The Southern Ontario/WNY Radio-TV Forum / There Are Still Analog TV Txs. In Operation In Canada. Who Knew?

**Posted by RadioActive** January 29, 2025 12:15 pm

I honestly thought the era of analog TV was gone with the wind years ago. But then I came across these two applications to the CRTC to show I was wrong.

The first is a request from CKY-TV in Winnipeg to shut down the analog transmitter of rebroadcaster CKYB-TV in Brandon, Manitoba.

"Bell Media indicated that the deletion of the rebroadcasting transmitter is necessary because it is out of function and cannot be repaired. Bell Media also cited significant maintenance costs and a lack of revenue generated from CKYB-TV."

The second request is from across the country, where CJCH-TV in Halifax wants to turn off the non-digital TX of its rebroadcaster in Caledonia, Nova Scotia. Bell cited the exact same reasons as the Winnipeg case above.

The CRTC acceded to both applications, but it amazes me that all these years later. there are still a few non-DT stations around. Is anyone actually watching them? Doesn't sound like they were even being used, but it's amazing they were still on the licence.

**Posted by andysradio** January 29, 2025 12:25 pm

Oh there are, all CTV. In Ontario: Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, Kapuskasing, Pembroke and Sudbury - this one at least should be converted to digital being the parent station in Northern Ontario but that would mean a channel change. That would also then mean a new antenna.
In the Maritimes CTV still has at least two: Florenceville NB and Canning NS

**Posted by darcyh** January 29, 2025 12:26 pm

Seems to me that CKNX TV-8 Wingham and CKCO TV-42 were also shut down.

Both tall towers continue to stand. I can understand the Wingham tower near Formosa is used for FM stations, but to my knowledge there is nothing on the CKCO 42 tower east of Sombra Ontario other than a ham repeater and maybe some business band transmitters. The perpetual cost of maintaining a 1000 foot tower has to be substantial it is surprising the tower has not been taken down and the land sold. CKCO - 42 went dark a few years ago.

Perhaps someone is aware of why this has not happened.

**Posted by andysradio** January 29, 2025 12:28 pm

darcyh wrote:
Seems to me that CKNX TV-8 Wingham and CKCO TV-42 were also shut down.

Yes and CJOH closed VHF repeaters in Deseronto 6 and Alexandria 8 as well as a UHF outlet in Pembroke. Huntsville ch. 11 is gone now too.

**Posted by darcyh** January 29, 2025 12:31 pm

RadioActive wrote:
I honestly thought the era of analog TV was gone with the wind years ago. But then I came across these two applications to the CRTC to show I was wrong.

The first is a request from CKY-TV in Winnipeg to shut down the analog transmitter of rebroadcaster CKYB-TV in Brandon, Manitoba.

"Bell Media indicated that the deletion of the rebroadcasting transmitter is necessary because it is out of function and cannot be repaired. Bell Media also cited significant maintenance costs and a lack of revenue generated from CKYB-TV."

The second request is from across the country, where CJCH-TV in Halifax wants to turn off the non-digital TX of its rebroadcaster in Caledonia, Nova Scotia. Bell cited the exact same reasons as the Winnipeg case above.

The CRTC acceded to both applications, but it amazes me that all these years later. there are still a few non-DT stations around. Is anyone actually watching them? Doesn't sound like they were even being used, but it's amazing they were still on the licence.

" Bell Media also cited significant maintenance costs and a lack of revenue generated from CKYB-TV."

Geeze, that was the same reason given for shutting down the now dead CKSL 1410. Who was in charge of its maintenance and programming?

**Posted by MJ Vancouver** January 29, 2025 12:31 pm

andysradio wrote:
Oh there are, all CTV. In Ontario: Sault Ste. Marie, Timmins, Kapuskasing, Pembroke and Sudbury - this one at least should be converted to digital being the parent station in Northern Ontario but that would mean a channel change. That would also then mean a new antenna.
In the Maritimes CTV still has at least two: Florenceville NB and Canning NS

CHBX-TV in Sault Ste. Marie is on Channel 2, which makes it favourable for DXing. I wonder how much it gets picked up by DXers, especially considering a lot of other stations that were on Channel 2 in analog have moved to other physical frequencies (while keeping PSIP channel 2).

**Posted by andysradio** January 29, 2025 12:32 pm

As the remaining analog transmitters age, more will be closed. I am not aware of any plans to update them.

**Posted by andysradio** January 29, 2025 12:43 pm

CHBX-TV in Sault Ste. Marie is on Channel 2, which makes it favourable for DXing. I wonder how much it gets picked up by DXers, especially considering a lot of other stations that were on Channel 2 in analog have moved to other physical frequencies (while keeping PSIP channel 2).

I know when Global was still on the air from Bancroft ch. 2, it could be seen often from the mid-southern states during summer E-skip season.

Last edited by andysradio (January 29, 2025 12:44 pm)

**Posted by Forward Power** January 29, 2025 1:06 pm

The analog CHRO-TV (ch. 5) transmitter in Pembroke is why we cable subscribers in Renfrew County still get CTV2 in glorious SD on cable channel 6 and not the HD feed that they get in the Ottawa area and likely everywhere else on sat or IP. Not that there's really anything to watch on CHRO other than their morning show out of Ottawa.

**Posted by ED1** January 29, 2025 2:03 pm

There’s still lots of small market TV stations that are still on analog because they’re not in mandatory markets. Pattison’s TV stations in BC and Alberta are glaring examples, as well as Bell’s two CTV2 stations in Northern BC.

Last edited by ED1 (January 29, 2025 2:04 pm)

**Posted by Easily Amused** January 29, 2025 2:46 pm

This thread took me back to watching Global's sign off to the broadcast day.

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uMNBhpE8lXQ&pp=ygUgZ2xvYmFsIHR2IG5ldHdvcmsgc2lnbiBvZmYgMTk5MHM%3D

Thanks to Retrontario for having archived that on YouTube.