CHAK (AM)

CHAK

City of license	Inuvik, Northwest Territories
Broadcast area	Western Arctic
Branding	CBC Radio One CBC North
Frequency	860 KHz (AM)
First air date	1960 (originally dates back to 1947)
Format	public broadcasting
Power	1,000 watts
Class	B
Callsign meaning	C H AKlavik
Owner	Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
Website	CBC North

CHAK is a Canadian radio station, broadcasting at 860 AM in Inuvik, Northwest Territories. The station broadcasts the programming of the CBC Radio One network known as CBC North.

History

CHAK was launched in 1960 as a local community station in neighbouring Aklavik on AM 1230. That same year, a new station was being built by the CBC in the new town of Inuvik to replace the old station in Aklavik. The new CHAK went on the air on November 26, 1960 on a new frequency, 860. The station was now part of the CBC Northern Radio Service. CHAK received CBC news and topical programs by picking up CBX 1010 (later 740) Edmonton and relaying the broadcast. Tapes recorded in Montreal were also flown in on regular airline flights. Eventually the station was linked into the primary CBC network feed.

The history of CHAK may have originated prior to 1960: according to the Canadian Communications Foundation, the station originally began broadcasting on 1230 kHz in 1947, mainly for community broadcasts such as church services. The station was operated by the Canadian Army and was one of Canada's most northerly radio stations. A year later, CHAK was airing CBC's school programs at the request of the Department of Mines and Resources. In 1953, CHAK received federal approval to change frequencies from 1230 kHz to 1490 kHz. It is unknown if the station had moved back to 1230 kHz, prior to CHAK's launch in 1960.

Local programming

During the network's primary local programming breaks, CHAK airs the same programs as CFYK in Yellowknife, including The Trailbreaker on weekday mornings, the noon-hour program Northwind, Trail's End in the afternoons, and Northern Air on weekend mornings.

However, the two stations both diverge from Radio One network programming in the afternoons, producing separate programming streams for their local First Nations communities. CHAK airs Nantaii in Gwich'in from 1:00 to 2:00 p.m. and Tusaavik in Inuvialuktun from 3:00 until 4 p.m.

CHAK has two rebroadcasters in Nunavut, both in communities where CFFB, the CBC North station in Iqaluit, also broadcasts. This is done in order to provide CHAK's afternoon First Nations programming to these communities, as CFFB's afternoon schedule concentrates on programming in Inuktitut.

Transmitters

¹ In Paulatuk, Tsiigehtchic and Ulukhaktok, CHAK's signal is rebroadcast on transmitters owned by local community groups rather than by the CBC itself. Three further community transmitters — operating on 107.1 in Colville Lake, 107.1 in Sachs Harbour and 100.1 in Old Crow, Yukon — are unlicensed by the CRTC under its exemption for low-power community radio undertakings.

² Rebroadcaster CBAK originally received CRTC approval in 1985 to operate a low-power transmitter at Aklavik on 540 AM. In 1998, CBAK received approval to change frequencies from 540 AM to 1210 AM with the power remaining at 40 watts.^[1]

³ In 1994, the CRTC approved an application from the CBC to change CBQM's frequency from 680 kHz to 690 kHz in Fort McPherson. On April 19, 2013, the CBC applied with the CRTC to convert CBQM Fort McPherson from 690 kHz to 99.9 MHz. ^[2] The application was approved on September 19, 2013. ^[3]

⁴ On May 8, 2013, the CBC received CRTC approval to convert CBQI Tulita from 920 kHz to 100.9 MHz. ^[4]

⁵ Tuktoyaktuk Broadcasting Society opened CFCT AM on 600 kHz with 1,000 watts at 6:45 p.m. MST, on January 20, 1971. In 2005, CFCT became a rebroadcaster of CHAK, changed frequencies to 1150 kHz and changed its call sign to CBAC.^[5] On September 11, 2014, the CRTC approved the CBC's application to convert CBAC from 1150 kHz to 99.9 MHz. ^[6]

See also

• CHAK-TV (defunct CBC Television outlet in Inuvik)

References

External links

• CBC North
• CHAK history - Canadian Communications Foundation
• Query the REC's Canadian station database for CHAK