The Best Laid Plans

"Vancouver Base, Chopper 9,,,,,,"
"Go ahead Chopper 9." The radio crackled back to me.
"Good morning, Just powering up. Like to hit Seymour headed to Galiano Island, please have feed and play record my output."
"Roger that, Seymour, NavTrac engaged and we are recording."
And with that my Vacation was over. Back into the sky and an interface fire to boot. Could it get any better? Damn I was pumped.

Actually my vacation ended 3 hours earlier when my cell rang at 06:40. It was Dave A, our Ops Super.
"Murman, need you to prepare to get into the sky over Galiano, can you get a hold of your pilot and make flight preps."

I called the flight office as I knew that the system would patch me to whoever was the pilot on call, it turned out to be Ronn.
"Ronn, they want us to get in the air over Galiano, they will want us to land and unless I call back, lets shoot for a 09:00 departure."

The mind movie back on the desk was the following: A camera on the ground had already been dispatched to the Island. He would be on a ferry shortly. He will shoot ground materials gather clips until you fly over with an as yet to be named reporter. But where's Kink? Oh he's covering the early anchor cut ins and won't be available until after 9. OK.
All good right?

Phone rings, head down town an pick up your gear first and now it looks like that reporter to be named later will be Kink. Please coordinate with him as to pick up. When I arrive at the office at 7:40 I take the opportunity to speak to the New Assignment Editor. It's his very first day in the chair. He's very stoked about this story. I let him know about the NOTAM and that landing at this point could be an issue. This presents two problems actually. How would Kink meet up with our ground camera and how would said ground camera get his material off the island.

(Kink saddling up for what would be a short flight to the harbour)

Our Sat truck is on other operations in the interior of the Province.
Quickly the logistics people hatch an alternative plan. This one would involve landing on a nearby island and taking a water taxi or hiring a boat over to Galiano. It sounded good, it could work.
With that, I headed to the airport to brief our pilot on the revised plan. Kink would be joining us later.
Ronn had been in touch with Coastal Fire Air services. All according to our protocols worked out with Provincial Forestry. All good.
In the past we have been able to notify the site commander and inturn the Fire Air Boss to get permission to enter the restricted area. Ultimately we would be granted a place in what is called the "stack". There really wasn't much of a stack on this occasion, but sometime the "stack" would be several thousand feet high depending on how many fixed wing water bombers were working the fire. The object of the "stack" is to keep an orderly attack of the fire with a number of aircraft entering the "stack" at lets say 2000 ft and corkscrewing in a counter clockwise manner down to make their "bombing" run on the fire line. All of this aerial ballet is controlled by a smaller aircraft called the "Bird Dog". In the past air bosses and "Bird Dogs" have allowed us into the very top of the "stack", plus 200 ft or so. This would allow attack aircraft to enter below us and continue their missions un hampered by our machine. It would allow us to get the shots we need and provide some views that are not seen from the ground. If more aircraft joined, then "Bird Dog" would have us climb to a higher altitude. Of course the "Bird Dogs" always insist that we get some good shot of them, not just those bomber guys.

Phone rings again. Plans have changed, because the solutions that the Logistics team have come up with are all within the NOTAM area. We are now on Plan C or D as we rotor up. I am kind losing count.

I listen in on the COM line as Ronn calls the tower. Kink is in his usual front seat punching in GPS coordinates.
"Vancouver Tower, Good Morning, this is Tango Hotel Uniform with Information Charlie,,,"
Just as Ronn relays our plans to the tower, Kink interrupts him with yet another change. The desk has just come up with another plan of attack. This would involve flying to the Harbour Helipad and dropping Kink off to catch a seaplane with a third camera. It looks like camera guy # one (Wade) may not be able to board the ferry as they are only going to load fire equipment.
Ronn lets the Tower know of our sudden change and we are given the Harbour departure route out of YVR.
When we land and drop off Kink. We decide to take on a full fuel load so Ronn and I can have a maximum time over the fire. We no sooner fill the machine and yet another curve ball. This time it's with the sea plane. They cannot get into the seaplane area because of the NOTAM over the fire area.
"OK" Kink says, "I guess I'm coming with you guys again."
"We just took on full fuel, we'll be too heavy"

( At the Harbour, taking on full fuel. The first of many landings at the Harbour )

So Ronn and I fly off leaving poor Kink on the ground. We head to the fire. As soon as we lift off we can see it in the distance. Galiano Island is just across the Georgia Straight. The weather is clear and hot. The wind is picking up. As we approach I spot the Martin Mars Bomber making a run. I am rolling and recording as they are back at Vancouver Base.

