No More CBU on Shortwave

[jon]

Buried amongst the usual deletion of 40 watt AM LPRTs in the list of CBC transmitters and towers being sold for scrap, this morning's CRTC decision also includes CKZU, CBU's long time shortwave transmitter.

The original CBC application simply says that the transmitter was already off the air at the time of their application (to delete it from the license of CBU).

[skyvalleyradio]

jon - I saw the approval to delete CKZU on this morning's CRTC releases. I wonder what CBC will do with the transmitter gear and what kind of shape it's in? How sad...I've been lucky enough in my life to pick up CKZU in both Jamaica and The Netherlands. However, as one who supports some belt-tightening at the CBC, I see this as a necessary cut. too bad...

[radiofan]

The original CBC application simply says that the transmitter was already off the air at the time of their application (to delete it from the license of CBU).

In the last year or so CBC did a major upgrade of the CBU site in Steveston. That is likely when they dumped teh CKZU transmitting facility.

[Toomas Losin]

The original CBC application simply says that the transmitter was already off the air at the time of their application (to delete it from the license of CBU).

This must be one of those "already off the air" situations where management has issued a turn-off order but engineering hasn't acted yet. CKZU is still on the air in parallel with CBU as I write this.

Google Maps has a nice 45° view of the site at N49.13916 W123.19568

There isn't much to sell off, as CKZU's antenna is held up by four wooden utility poles. I suspect the largest operational cost is the maintenance to keep those sticks from rotting away or falling over.

Is CKZN still active? It's also on 6160 so I've never heard it. Perhaps this is the chance to, unless the CBC is having a race with itself to turn both of them off.

[jon]

Interesting that CKZU is still on the air. Giving wrong information to the CRTC, no matter how minor, is never a good idea.

A quick search of the CRTC decisions has CKZN listed on the May 28th decision to renew the CBC's license. And no recent requests or decisions to delete them.

[Toomas Losin]

Thanks. Spectrum Direct doesn't have a listing for CKZN, only listing CKZU on 6160. That doesn't look good!

Looking at the CKZN transmitter site with online maps shows a single tower for CBN and a folded dipole plus reflector for CKZN just like what CKZU has. The resolution isn't good enough to show the antenna wires but the azimuth look similar to CKZU's antenna, in this case pointing towards northern Québec. Thanks to the curvature of the earth the Lower Mainland might get a bit of that if the beam is broad enough.

[xwdcatvb]

Thanks. Spectrum Direct doesn't have a listing for CKZN, only listing CKZU on 6160. That doesn't look good!

Looking at the CKZN transmitter site with online maps shows a single tower for CBN and a folded dipole plus reflector for CKZN just like what CKZU has. The resolution isn't good enough to show the antenna wires but the azimuth look similar to CKZU's antenna, in this case pointing towards northern Québec. Thanks to the curvature of the earth the Lower Mainland might get a bit of that if the beam is broad enough.

Now that I see this CKZU news has already been posted (egg on face), CKZN was horribly off-frequency for over a year (measured casually 6160.8 by my receiver in Burnaby) and caused havoc as darkness set in on the West Coast... noted by DXers far and wide. I grumbled to Mother Corp, so they knew of the problem interfering with 'ZU.

Maybe no one else complained so they concluded no one was relying on 'ZU?!

'ZN if they were on frequency were identifiable as being received by the echo effect when both Vancouver and Newfoundland were taking CBC National News on Sunday evenings Pacific Time.

[xwdcatvb]

Interesting that CKZU is still on the air. Giving wrong information to the CRTC, no matter how minor, is never a good idea.

A quick search of the CRTC decisions has CKZN listed on the May 28th decision to renew the CBC's license. And no recent requests or decisions to delete them.

'ZU on air as of ~5.25 pm PDT Sun 25 Aug/0025 UT Mon 26 Aug.

[Toomas Losin]

Hush! If'n y'all call attention to it then CKZU won't have a chance to beat CKMO's unlicensed run from last year!

[xwdcatvb]

Hush! If'n y'all call attention to it then CKZU won't have a chance to beat CKMO's unlicensed run from last year!

Rogers! Over and out... sorry.

[Toomas Losin]

Oops, I dropped the smiley.
If my math is correct then CKMO had 96 days of open carrier before the transmitter was finally shut down but I don't know when its license was surrendered. CKZU has quite a ways to go to beat that!

[OnAir]

The inclusion of CKZU in the CRTC decision was a misprint. The service is to remain on air and plans for a new transmitter are in the works.
Most (if not all) of the other stations listed in that same decision were AM to FM conversions.

[jon]

The inclusion of CKZU in the CRTC decision was a misprint. The service is to remain on air and plans for a new transmitter are in the works.
Most (if not all) of the other stations listed in that same decision were AM to FM conversions.

First of all, I believe you. And all the others here and elsewhere who have said they heard CKZU in the last few days.

I am, however, in need of a quotable source on the CKZU deletion being a CBC boo boo. I just started as an Editor for Wikipedia and find myself in the awkward position of having to leave misinformation that I wrote about CKZU because I have nothing to quote to the contrary that meets their Reference requirements.

If all else fails, I can delete the shutdown information, but I'd rather correct it.

[xwdcatvb]

The inclusion of CKZU in the CRTC decision was a misprint. The service is to remain on air and plans for a new transmitter are in the works.
Most (if not all) of the other stations listed in that same decision were AM to FM conversions.

Mistake confirmed after a phone call to CBC Vancouver... Audience Relations in Toronto say email from Martin Marcotte, Director of Transmission, in effect states the inclusion of CKZU in the application of 12 July (and subsequent approval released 15 Aug) was incorrect... steps are being taken to re-instate the CRTC's authority for CKZU.

[Boombox]

I'm glad to hear that CKZU is staying on the air. I tune into it most nights while monitoring the 49 meter band. Often I'll stay on it and listen, depending on interference from Cuba... I think the CBC has good programming.

I've heard CKZN at least twice, as an echo during CBC news. In Spring of 2012, I heard CKZN on a small analog portable, just off the whip.