Channel X Radio

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

History

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 on the Green Ridge Road, or on the Caribou/Fort Fairfield town line. On November 15, 1986 at 6:00 p.m., WCXU, Caribou began operation on 97.7 MHz. The studios and offices were in a single-wide trailer while the transmitter was 400 feet away.

With a 3 kW signal and a small transmitter, people north of Caribou couldn't get the signal. Madawaska was the first place to get a translator. On January 30, 1988, WCXX 102.3 Madawaska began atop 11th Avenue Extension in a tiny studio, rebroadcasting WCXU. The signal reached all the way to Caribou.

Because of the valley like nature, and the small power that WCXX transmits, the signal is degraded in most of Fort Kent. In late 1994, CanXus applied for W276AY on 103.1 MHz. This very small signal is located near 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 20 kW. Now the signal can go all the way to Houlton and Fort Kent in a 45 miles (70 km) radius. Since then, the transmitter building has doubled in size, the transmitter has become a little bigger (now Height Above Average Terrain (HAAT) of 90 m) and in 1998, Channel X moved to its new studio-office with state-of-the-art computerized broadcasting equipment.

In late 2006 WCXV in Van Buren began to simulcast Channel X Radio. It broadcasted at a lower power until December 27, 2007 when WCXV began broadcasting at the full 6 kW. Recently CanXus changed their construction permit to decrease its HAAT to 1 m.

In the summer of 2007, Channel X began broadcasting on WCXH 780 kHz, previously known as WREM 710 kHz in Monticello, the first AM station of the network. The station is owned by broadcaster Allan Weiner, who also owns shortwave broadcast station WBCQ in Monticello. The station later changed its call letters to WXME and replaced Channel X Radio with a news/talk format.

Current programming

Current programming on Channel X include local sports, a morning show with Mark Stewart and Dougless Christisen, an afternoon show with Gordon P. Glew, and DJ's Peter Edwards.

References

• Query the FCC's FM station database for WCXX
• Radio-Locator information on WCXX
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WCXX
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WCXU
• Radio-Locator information on WCXU
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WCXU
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WCXV
• Radio-Locator information on WCXV
• Query Arbitron's FM station database for WCXV
• Query the FCC's FM station database for W276AY
• Radio-Locator information on W276AY