( A frame grab of the Martin Mars as seen from several miles away as we cross the Straight)

We are unable to get the Air Boss so we climb above the NOTAM ceiling. In this particular case it was 3000 ft and Vancouver Terminal Control granted us 3500 ft.
I was able to get some good shots of the Mars doing it's thing. The Martin Mars Waterbomber is the largest water bomber on the planet. It was originally built during the second world war as an attack bomber for the pacific. The war ended before the Mars could be used in combat and of the 5 or 6 that were build, The BC government bought 3 and converted them into water bombers. They are magnificent to see in action.

( The Martin Mars Water Bomber banking into an attack run )

I never get tired of watching them do a run over the fire lines. I have seen them in action several times over the years and on 4 occasions I have shot them from Chopper 9.

We were over the fire for about 40 minutes or so. Then all of a sudden the radio crackled. "Chopper 9, control"
"Go ahead, control" I answered.
"Please return to the Harbour to pick up Kink, we have an LZ for you on the Island, Kink will brief you when you get to him."

Off we go now to land yet again at Vancouver Harbour. Ronn wants to top off the fuel when we land. When we arrive there is not one body, Kink, but two to pick up. I quickly run down the gangway to the pad to tell Ronn not to take on fuel as we now have an extra body to take with us.
"Are we able to take Kate?" I ask.
"But we won't be able to take on fuel and it will only give us about 30 minutes over the fire"

( Kate joins us seen here in a familar position, "working the phone")

Kink briefs Ronn on the new Plan, I'll call this PLAN 9 (from outerspace). We are all to head over to the Island, land at a resort on the North tip of the island. It is outside of the NOTAM and we have the permission of the landowner to land. All good.

We get there and now the wind has kicked up big time as we look for the LZ and when we find it the conditions have made it quite impossible to attempt a landing with such a heavy machine in such heat. You see the turbine engines have to work even harder to provide lift in the hot weather. With us already being near max gross and Ronn piloting our approach we are at max power, there was no need to become the second big story of the day involving the Transportation Safety Board.

( a frame grab of our intended landing site, conditions are not what we had hoped for)

Back at CTV Control they don't seem to quite understand the physics of flight and sometimes think we have a Magic Carpet with a Time Travel Option. Once the situation is explained to them we headed back to YVR. Some fun eh?

We still had a problem. Wade was on the Island with tape that he had been gathering. We needed to get that tape. With two less bodies on board, Ronn my intrepid pilot and I headed off to meet up with Wade on the Island at a 2nd LZ. This LZ had been used in the past and was OK for landing. But when we got there it was a different story. There was a pile of siding stacked pretty much in the middle of the area. Our down wash would make it a mess if we went in and landed. Not to mention potential damage to our machine. Just as we aborted our approach, up pulls Wade in his truck. We fly off now to the LZ we had attempted earlier with the four of us on board. The winds were kinda dodgy, but we got ourselves on the ground and I called Wade to let him know where we were.

(Tail Cam shot as we are about to touch down)

( Chopper 9 on the ground at a place called the "Stone Works' on Galiano Island )

He would take about 20 minutes to find us. In the meantime we find out that we were not at the resort that we thought, yet the land owner was delighted to see us. He and his grand children watched with excitement as we landed in the large grassy field behind their log home.
As I waited for Wade, I took the kids down to the Machine for a tour. The boys were all about 10 or 11 and I made sure each one of them got a good look up close of the helicopter. Ronn was talking to the Grandfather and we made sure that we handed out some swag to thank them for their hospitality. We were invited back to use the back field "Anytime you need it".
Wade arrived with the tape and we were off. I fed his tape on the trip back to YVR and made arrangements to pick Kink back up at the Harbour for 5 PM.

