I find it surprising that less than 2 months before launch, CKMI and CFTM signals have yet to be tested. For CFTM, it probably comes from the higher management, but for CKMI, I'm very surprised that they are still not showing signs of getting ready for the big day.

Is it reasonable for them to expect their signal to works in a reliable manner in a matter of weeks?

I have to agree with the comments about local interference from both Montreal analog & digital channels.

Before CFCF-DT (12.1/rf51), CBFT-DT (2.1/rf19), and CBMT-DT (6.1/rf20) went on air, I was getting better reception on distant channels.

I use to get WFFF-DT (44.1/rf43) on a regular bases. TVO from Hawksberry on ch. 48 was watchable. Now gone.

And, CBMT-TV 6, CFCF-TV 12, CIVM-TV 17, and CFJP-TV 35 are my biggest analog headaches. Especially channel 6 & 35. Like clockwork, if those two seemed to overload, my WFFF-DT would disappear.

I even use to get WNPI-DT (18.1/rf23) more often in the last two summers, than this summer.

I for one would be very happy when Sept. 1st rolls around, and we get some clarity on current reception problems.

Even my HD Radio reception of WVPS-FM 107.9 seems wacky of late.

Are all channels going to be digital or are some smaller transmitters allowed to remain analog? Is it safe to say that all current Montreal Based transmitters will be digital? I often see people saying that reception will change once all stations switch over. Will this be for the good or for the bad? I too would get better reception of US stations before CBC and Radio canada moved to the tower at the mountain. Will it get worse when everyone switches to digital? I certain hope things get better or stay the same rather than get worse.

Things will definitely get better once the analog signals ceases and the digital transmission turns onto full power, CBC and Radio-Canada at half power is already very stable imagine them going on full, it would be bulletproof and the US stations would not have any of the local analog interference making some channel like ABC 22.1/22.2 lock that is currently being blocked by CFCF-12 analog.

I still hand it to the US networks for getting everything up and running prior to the switch over date, the Canadian networks is just a cesspit of inefficiency and procrastination just like the CRTC !

Somehow, for me, I don't think ABC 22.1 will come in any better when CFCF-12 analog changes over to digital.:( Mind you, I really hope it does. I bought a 1 channel antenna just for ABC a while back and want to reduce those dropouts.

For about the best example I can think of regarding how ATSC reduces ACI to almost zero levels see the videos and posts in the following thread about Seattle's KOMO-DT on channel 38 side-by-side with KIRO-DT on channel 39 from almost the same location, with KING-DT on channel 48 only a short distance away, all operating at huge ERP levels:

TV Broadcast Towers & Transmitters (photos, vids) (http://www.digitalhome.ca/forum/showthread.php?t=114203) (see Posts #95 and #107)

So, let's see what happens in the next 2 months for Montrealers. :)

@distox whereabouts are you on the island ?

I get ABC 22.1 100% every time when CFCF-12 analog goes off the air, signal meter reads 76% woohoo !

I am in Saint-Laurent. Just north of the Côte Vertu metro.

I guess I'm having a hard time understanding why an analogue signal affects an adjacent digital signal. As it uses more power, Does the analogue signal actually broadcast beyond it's assigned frequency hence why it affects an adjacent channel?

@Dorthensensens

In electronics design there are limitation to what can be done (performance/cost). A TV has to filter the wanted channel. To have a perfect filter for just that channel is not possible then the filter has to let pass a portion of adjacent channel. Also not all filters design are the same, one TV can be better than another one. The most important point is when adjacent signals are stronger this is were the problem can be seen.

One example even worst is the analog 17 was creating a problem for one of my TV to watch 2.1 (channel 19) and not for 6.1 (channel 20). Because at that time the 2.1 was very weak for us (west island of MTL) and the 17 is very strong. But another TV had no problem. One way at that time I validated that was to watch one night 2.1 when the 17 was off the air. Since they moved 2.1 and 6.1 on Mont-Royal I don't have this problem anymore. Because the 2.1 is stronger now.

I hope this can help you.

Good point about the interference on CBFT-DT (2.1 - rf19) caused by CIVM-TV 17. My CBFT-DT breaks up at least 5 times a hour. Yet my CBMT-DT (6.1 - rf20) is rock solid every time I tune in. I was wondering why this was happening. I forgot that CIVM-TV is two channels up from CBFT-DT. That would explain the break ups I get. All this digital re-mapping makes you forget what channels the DTV stations are actually broadcasting on. And who is next to them.

@distox

If you are in Saint-Laurent around the Cote-Vertu area you shouldn't have any problems catching ABC 21.1 with just a 8 bay bowtie once CFCF-12 analog is down provided you have a clear LOS to Mount-Mansfield.

Thank you for the explanation.

A quote from message # 1547

"As some have reported before, the effect that CFCF has on WVNY is negligible. The signal quality of WVNY barely improved on those rare occasions when CFCF went off the air."

Many channels that are currently analog cannot do live testing now because they do not have backup antennas to test with. They cannot use one antenna for both analog and digital at the same time. CBC and Radio Canada have backup antennas from which they currently transmit. Analog transmissions must be available until end of August. What effect switching off analog will have on digital channels only time will tell.
The best solution would be if FCC and CRTC would regulate all channels to move to UHF, but this will never happen. This should have been done at the planing stages of digital television. People would need relatively small, less obscure antennas to receive digital television and VHF could be used for other services. Unfortunately this is what you get when you appoint people with no vision or technical knowledge. This is also true of television stations that chose to stay on VHF band.

Many channels that are currently analog cannot do live testing now because they do not have backup antennas to test with. They cannot use one antenna for both analog and digital at the same time.

That is not technically true, in the strictest sense.
You can have a number of channels, whether analog or digital, share an antenna.
The only concerns:
• The broadcast antenna is able to accept all the power coming out of the transmitters.
• The antenna is right for the frequency in question.
Or did I misunderstand what you were trying to say?

Analog transmissions must be available until end of August.

This is not true -- in fact, it is the converse: analog transmissions in mandatory markets may not extend beyond August. License amendments to allow digital transmitters in mandatory markets must be implemented "as soon as possible, but no later than August 31" according to the CRTC.

At least one station has already shutdown analog broadcasting in favour of digital only, and several will follow suit within a few weeks. Thunder Bay will switch over at the beginning of August, and TVO will switch in mid-August.

I stand corrected. I should verify my knowledge before posting.

WPTZ is currently having trouble with their transmitter.

I notice many TV stations in the US have been having signal drops regularly.

6-1 has been down for me since late last night and still this morning in Pointe-Claire. Used to get it at 9 to 10 bars easily. 2-1, 12-1 & 17-1 still coming in strong as well as my usual American digital channels.

Anyone else experiencing this problem with CBMT 6-1?