CBXFT-DT

CBXFT Television signed on the air on March 1.

On July 1, CBXFT became a full-time French-language Radio-Canada station. A minimum of three hours a week would be locally produced programming. The educational programming (by this time, from the Alberta Educational Communications Authority) was now gone from the program schedule.

CBXFT was authorized to operate a transmitter at Bonnyville on channel 6 with effective radiated power of 67,000 watts video (directional) and at Falher (also on channel 6).

Rebroadcast transmitters were approved for Calgary (channel 16 with 2,590 watts) and Lethbridge (620 watts on channel 23).

CBXFT-3 Lethbridge commenced broadcasting on March 12.

On July 11, CBRFT-TV Calgary signed on the air.

CBXFT-4 began broadcasting in Red Deer on July 19.

CBXFT-5 at Peace River signed on June 10.

CBXFT-11 Medicine Hat began operations on July 1.

CBXFT installed two new NEC 13 kw transmitters. They ran in a parallel arrangement.

As of 2000, CBXFT operated the following rebroadcast transmitters: CBRFT Calgary, CBXFT-1 Bonnyville, CBXFT-2 Falher, CBXFT-3 Lethbridge, CBXFT-4 Red Deer, CBXFT-5 Peace River, CBXFT-6 Fort McMurray, CBXFT-7 Hinton, CBXFT-8 Grande Prairie, CBXFT-9 Plamondon, CBXFT-10 Jean Côté, and CBXFT-11 Medicine Hat.

In November, CBC Edmonton was scheduled to move to a new, modern digital broadcast facility downtown, bringing all operations (French and English, Radio and TV) under one roof. The old TV facility on 75th Street had 70,000 square feet while the Radio building on 51st Ave. had 48,000 square feet. The new combined facility was 38,700 square feet and was located at the Edmonton City Centre on Winston Churchill Square.

On June 9, CBXFT was authorized to delete relay transmitter CBXFT-10 Jean-Cote (ch 40). Following the installation of satellite receiver facilities at CBXFT-2 Fahler and CBXFT-5 Peace River, the Jean-Cote relay was no longer needed.

On August 16, CBXFT was authorized to increase the average effective radiated power for CBXFT-4 Red Deer from 2,370 watts to 4,340 watts. The change was required because of plans to replace the antenna system for the purpose of accommodating the CBC’s new English-language television service at Red Deer.

CBXFT operated the following transmitters: CBRFT Calgary, CBXFT-1 Bonnyville, CBXFT-11 Medicine Hat, CBXFT-2 Falher, CBXFT-3 Lethbridge, CBXFT-4 Red Deer, CBXFT-5 Peace River, CBXFT-5 Fort McMurray, CBXFT-7 Hinton, CBXFT-8 Grande Prairie and CBXFT-9 Plamondon.

The CRTC approved an amendment to the licence of conventional television station CBXFT-TV to add a post-transition digital television transmitter, operating on channel 47 with a maximum effective radiated power of 15,180 watts and average ERP of 10,850 watts, using a non-directional antenna. Effective height above average terrain would be 166.5 metres and the existing Radio-Canada tower would be used. Programming would be fed to the transmitter site by microwave.

On March 29, the CRTC administratively renewed the licence for CBXFT-TV until August 31, 2012. The Commission noted that it did not intend to renew authorizations for full-power analog transmitters operating in the mandatory markets or on channels 52 to 69 outside the mandatory markets beyond August 31, 2011. By that time, the Commission expected licensees to have the necessary authority to broadcast in digital. In addition, the Commission imposed the following condition of licence on stations that operated in mandatory markets or on channels 52 to 69 outside the mandatory markets: Unless otherwise authorized by the Commission, the licensee shall not transmit analog television signals after 31 August 2011 in mandatory markets designated as such by the Commission in Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2011-184 or transmit television signals on channels 52 to 69. The CRTC also noted that pursuant to Broadcasting Regulatory Policy 2010-69, it did not intend to renew authorizations to operate transitional digital transmitters included in these licences, beyond August 31, 2011.

On August 16, the CRTC approved applications by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation to continue to operate 22 analog television rebroadcasting transmitters until August 31, 2012 in markets that the Commission identified as mandatory for conversion to digital transmission, and to make associated technical changes. This approval included CBRFT Calgary and CBXFT -3 Lethbridge. Approval of the CBC’s proposal, and related technical amendments, would provide additional time for affected households that rely on over-the-air service in mandatory markets to find other means to access the CBC’s television services. Approval of the proposal would also provide an opportunity for the Commission to discuss the CBC’s plans for its over-the-air transmitter system at the time of the CBC’s licence renewal hearing, now scheduled for June 2012.

CBXFT Edmonton was expected to switch from analog channel 11 (CBXFT-TV) to digital channel 47 (CBXFT-DT – virtual channel 11.1) on August 31. This was the last day for analog television broadcasting in mandatory markets.

On July 17, the CRTC approved the request to amend the licences for 23 English- and French-language television stations operated by the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation in order that reference to all analog transmitters be deleted. The CBC planned to cease operation of all these transmitters on 31 July 2012. The licences for the following transmitters were removed from the CBXFT-DT licence: CBXFT-1 Bonnyville, CBRFT Calgary, CBXFT-2 Falher, CBXFT-6 Fort McMurray, CBXFT-8 Grande Prairie, CBXFT-7 Hinton, CBXFT-3 Lethbridge, CBXFT-11 Medicine Hat, CBXFT-5 Peace River, CBXFT-9 Plamondon, and CBXFT-4 Red Deer.

Keith Maskell died on January 18. He worked at CBXFT from 1992 to 1999.