( Some of the fine work as shot by our Ground Camera, Wade as I am feeding back to Vancouver )

God I was exhausted and it was just after 4. We still had to fly and pick up Kink for the show and return to the Fire Line for the 6, would this day end?
The 6 went off with out a hitch and we returned home.
5.2 flight hours. Not bad for the first day back from vacation, I think I need another,,,

( a shot of the boys while waitng for Wade. They each enjoyed sitting in the pilot's seat)

Black Wednesday

I have been on vacation and have been less than faithful to the blog and for that I apologize. But in my absence, much has happened in our small world of media.

My friend and colleague Dave K were hoping to get some sailing in last week when weather and the winds of change at on of our local competitors CITY TV stopped us in our tracks. Last Wednesday morning our colleagues at CKVU were called from what ever their assignments were and directed to a meeting where they were told that they were no longer employed. Talk about a kick in the nuts.
The long and the short of it, CHUM has not been the same company for some time. I had worked for ATV years ago when it was owned by the CHUM group. It had been the best company to work for. Good benefits, decent pay, I hated to leave, but in hind sight it was the best thing I could have done at the time.

Now as part of a big restructure, hundreds of people have lost their jobs across Canada. They include both A Channels and CITY operations across the country. I know some of these people. They are very talented and gifted. It doesn't seem right.

The media business is always changing. That's what makes it exciting, challenging and attractive. Unfortunately sometimes the changing manifests itself in the way it did on Wednesday.

It makes you think, how safe are you? Do you have a plan? Unfortunately most of us don't. Hell mine seems to involve a particular 6 numbers twice a week. You see I need all 6 on the same day. Then I'll not need to worry about how the media world changes at least for me.

Well, I have got to go back and get some painting done, not much of a vacation, but it is away from the daily crush. I'll be back on Monday, back in the air.

For Immediate Release

For Immediate Release

-Wednesday July 5, 2006
YVR-An inconsolable Murman issued the following for immediate release at the end of the second semi final of the World Kick Ball Cup.

"FUCK!!!!" was heard around Sea Island, home of the Vancouver International Airport this afternoon. This after a complete collapse of his pool picks in the semi final round. Team Murman was looking good going into the final four with 3 teams left. Vegas odds makers had him pegged as the 2:1 favorite going into the semi finals.
"I had been looking forward to a German/French final as I suspect France would just give up!"

But yesterday Team Blitzkrieg couldn't get the job done against Italy.
"One freakin' shot on goal, what the hell was that!" Murman added. "Master Race, my ass!"

This afternoon's match up saw Team Murman still in the hunt. But the synchronized diving team of Portugal found themselves flopping around the penalty area waiting for the ref to give them a free bee. Murman still leads by one point going into the final, but had chose Germany to win it all. So as the points nazi would say "No points for you!"
"I was a hell of a good run, and beating Martinez by over 40 points was well worth the 10 bucks. Thank God that Hockey season is only 10 weeks away."

World Wide Murman Press Release

To Boldly Go,,,,,,,

Over the years I have had the good fortune to witness a number of aviation record attempts. In February of 1996, American adventurer Steve Fossett crashed his high altitude balloon about 5 kilometers from my house near Darlings Island, as he attempted to circumnavigate, becoming the first person to complete non stop flight around the globe. He would fail on this attempt, but he did try this several times again and ultimately succeed years later.

About 18 months ago, I had the privilege to watch a young man become the youngest African American to solo an aircraft and receive his pilots license. The record came about at the Boundary Bay Airport in Delta B.C. We watched from midfield in a hover and I followed him with the Chopper 9 FLIR camera. As 15 year old Kenny Roy of California began his flight, I was beaming live pictures back to CTV control in Vancouver. The signal from there was being sent via satellite back to TV stations back in the L.A area. Young Mr. Roy took off and maneuvered into what is called the "circuit". This is a flight pattern that takes him to the north side of the airport in a clockwise "circuit" back into an approach for the main runway. We all listened as the he called the tower to request his first "touch and go". He approached and then set his wheels down with what seemed like little effort and then accelerated to lift off once more. This was repeated and finally after several minutes our hero requested landing. Again he touched the plane down and taxied his way into the record book. I had felt privileged to have seen the accomplishment first hand.

