neighbourhood and will make it easier for engineers to reach for maintenance and emergencies. YesTV will also be moving to this new tower.

"Recognizing the increasing incompatibility of the site with residential development, and anticipating potential future issues, starting in 2018, Channel Zero initiated a search for an appropriate potential new transmitter site, followed up by the sales process of the Stoney Creek Site.

After reviewing a number of options, on July 19, 2019 Channel Zero reached an Agreement of Purchase and Sale for a parcel of land at 367 Highway #5 West, Flamborough, Ontario, again located within the City of Hamilton, for a new transmitter site (“Flamborough Site”).  The Flamborough Site is located approximately 8.5 kilometers northwest of central Hamilton, in a predominately rural area with surrounding land used for agriculture and some commercial/industrial purposes. Land preparation is currently underway for transmitter tower construction, with a target completion date of Fall 2023."



I'm not an engineer, but it looks from the map that the new tower might make CHCH less easy to get in parts of Buffalo.

The CRTC has approved the application, and CHCH will get to increase its power from 132,000 to 456,500 watts, while actually getting more antenna height. It won't affect OTA viewers in the GTA, where it comes in just fine. But I wonder if the added boost will make it more available in areas where the signal is a bit more iffy. The station has a year to get the new site up and running. 

CRTC Decision

The CRTC has approved an application for CITS-TV (aka Yes TV) to move to the new CHCH tower, an announcement that was long expected. Because of the new location, CITS gets to increase power from 289,000 to 691,300 watts. with an ERP boost from 130,290 to 144,400.

Those who already get this station OTA on Channel 14 probably won't notice any difference, but I'm guessing those on the fringe may see some improvement.

CRTC Decision 

 

June 23, 2022 1:16 pm  #24


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

Looks like today is the official grand opening


img url

 

June 23, 2022 1:59 pm  #25


Re: CHCH Moving To New Studios Monday

Do you think we would see such a move in tower due to population and residential building in Barrie for CKVR?   The tower is now located in a decent populated area howver, it could be different as the station owns and operates on the same piece of land where CHCH didnt.