CHAK (AM)
City | Inuvik, Northwest Territories |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Western Arctic |
Branding |
CBC Radio One CBC North |
Frequency | 860 KHz (AM) |
First air date | 1960 (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 1947 as a local community station in neighbouring Aklavik on AM 1230. A new station was 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 originated prior to 1960 and called itself "CHAK the friendly voice of the Arctic". According to the Canadian Communications Foundation, the station began broadcasting on 1230 kHz in 1947, mainly for community broadcasts such as church services and special messages to people in the bush and the Arctic. The station was originally operated by the Canadian Army and volunteers, particularly the daughter of the Hudson Bay manager, 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 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
City of license | Identifier | Frequency | Power | Class | RECNet | CRTC Decision |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Aklavik2 | CBAK | 1210 AM | 40 watts | LP | Query | 85-829 |
Cambridge Bay, Nunavut | CBIN-FM | 105.1 FM | 82 watts | A1 | Query | |
Fort Good Hope | CBQE-FM | 105.1 FM | 177 watts | A1 | Query | 94-563 |
Deline | CBQO-FM | 105.1 FM | 166 watts | A1 | Query | 94-167 |
Fort McPherson3 | CBAH-FM | 99.9 FM | 50 watts | LP | Query | 94-120 |
Kugluktuk, Nunavut | CBIO-FM | 105.1 FM | 82 watts | A1 | Query | |
Norman Wells | CBDW | 990 AM* 99.9 FM | 40 watts | LP | Query | 2017-215 |
Paulatuk1 | VF2037 | 106.1 FM | 8 watts | LP | Query | |
Tsiigehtchic1 | VF2145 | 106.1 FM | 8 watts | LP | Query | |
Tuktoyaktuk5 | CBAC | 99.9 FM | 261 watts | Query | 2005-415 | |
Tulita4 | CBXY-FM | 100.9 FM | 50 watts | LP | Query | 2013-227 |
Ulukhaktok1 | CKHI-FM | 105.1 FM | 9 watts | LP | Query |
Notes
1 In Paulatuk, Tsiigehtchic and Ulukhaktok, CHAK's signal is rebroadcast on transmitters owned by local community groups rather than by the CBC. 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.
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.[1] On September 11, 2014, the CRTC approved the CBC's application to convert CBAC from 1150 kHz to 99.9 MHz. [2]
2 Rebroadcaster CBAK originally receive sreceived 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.[3]
AM to FM
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. [4] The application was approved on September 19, 2013. [5]
4 On May 8, 2013, the CBC received CRTC approval to convert CBQI Tulita from 920 kHz to 100.9 MHz. [6]
On March 15, 2017, the CBC applied to convert CBDW Norman Wells, Northwest Territories from the AM band (990 kHz) to the FM band (99.9 MHz) with the proposed callsign CBDW-FM. [7] This application was approved on June 23, 2017.[8]
See also
- CHAK-TV (defunct CBC Television outlet in Inuvik)
References
- ↑ CFCT/CBAC history (Tuktoyaktuk) at Canadian Communications Foundation
- ↑ Broadcasting Decision 2014-468, CHAK Inuvik - New transmitter at Tuktoyatuk, CRTC September 11, 2014
- ↑ Decision CRTC 98-519
- ↑ 2013-0591-2, Addition of a transmitter, CRTC, April 19, 2013
- ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-499, CHAK Inuvik – New transmitter at Fort McPherson, CRTC, September 19, 2013
- ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2013-227, CHAK Inuvik – New transmitter in Tulita, CRTC, May 8, 2013
- ↑ 201701905
- ↑ Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2017-215, CHAK Inuvik – New transmitter in Norman Wells, CRTC, June 23, 2017
External links
- CBC North
- CHAK history - Canadian Communications Foundation
- Query the REC's Canadian station database for CHAK