This past Friday another young man was flying up from the same flight school as Mr. Roy had attended. This time this particular young fellow was flying a helicopter. He was going to attempt to become the youngest person to fly solo both a fixed wing and a helicopter,,,, on the same day!
Again I was lucky enough to be on the ground, waiting for 14 year old Jonathan Strickland and his Instructor pilot Robin Petgrave.

14 year old Jonathan Strickland landing at Boundary Bay Airport and into the record books last Friday

Young Jonathan piloted himself into the record books by becoming the youngest person to pilot a helicopter internationally. He bought the Robinson 44 into a hover just above the big yellow "H" directly in from of the main Boundary Bay Terminal and touched down like he had been doing this his whole life.
We got to speak to them both and it was in a conversation with Mr. Petgrave that we had learned of young Jonathan's story. Jonathan became interested in flying as he watched with is grandfather the live broadcast of Mr. Roy's historic fight 18 months earlier. It was then that Jonathan's grand dad challenged him to get involved. And so he did. Most of the young people that go to Mr. Petgrave's flight school are from the inner city. These kids have challenges that many of us have never had to experience. Young men and women work around the hangar for flight lessons. They help clean aircraft, sweep the hangar and generally help out with the day to day things that need gettin' done around the hangar. They learn discipline, the value of hard work and become solid young citizens as they drive toward their dream of flight. We were told that Jonathan worked especially hard to be given this opportunity.

Jonathan Strickland and Chief Pilot Robin Petgrave Photos courtesy of Tyler Johnson Boundary Bay Airport

Today Jonathan became the youngest person to fly both fixed and rotary wing and received both licenses on the same day. I cannot help but feel that our broadcast 18 months ago helped inspire this young man to boldly go where no 14 year old has gone before.
You can check out Robin Petgrave's web site for more information about his program to inspire young people to become involved in the world of aviation.
You never know young Jonathan might be flying an ENG Helicopter near you someday.

Cheese!

It's been a crazy couple of days. Our heli still sits on the ground waiting for it's FLIR camera to be returned from Oregon. So all of us have found ourselves on the ground this week. We should be back in business by Tuesday. We shall see,,,,,

Last night I got a call as I was doing battle with my virus program on my home computer when my cell phone rang. I was my good friend Janet D calling from one of the downtown bars. "Murray, It's Janet. I'm here with a bunch of the girls and guess who just walked into the place,?" Wayne Gretzky!" She sounded very excited. "None of us have a camera."
The after parties of the NHL Awards Show were just getting started and the who's who of hockeydom were in Vancouver, much to the delight of Janet and the rest of the gang at the bar. "I wanted to call as I know how much you would appreciate us meeting the Great One."
"Tell the Great One, Murman says hello and I'm glad he got back OK from Turin." I chuckled. "You better go so you don't miss your chance to say hello"

I had been a little bummed that I didn't get the Awards assignment, but I found out this morning that one of the other "hockey guys", Gary drew the assignment. That's cool, Gary would appreciate being there.

This morning when I got into the office I was regailed with brushes with Gretzky tales. One of my collegues Lisa, proudly showed me her wallet signed by noneother than number 99 himself. "I wished I had a camera with me" she said. Well through the magic of Murman here is an idea of what kind of photo Janet and Lisa had in mind:

Janet, The Great One and Lisa enjoying the after party!

