Channel X Radio

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Channel X Radio
WCXU/WCXX/WCXV
City of license Caribou, Maine
Broadcast area Aroostook County, Maine
First air date 1986
Frequency 97.7 (WCXU), 102.3 (WCXU), 98.1 (WCXV), 103.1 (W276AY)
Format Unknown
Power 20kw, (WCXU) 1.75 kw (WCXX) 6kw, (WCXV), 50 watts (W276AY)
Class C3 (WCXU), A (WCXU), A (WCXV)
Owner Canxus Broadcasting
Website [1]

Channel X Radio is a network of American FM radio stations in Aroostook County, Maine. With studios in Caribou the stations are heard through various transmitters throughout Aroostook County.

[edit] Early years

The CanXus Broadcasting Corporation was founded in Maine in May, 1986. Shortly after that, CanXus submitted an application to put a 3,000 watt transmitter close to the Caribou/Fort Fairfield town line. On November 15th, 1986 at 6:00PM, WCXU, Caribou began operation on frequency 97.7. The studios and offices were in a single-wide trailer while the transmitter was 400 feet away.

With a small signal like that, people north of Caribou couldn't get the signal clearly enough or at all. Madawaska was the first place to get a translator. On January 30, 1988, WCXX 102.3 Madawaks began atop 11th Avenue Extension in a tiny studio. WCXX rebroadcasts WCXU except for the commercial breaks.

In late 1994, CanXus applied for W276AY on 103.1FM. This very small signal is located by the Northern Maine Medical Center and reaches only Fort Kent and surrounding towns.

At the same time WCXU doubled its power to 6 kw, then later increased the output to 20kw.

Since then, the transmitter building has doubled in size, the transmitter has gotten a little bigger (now HAAT of 90[[meter|M) and in 1998, Channel X moved to its new studio-office with state-of-the-art computerized broadcasting equipment

[edit] New Station: WCXV

Since 1995, CanXus broadcasting has tried to put another translator up in Van Buren, Maine. They finally succeeded in April, 2005. In September, 2006, a call sign was assigned to this new station appropriately named WCXV. It broadcasts with 6kw. It is unclear if this station is on the air yet.