Does anyone remember stations signing off

[Robert]

In our 24/7 society today that stations stay on all the time, it wasn't always so. Serks post and this made me remember that in times past when stations would stop broadcasting for the night they would play the national anthem. Of course each had its own way of signing off but that was the most common. At the time I would never have understood the significance of that one small act.

A few times I would get up to see if there was any stations on and there was only a couple. In my life and at the time I never wouid have thought this was an important event. Especially from a time honored song I had heard over and over again.

It is said you never know what you have till its gone.


https://youtu.be/y49Omj1onuI

Videos of signing off.

https://wyrk.com/remember-when-tv-stations-used-to-sign-off-with-the-national-anthem-watch/

[hubcapsc]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-zE1zWpEBY

I remember the signoff. And everything being quiet on Sunday.

-Mike

[shape]

I remember, I thought they also signed on with the national anthem. Then some kind of farm show/report would be the 1st program. Memories

[Robert]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-zE1zWpEBY

I remember the signoff. And everything being quiet on Sunday.

-Mike

 

[Robert]

I remember, I thought they also signed on with the national anthem. Then some kind of farm show/report would be the 1st program. Memories

I would wake up a 5am when I was a kid to watch sunrise farmer. I didn't remember when the tv station actually signed back on so I always hoped I would see it.  I looked and looked and haven't found anything like that anymore. I used to love that show.

Today I always wake up early, I wonder if that was me being programed 

[shape]

I remember, I thought they also signed on with the national anthem. Then some kind of farm show/report would be the 1st program. Memories

I would wake up a 5am when I was a kid to watch sunrise farmer. I didn't remember when the tv station actually signed back on so I always hoped I would see it.  I looked and looked and haven't found anything like that anymore. I used to love that show.

Today I always wake up early, I wonder if that was me being programed 

I was a 60’s suburban kid. Can’t say I had much interest in the farm report, but I would watch it, cause that’s all there was . I was just holding out for davey and goliath.

[Robert]

I remember, I thought they also signed on with the national anthem. Then some kind of farm show/report would be the 1st program. Memories

I would wake up a 5am when I was a kid to watch sunrise farmer. I didn't remember when the tv station actually signed back on so I always hoped I would see it.  I looked and looked and haven't found anything like that anymore. I used to love that show.

Today I always wake up early, I wonder if that was me being programed 

I was a 60’s suburban kid. Can’t say I had much interest in the farm report, but I would watch it, cause that’s all there was . I was just holding out for davey and goliath.

  Just when I thought I was the only one.

Here you go, thanks 

https://wyrk.com/remember-when-tv-stations-used-to-sign-off-with-the-national-anthem-watch/

You tube is still good for something.

[msb]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A-zE1zWpEBY

I remember the signoff. And everything being quiet on Sunday.

-Mike

Never had TV until I was 12 or so, but yes I remember the stations signing both on and off with the National Anthem.
In my house now, TV stations are permanently signed  off    I also remember everything being shut tight as a drum on Sundays. Those too young to remember Sundays as a "day of rest" would probably be horrified  at the thought.... those who grew up with it probably pine for those days .

[semo97]

Sunday was a day of rest no matter what growing up even in agriculture. You have to feed somethings,  milk the cows and check those cows calving.  If it was too rain on Monday and we had 200 acres of hay down and ready to stack it just got wet. The good old days when a hand shake was better then a contract. TV and the national anthem another part of the good old days.

[Patrick]

I remember  stations signing on and off, we could only get one station in the beginning which was on for a few hours a day. Sometimes someone had to hang on to the rabbit ears and the screen was all of about a foot wide.

[Jess from VA]

Today (and for a long time)..... they just cannot shut up. 

So they just get shut off. 

[The emperor has no clothes]

This is what sticks in my head from the sign off. Although I remember the Indian being bigger. Did they have different patterns ?

[msb]

I remember this, when TV broadcasting signed off. This was back when most if not all Canadians enjoyed and respected our National public broadcaster the CBC...which certainly hasn't been the case for a while now

https://youtu.be/l4gpESnks9U

[carolinarider09]

Yes I remember,  I also remember the shows I use to watch on Saturday nights after returning home from my date. 

Two I remember are Svengoolie and Elvira

Svengoolie is at 7:54 in the video below. 

Elvira is at 8:43

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fHlqk7Tyf4c

[Robert]

I always remember Red Skelton say good night and may God bless.