The Kickball Cup

Today is the first day of the "Off Season". Off season, you ask? Yes "Off Season". You see in Murman's world there are only two seasons: the "off season" and "hockey season". With the seventh and decieding game of the Stanley Cup played last night in Carolina the seasons have changed.
You may be curious to know that in my shop there is a sporting frenzy going on about some sort of pastime played with some sort of round sphere and the object of this game to use one's foot to advance this "sphere" in to an opponent's goal. Now where I am from "sports" are played on ice and the sport is hockey.
I take a good deal of good hearted ribbing about my love of hockey especially with my friends in the Engineering and I.T departments. I guess this soccer thing is "their" hockey and OK I guess I can live with that. Why one would watch 90 plus minutes of guys running around after a ball, diving and flopping on the field everytime an opponent looks at them funny, is kinda beyond me. Give me ice, give me a stick and a puck, maybe a few stitches and you have yourself some damn fine entertainment.
Now it might surprise you to know, I used to play soccer, I was a keeper. In fact I played the game so I could stay in shape for hockey. Hell I have even attended a World Cup Final game in 1994 at Foxborrow Mass. I saw Italy beat Spain 2-1 in a packed stadium. Yes it was fun, but it was no Stanley Cup.
The World Cup is different though, it's the biggest sporting spectacle on the planet. And it is a spectacle when you see grown men go down like they have been shot when someone brushes up against them, yet is fit to go once the foul is called. And have you actually seen the "cup" they are playing for? God, give me at least a trophy you can drink out of,,,,

This year as in past years our friends in the Engineering and I.T departments hold a winner take all "World Cup" pool. This year there are 50 people in the contest, all watching every result. There has been a lot of good natured kidding around as our former winner, Milton, who is in every sense of the word a soccer FANATIC, has been struggling with his choices for this year.
We have people in our plant from every corner of the world. Naturally those with Polish backgrounds are not especially happy, yet our Limey Camera Operator and Desk Gal are excited that Britania moves to the next round. Our Italian friends on the third floor have been keeping a low profile as the Azzuri are not playing particularly well, but will likely advance despite themselves. Our former winner Milton, well his hopes have been dashed, but Brazil is moving on and he's happy about that. I too chose a team for this pool, after all the organizers are eager to take the "hockeyman's money". It has made this event at least mildly interesting. I have gone down to our engineering department to see the posted results and trade barbs with the "soccer crowd", it's been kinda fun. My whole goal in this thing was just to finish better than my friend Milton because god knows I will hear about it for the next 4 feakin' years. And I have been holding my own. Seventh, fifth, tenth, but ahead of my "Ice Hockey Hate'n" friend Milton. He had a good laugh when he saw my picks and asked why I would pick Ecuador as one of my teams. "I like the music of the Andes" I said.
I went to check on the results today and as of this writing, MURMAN is winning this pool. Yes that's right, the HOCKEY GUY is leading 49 other soccer heads. Imagine how entertaining it would be if it were played on ICE. If I win this thing I just might buy a trophy, one you can drink out of.

Grounded!

The week began with so much promise. It is my flight week so as many of you regular readers know, I am always geeked up about that. I had just got into the hangar when the cell rang. It was Tanya. Tanya is the goddess of logistics on the assignment desk. She dispatches our ENG Crews. Its a tough gig as she juggles the needs of the assignment editor, and the needs of reporters for cameras and the needs of cameras for their meal breaks. She never has a dull moment, yet she does it with thought and great humour. Many of us don't know how the news room would function without our Tanya. Every news room needs her, but you can't have her, she's ours,,,,,
Anyway, Tan calls: "Murman, I just got a panic call from Gregg"
I interrupt her and say, (and I say this with affection Gregg) "Is there any other kind of call from Gregg? Panic?"
She has a laugh. When she calls I do try to make her smile as you need all the humour you can muster when you sit in Tan's seat.
"We have a potential Flight Request,,,,"
I hadn't been there 2 minutes and we are calling for a squawk code. Off we went to check out a potential hostage situation on a bridge. It turned out to be a "jumper". After a very quick recon, headed off to another potential scene call nearby. It turned into a very quick .9 of an hour. All good.

Off to check out a scene call, shot out of my window

We head back to base and wait for the next call. We don't wait long. Off to Whistler for a construction accident. This call was more serious as a worker had been killed working on Olympic construction. We ended up landing at the Whistler Heliport as Dave met up with a freelancer to gather clips on the ground.

