When the CBC last updated this facility in the late 1970s, four near-identical Continental 317C transmitters were purchased, with two tuned to 740 for CBL and two on 860 for CJBC. All four transmitters are still operating, and each station swaps on-air units on a regular schedule, so no unit could properly be described as "main" or "backup". This is the "CJBC #2" transmitter, serial number 54, which was operating at the time of our visit.
We asked Roberto about the prospects for upgrading to modern digital transmitters. He replied that the engineering staff would like to do it, but so far there has not been money in the capital budget to make it happen, but because of the cost of energy it would probably happen within the next few years.
Copyright 2004, Garrett Wollman. All rights reserved. Photograph taken 2004-09-02.