We've got analog TVO on 18, Omni on 20 and a much low power digital SunTV on 19 all from the same tower. No prblems with SunTV that I've seen. The GTA shouldn't be any different in that respect. A very close analog might cause problems with a distant digital station.

Industry Canada has test procedures that must be completed before a transmitter is permitted to go on-air for regular service. Tests confirm that the installation is operating within the approved technical parameters such as frequency, power output, antenna pattern and out of channel radiation. The tests take time to complete and require a review by IC staff before authority is granted to operate commercially. If some aspect of transmitter performance is out of spec then corrective measures and retesting may be required.

I don't know how IC is handling the issue of co and adjacent channel interference from new post transition DTV stations prior to August 31. The interference analysis was based on the post transition DT channels not the current analog channels. CTV can accept interference into its own stations but doesn't have any guarantee that CHCH would accommodate an early start-up of CKVR on channel 10.

Just a few items to consider when watching for CKVR-DT to light-up.

Outside of the service area, there is no guarantee of freedom from interference. There is also no guarantee of freedom from interference due to poor receiver design (receiver overloading for example.) We can't get channel 11 here due to interference from channel 10. It's never been an issue for IC since 11's signal does not officially reach this far. I would also guess that CKVR will be operating at reduced power until September 1.

We've got analog TVO on 18, Omni on 20 and a much low power digital SunTV on 19 all from the same tower. No prblems with SunTV that I've seen. The GTA shouldn't be any different in that respect. A very close analog might cause problems with a distant digital station.
Because they are on the same tower. When they are not nearby is when you start to have problems.

I don't know how IC is handling the issue of co and adjacent channel interference from new post transition DTV stations prior to August 31. The interference analysis was based on the post transition DT channels not the current analog channels. CTV can accept interference into its own stations but doesn't have any guarantee that CHCH would accommodate an early start-up of CKVR on channel 10.

Just a few items to consider when watching for CKVR-DT to light-up.
CKVR's transitional allotment (never applied for) was also on channel 10, but at only 3.3 kW at 300m EHAAT. Perhaps they would operate at an appropriately reduced power for the as-built post transition antenna at 332m EHAAT.

mrpeter105,

I'll be watching for your post this week hopefully letting us all know that your TV has caught a sniff of CKVR in digital on rf10.

Thanks man, I'll try not to let you and the group down!

Of course I can't be monitoring all the time so I hope other DHC'ers will also monitor and let us know in case I miss it. As GeorgeMx stated it may take some time before they even fire it up so that could complicate things as well. So we'll see.

Another thing of note is that the signal will be coming from the backside of my antenna. That's where the real challenge will be. So it may well be only sniff as you say.

Wish me luck.

The only reason CHCH is supporting this is the money CTV is paying for rent on the CHCH tower.
I don't think you should assume CHCH is supporting the CTV application. Industry Canada wants broadcasters and telecommunications companies to share towers because people think they are ugly, so fewer is better. CHCH is cooperating with IC by agreeing to put a proposed UHF station on their tower but this cannot be taken as evidence that CHCH supports the CTV application. I expect that CHCH will oppose the application on the basis that the repeater will take advertising revenue and viewers away from CHCH.

CHCH stands to get revenue if the CRTC approves the CTV application but it is a consolation prize. A new station in the market with priority carriage and substitution rights is not a good development for any incumbent broadcaster.

Exactly. And if you read Channel Zero's letter, you'll see that they're not really promising anything other than to enter into negociations. Same as the CBC "allowing" SunTV to have an antenna in the same position on the tower as channel 4 analog at Camp Fortune. Do you really think that will happen on August 31?

Industry Canada wants broadcasters and telecommunications companies to share towers because people think they are ugly, so fewer is better.
It's also much better from a consumer viewpoint. I like the British system where all network stations in each area are located on a single tower using closely spaced UHF frquencies. That makes for cheap and easy antenna installations and reception of all channels with just one antenna. With the exception of a few installations, like the CN tower, that's not the case in Canada. Even the GTA will not have CVT2 co-located with CTV due to CRTC regulations. Many cities do not get /A\ and will not get CTV2 at all due to those same regulations.

As you know, news reporters often get the facts wrong when it comes to the digital OTA transition. So take it with a grain of salt, but the reporter on that CFTO news story said that by Tuesday (tomorrow) the digital transmitter will be operational.

Maybe in testing mode, who knows?

Anyway, if CKVR digital comes to life, you'll be hearing about it here. What a nice summer bonus if CKVR goes digital early!
I guess "Tuesday" didn't mean this past Tuesday. Some other Tuesday maybe? Hopefully it didn't mean Tuesday, August 30th.

It could be live, it just may be at an extremely reduced power. We would need to hear from someone who lives close to the tower.

I don't think you should assume CHCH is supporting the CTV application. Industry Canada wants broadcasters and telecommunications companies to share towers because people think they are ugly, so fewer is better.
I need to double check, but I believe that I've heard IC say that the tower sharing regulations DO NOT apply to broadcasters.

My biggest concern regarding CKVR is that interference from WHEC Rochester might cause both stations to mutually exclude one another and I will get nothing.

MrPeter105 is pretty close to the transmitter. I'm sure he's keeping an eye out for it.

As soon as he get's it, I'll hope to capture it off the back of my tower, but since CKVR shows up lower on my TV Fool report than WNGS, I'm sure I'll need to get a rotor for my Winegard hd7697p and have perfect aim.

The news that CKVR is requesting to put a transmitter on rf35 from Hamilton will be welcome news to many OTAers. That is CTS's current digital channel. They're moving to 36. On rf10 or 35, CTV2 will be a welcome new OTA channel.

My issue is my location. CKVR on 3 booms in here off of the back of my UHF antenna. Any hint of a signal from WHEC off the front of my antenna would surely reduce the SNR on CKVR-DT likely causing pixelation or blacked out completely. I often see CBLFT-DT blacked out because of a strong signal from Syracuse. But, that point is moot since they are moving back to CH-25.

Syracuse has a channel 25 as well, but its power level is 3 dB down from channel 24. (97kW for WCNY vs 210 kW for WSTM). However, CBLFT's signal will be going up about 16 dB (from 2.5 kW on 24 to 105kW on 25)

Great! good to know.

My biggest concern regarding CKVR is that interference from WHEC Rochester might cause both stations to mutually exclude one another and I will get nothing.

I fear the same. I filed a complaint with the CRTC, and copied CKVR, but I'm thinking now that it was pointless, as IC is the body responsible for frequency assignment and interference. They were initially supposed to be using 50. Wish they would have stuck with it.

Technically, CKVR-DT could launch next week--or any "Tuesday" in the near future. CKVR would likely keep their temporary analog transmitter going until transition date.

Depending on location and other factors, it can generally be difficult to find tenants for a broadcast tower. Given that CHCH (Channel Zero) has been working hard to maximize profitability of their conventional stations, I'm sure they welcome the opportunity to earn extra income off their assets.