In Whistler, Fueling Up. Blackcomb Helicopter's Eurostar machine in the background

About 45 minutes later a second helicopter arrives. Out pops 2 Global crews. They too are on the story and are scrambling to get some clip action from the ground. One crew leaves via cab and the second camera stays with the ship. We chat for a minute. Then the cell rings, it surprises me as cell service at the heliport is pretty dodgy. I am told to get ready to take flight again. Dave is on his way back and I will cut something on the flight back to Vancouver.
By the time we get ourselves back to Horseshoe Bay, I have cut a bunch of stuff together. As we approach YVR I feed it into the Station. As we land I feel my stomach growl. I glance at my watch, it's almost 4 PM. Geeze where did that day go?
We take flight again for the show and Dave reports from the Helicopter the sad news of a Worker killed on the job. When we return to base, we have logged 4 flight hours for the day. This could shape up to be a busy week.
Tuesday brings a brief scene call which doesn't yield anything news worthy. Still we manage to get a .9 out of it. The rest of the day is slow, but we have the show to look forward to. We could have something breaking during the show and it would salvage the day. The Flying Video Gods however had something else in store for me.
As we took off for our Show Flight I noticed that as I engaged the FLIR camera that my horizon control was not responding to any input I was giving the control. This was a problem. I hoped that a simple reboot would fix the problem. It would not and we were forced to abort back to Base.

Shot of the FLIR Camera mounted on the nose of CHOPPER 9

The plan would be to have CTV engineers work the problem early the next morning. FLIR Camera problems have happened in the past. They usually were fixed by simply changing a fuse accessible in the forward camera. This problem however was not a fuse. Damn.
The news was not good. We would have to send the unit back to the factory in Oregon.
And with that, a flight week that began with so much anticipation ended with me helping engineers load the unit into packing crates.

Grounded!
I guess the only flying I'll be doing will be flying a Live Truck.

The shadow of Chopper 9 as we come in for our final landing Tuesday evening. Talon Helicopter's Eurostar and 206 Jet Ranger in the background

Weekend Assignment

My assignment today was about a young 13 year old girl and her single mom packing for a trip to Toronto. We met up with Mom and Daughter at a school carwash. I was able to get some shots of our young subject interacting with her friends.
Cecilia is not unlike any other young person of her age. She likes music, she likes to sing and she tells me she likes to act and enjoys school drama. Pretty normal stuff really. She has a smile that lights up a room. She would like sports and the outdoors, but cannot enjoy them. She gets cold easy. Walking with her mom or hanging with her friends at the car wash today, tires her out. She is easly fatigued.
Cecilia has endured more in her thirteen years than most of us will in a life time. She has been through several open heart operations and now she needs a new heart.
That is why her and her mom are on their way to Toronto. She needs to be close to "Toronto Sick Kids Hospital" as they are the only childrens hospital that will do transplant operations. She may be there for a very long time waiting for a heart.
Why blog this story? Well it made me think and I hope it makes you think about discussing with your family about organ donation. I know its a tough subject and can be an uncomfortable one but do it. Signing the back of one's drivers licence is not enough. Talk to your family, speak to your doctor.
There are many more stories out there of people of all ages. They love life but their organs are failing. They need a gift and that gift is the gift of life.
I know we all wish Cecilia well and with that gift of a new heart, a healthy out look. I know I hope that I can do a followup story of her on stage doing what she loves most, performing.
We all love stories that have a happy ending.