[old2soon]

      Yup-National Anthem sign off then test pattern with a squeal long toot or some sorta noise. Saturday night growing up Mom liked wrestling. Lost track how many times she'd put me in a head lock. Gorgeous George was one of her favorites. And at that time they-t v stations-signed off earlier on Sunday night cuz folks went back to work on Monday. If you lived near where your t v came outa Chicago then you might remember Jim Moran the Courtesy Ford man. He generally started with-I've got 2 minutes to sell you a car or go out in the kitchen and make yerself a sandwich.  Yeah-with this 24/7 stuff I DO miss the sign off otherwise you gotta go to a High School game to git the National Anthem. Good stuff-Thanks Robert.  RIDE SAFE.

[Jess from VA]

What I remember about the TV test pattern is falling asleep watching some old movie with the volume low, and then having the louder anthem followed by a piercing tone wake me out of a sound sleep, thinking.... crap I've done it again (sore from sleeping wrong in a chair).

[Robert]

What I remember about the TV test pattern is falling asleep watching dome old movie with the volume low, and then having the louder anthem followed by a piercing tone wake me out of a sound sleep, thinking.... crap I've done it again (sore from sleeping wrong in a chair).

 

I swear they put that high pitched tone on just to annoy and wake up those that fell asleep in front of the tv, like me and you.  

I hated that thing, why couldn't they have just had no sound. A couple of times I remember trying to sleep through it, since I did not want to get up.   Cant they just leave me alone, and let me sleep.  

When they started to keep the tv programing going they would either put on B grade horror movies or the prechers, it was a toss up to what I would wake up to.

The worst was when you got interested on what was on and stayed up and watched. Felt like a hangover the next day.
 

[old2soon]

       While we are on the nostalgia tour. Remember Having to git yer azz outa the sit down and changing channels or adjusting the volume by hand? And the distinctive click of the knob between channels? And waitin fer the danged thing to warm up? Or a 5 foot tall 3 and a half foot wide case with a 10 inch screen? I can't recall the exact When that Dad had installed or he installed the roof top antenna cuz the rabbit ears were a Royal P I A. I remember one of our old black and white sets was acting up one weekend when Dad was watching one of His programs. After some mild cursing he got up outa his recliner balled up that huge right paw of his he called a hand and thumped that t v smartly on the top and it settled down and worked the rest of the evening.  Course the next evening the t v needed Another smartly thump on the top!  Old memories slowly fading into the mists of the past.  RIDE SAFE.

[The emperor has no clothes]

I wonder what young people think of old people talking about outdated stuff ? I've noticed with my grandkids it's polite nodding of the heads. We probably seem ancient. 

[scooperhsd]

Seem ?!?!?!

We ARE ancient compared to them....

[Hooter]

I wouldn't have traded growing up in the 60s for nothing! I spent numerous hours watching the test pattern, playing poker with my buddies, and drinking beer, or, well, you know. The best of times!

[BigInSeattle]

Watching TV stations signing off hasn't always been fun

[Robert]

OK since we are going down memory lane how about when cable showed up and promised, NO ADS 

[hubcapsc]

OK since we are going down memory lane how about when cable showed up and promised, NO ADS 

I had a roommate in college for a while that got cable, I don't think I've
ever lived someplace with cable other than that.

I remember in high school... they got cable at Jimmy Gray's house...
there weren't 200 channels of porn then, there was a whole bunch
of channels that showed old cartoons 

-Mike

[Ramie]

If I think about it, what's happened in my lifetime is quite remarkable.  I grew up in the sticks, we had a radio that was taller then me, we had party lines with crank phones, detergent oil,  coal gravity furnaces. 

Don't really miss any of those things but I miss Home made bread every day, pot roast for supper just about every night.  Sitting around the dinning room table with 5 other kids and my parents.  Real milk with supper and real cream over fresh picked strawberries.  Riding in the back of the old Chevy pickup with my brothers just about everywhere even in the winter.

We've gained a lot but we've also lost a lot

[msb]

If I think about it, what's happened in my lifetime is quite remarkable.  I grew up in the sticks, we had a radio that was taller then me, we had party lines with crank phones, detergent oil,  coal gravity furnaces. 

Don't really miss any of those things but I miss Home made bread every day, pot roast for supper just about every night.  Sitting around the dinning room table with 5 other kids and my parents.  Real milk with supper and real cream over fresh picked strawberries.  Riding in the back of the old Chevy pickup with my brothers just about everywhere even in the winter.

We've gained a lot but we've also lost a lot

Wherever it was you grew up, your lifestyle and the things you mention mirror my childhood days on the shores of Kootenay Lake here in BC almost to a tee... less 2 siblings. Shovelling coal, cleaning the screens in the waterbox in the creek that supplied our water, one radio station and a record player for "entertainment", simple basic foods and regular meal times always at home. I remember an idealic childhood, not wanting for anything.