Alien0, now you're picking my interest. A few months back, I reported receiving something intermittent like you on analog channel 52. I was told by RFMAN and others that what I was seing was the monitoring signals from camera crews (for soaps or other purposes).

So it is my opinion that if the signal is fading in and out fast, then you're receiving some kind of low power pro camera monitoring signal.

I keep scanning the upper UHF band for just that kind of rogue signal (as well as CATV channels 55-70 for amateur TV).

I would say channel 53 is likely W53AM for Utica, NY. It's a low power station transmitting MY Network TV programming.

Well I'll be damned. If I can get LPTV 29 from New Hampshire in Longueuil I've got to give ch. 53 a try (on a good tropo morning I suppose).

@alien0: The current trouble with CBC Montreal is not a reception problem, in that the issue is not related to the location of the viewer but to the hardware used to receive the program. This suggests a fault with the originating signal (PSIP data misprogrammed, perhaps, or a faulty component at the transmitter site). Therefore, this qualifies as a station status issue.

@bigoranget

Your suggestion seems plausible. Although I receive it mostly in the evenings and it mostly has golf programming, so not sure if that matches the station's broadcast. I thought every station was supposed to vacate CH51 and above. Won't their transmitter interfere with the new cell transmissions?

@ChannelMaster
The signal does not fade in and out: it remains stable for several hours (4-5 hours at least) before disappearing. The pic is b/w with lots of noise, the audio barely comes through.

It is visible only on certain evenings. Once I got it during heavy snow, the next time we had nice and clear weather.

Alien0, I gues you've come acoross one of the remaining LPTVs (as mentioned above). Note that the FCC does not require LPTV (or translators) to shut down for some time still . I don't know why but that's in the ruling.

So let's take advantage of those signals while they last to tweak our antennas. Nothing beats a good old fringe analog in any area to fine-tune antenna performance!!!

Ok. I decided to fiddle with my indoor antenna and found a new position that works for picking up virtually ALL the local and US stations (including CBC, CTV and Global!). The only channels I've had to sacrifice are: 2.1 (Radio Canada), 17.1 (CIVM) and 35.1 (V)--I've lost those completely. On the plus side though, I get CIVM's Sherbrooke feed as an alternative on 24.1. I can live with missing just two channels. I don't know what's changed that's forced me to readjust my antenna's positioning, but hopefully it lasts a good while...

Over in Westmount, I managed to temporarily pull in 18.1(WPBS) intermittently. It's another PBS from the US, possibly from New York or New Hampshire? Absolutely no luck getting it here in NDG.

Will say I much prefer my older RCA antenna with UHF loop, reflector and VHF dipoles for picking up channels in Montreal. The new RCA antenna (just a flat piece of plastic) doesn't give you the same fine adjustments. It's like they went backwards with that.

WNPI 18 is the South Colton, NY relay of WPBS Watertown, NY. It has an HD and an SD subchannel, as well as "Create" and "ThinkBright" on 18.2. Westmount is probably the only place you could get it on the island east of Dorval with just an indoor antenna. Otherwise, a tower and deep fringe antenna would be necessary.

@downbeat

Did you get an answer from CBC? I sure didn't, CBC 6-1 over the air is still skipping frames, I tried to watch hockey and nearly threw up because it was going "back and forward".

Anyone have an engineer's e-mail, this "generic contact form on CBC.ca" is getting us nowhere.

I have not heard a peep — although I have not tried using the contact form or reaching anyone at CBC Engineering.

Having issues with CBC 6.1 stuttering too. As a matter of fact, my signal strength with CBC, Global and CTV which I thought I had stabilized, is all mucked up again. Don't understand why Montreal stations are so unreliable.

@Apple IIGS

What brand of TV do you have? Include it when you contact them and complain, be sure to write Montreal in the form or they don't know which city to forward it to:

http://www.cbc.ca/contact/

I wish there was a MONTREAL form, because so far I've heard nothing after filling out the form. Try watching hockey, it's impossible. All the players are stuttering, it's impossible to watch. I have no clue what CBC 6.1 did, 2.1 does not do this "stuttering". I have really good signal for CBC too 8 bars out of 10, sometimes more. Something they did to the signal.

No problem here with CBC 6.1 on my Bravia

Seems over half of the Montreal signals have been going off the air after 1am lately. Anyone know what's going on -- repairs or something?

Gives me a nice boost to the American channels though ;)

No problem here with CBC 6.1 on my Bravia
Getting some occasional stuttering now on CBC 6.1
Signal is still strong though...

Anyone notice a change in CBC 6.1's signal strength? Suddenly I'm picking them up at around 50-60% versus about 4-8%! (and with my antenna aligned for picking up American stations; haven't picked up CBC this way since late October last year).

And not sure if it's coincidence or just weather conditions today (or something that changed in my area), but I'm also now picking up CFJP 30.1 (V) from Sherbrooke, and with a stable lock and picture!

The only channel I currently cannot pick up is Global 15.1, at least not without re-aligning my antenna towards the mountain. If only Global would get their act together I'd have everything.

Seems over half of the Montreal signals have been going off the air after 1am lately. Anyone know what's going on -- repairs or something?

Gives me a nice boost to the American channels though ;)

I noticed too, usually before Colbert starts :( CBC, CTV, Global. I think that is it.

It is early Wednesday morning and 2,6,10,12 and 15 are down, is there planned maintenance on the transmitter ? and as expected I am getting a lock on WVNY 22.1 once the Mount-Royal transmitter is down as experienced during the summer period when the analog transmitter was down prior to the digital transition.

If you go back in this thread, it appears there has been regular overnight shut downs on Mount Royal. I have no idea why, though.

Haven't been able to receive Global 15.1 here for the past three days...it was very strong before.