Silver Anniversary

June 2, it marked my 25th anniversary in Television. Back in 1981 when I still had hair and that youthful confidence that most 19 year olds have today. This story begins though several weeks earlier in Sackville, NB where I was attending University. University and I didn't really get along very well. Most attend, most graduate, all learn. I learned I'd rather be working then going to school.
I had always wanted to be a News Cameraman, but how to get into the business? Taking arts at Mount A was not going to get me there or would it?
As the summer approached and finals drew near, many students regularly checked the employment office that was on campus for potential summer jobs, trying to get a job in their chosen field or at the very least a job that would pay enough to get them back for another year in the fall. I have to admit that I was the latter as I believed I would return in the fall and try to figure out what the hell I was doing.
This particular afternoon I was heading over to the employment center to interview with someone from the Columbia Ice Fields for a job at the park. The interview didn't go terribly well, but that fateful appointment bore other fruit. As I exited the interview I decided to check the job board, especially because I felt the folks from the Ice Fields likely through my file in the waste basket. One add caught my eye. "Wanted: Junior News Reporter" What's this I thought? A position at a TV Station and in my home town,,,,
I began to write down the contact information. At the end of the notice it gave a deadline date, it was tomorrow. Shit I gotta work fast. I ran to my dorm and called the phone number. I asked for the contact person. When she answered, she told me that the process would close at 9 am the next day. I begged her to make an appointment for me with the man doing the hiring. His name was Dave White and he was the news director at CHSJ. With the appointment made my next problem was getting to Saint John. I looked at the clock and I had 20 minutes to get myself to the Via station to catch the last train to Saint John. I grabbed a resume and my wallet. Shit, I need some clothes for the interview. I grabbed my roommate's sport jacket and his tie one of his clean shirts and since I had grabbed that much, I grabbed his clean pants as well. I took my own socks. I left him a quick note and then hauled ass to the train station. I barely made it.
Nobody was more surprised to see me arrive home that my mom and dad. I usually warn them when I was coming home. "I have a job interview at 8:45 in the morning"
Needless to say, I didn't get that job, but it did open the door. Mr. White was very good to me and had been impressed with my story of how I came to be in his office. "You must want this job bad to come all this way" Yes sir, I want to begin a career in broadcasting. I want to be a news camera man.
He suggested that I go back to university and finish my exams and then come back to see him when I was through. I did. He still didn't hire me.
"Murray my boy, I am going to pass along your resume to our Operations Department. I need a reporter, not a techie." He said.
I called every week hoping that they would have something for a young upstart. Several weeks went by. Nothing. I was beginning to think that I would be forced to find another job flipping burgers like in high school.
Then one evening I got a call. Mr. Merzetti at CHSJ wanted me to come in for an interview. I did my best to convince him that I was the right guy for the job. At the time I didn't even know who the competition was for the station and in my youthful eagerness, told him I wanted to learn as much as I could and eventually work for CTV someday. OPPS, did I just say that suddenly realizing that CHSJ was a CBC affiliate. God I'm dead. But Dave seemed to see something in me and gave me the job despite my ignorance. My foot was now in the door. I would begin this journey in a Master Control Room that very afternoon, June 2, 1981.

The job was only supposed to be for the summer. By August Mr. Merzetti called me into the office, this time to offer me a full time position. I took it and at 19 I was the youngest staffer and one of only two in the building that had began in the operations department. A couple of years later Dave White brought me into the news room as a News Cameraman.
The rest is history, but I have to thank both Dave's for taking a chance on a kid with zero experience, but lots of enthusiam. They helped launch my career. Neither is in the business anymore. Dave White runs a small mobile saw milling operation on the Kingston Peninsula or he did when I left the maritimes. Dave Merzetti, worked briefly in private production and passed away quite suddenly a few years ago.

Finding Nimo

It began like any other Saturday except this one had that anticipation of Christmas. You know the feeling you had when you were a kid and you knew that Santa was on his way with his bag of toys. This toy was an 65 inch HDTV. And it was being delivered in just a few hours. My plan was to tune in the satellite, run my new cabling and have everything set up and ready for my HD Jumbotron. I would be watching the hockey game in HD splendor before the end of the day and wait a minute, there was a full day of HD racing tomorrow, oh boy this would be good.
I felt I deserved this reward as I had just completed re seeding my lawn 2 weeks before. It had been the hottest day of the year and I moved 14.5 yards of soil in one day, rolled it, raked it and planted seed. It gave me the worst sunburn of my life and a back ache not seen since I donned the "Back Breaker" Steady Cam rig several weeks ago.
By now I was looking with pride at my new lawn, still too short to give it it's first cut and yet so green. Yes, a mind numbing 65 inches of HD heaven was just what would make any TV junky happy.
I have had an ExpressVu dish for several years and being somewhat familiar with finding Satellites in the "Clark Belt", acquisition should not pose any problem for my timeline. When I bought my new HD dish I of course declined the 70 dollar installation fee. Yes, I am a TV guy why would I spend the 70 when I can do it myself. Hell I can read a manual.
So on that morning of anticipation, I gathered my tools and went about my quest for HD. I replace my existing dish with the new fangled gymbled wonder dish. This baby can tune in both Satellites at the same time. I followed the manual, things were looking good. I had my little TV monitor hooked into my old tuner out by the ladder with me. As the neighbours went out for their walks on that morning, they would comment about the lawn and ask about what I was up to. "Well you must know what you are doing, I wouldn't even begin to try" one neighbour said. They see me in the CTV truck on occasion. "Yes, the satellite is right there" as I point to the southern horizon. "I should have it in a couple of minutes"
I found Nimiq "91" in about 2 minutes. I still had it, I thought. Another walking neighbour: "hey Mur, do you install these things?"
"Not usually, I'm a Camera guy, but I have worked in the SAT Truck"
I had already adjusted the "skew" angle according to the manual so as to "acquire" the second satellite, so it must be all good right?
Just then a truck pulls up and it's here. Oh boy, this would be good. I would be the envy of the free world. Murman, his new Multiplex HD and he saved 70 bucks by doing the install work himself. Is there anything he can't do???

When I hook up the new wonder box to the wires, I figure I am moments away from calling that toll free number to get my HD package. I am giddy with excitement.
"hmm, this doesn't look good." I double check my cables. It turns out I have a switch that needs 4 input wires not the 2 I have installed. Damn, I'll have to go to the Depot and grab another spool of R Cable. I was there earlier to pick up 50 feet and some connectors. I drill more holes, I run more cable. "Switch Test Complete" the screen reads. OK we're in business.
"Nimiq 82 No Signal"
What the %&*!
OK back up the ladder, re read the compass, re acquire Nimiq 91, this time with a 92% signal. Ok this has to be good.
By now the first Neighbours are returning from their walk, I'm still up on a ladder, playing with the dish.
"No luck?" she asks.
It's there, I'm just fine tuning I say.

Back down the ladder, still no luck with Nimiq 82. Nimiq 82 has all of the HD programming. This is not good.
The hockey game is starting. I'm still up the ladder. I call my buddy Dave. He's like the CTV Satellite YODA, he'll know what to do. But wait, he's the guy that told me I should only have to wire two inputs to the switch, remember, the switch that needs four wires. "Have you got 91?"
"Yes"
"Then 82 is just to the left and about 4 degrees lower in the sky."
I look, I scan, I fail.
Call tech support. They basically tell me the same thing.
Back up the ladder. It's getting dark now. The walkers are out now for their evening walk. I'm still up the ladder.
I am sure they are thinking that this guy is an idiot. He must just "play" a guy who's in TV.
I finally come down, feeling defeated. I am reduced to, watching a DVD on my new colossus. It's not HD, and it leaves me feeling cheated. I miss the hockey game.

Sunday: I am again up the ladder. Bob and Jane are out walking. They again complement me on my new grass. I think that they are either too afraid or too polite to ask about my current project.
They return later to find me now hacking down branches from my front tree. My new lawn now with a worn path from the garage to the ladder, tree branches, leaves everywhere. All this to save 70 bucks. Goddamn, now I am pissed.
This has got to be it, the branches must have been hiding the look angle to the that HD beacon in the sky.
I return to my second home, up on my ladder. I curse at the dish. Again, no Nimiq 82. Did the Russians shoot the goddamn thing out of the sky. Has it been hit by some sort of space junk?
Again day turns to night, Nimiq still has it's cloaking device on. Bob and Jane are again out walking. I am sure that they are expecting to see me hanging from my Sat dish, lifeless. Now they are avoiding eye contact. Just as well. Better not talk to the crazy man trying to save 70 bucks.

New TV: 5000 dollars.
Cost of Installation of Sat System: 70 dollars
Cost of Wiring that would have been included in 70 dollar installation :110 dollars

Finding Nimiq: PRICELESS