CHKX-FM

On May 5, Douglas Kirk and Rae Roe were awarded a licence for a new FM station in Hamilton. Kirk owned CJKX-FM Ajax and was managing director of telecommunications at BMO Nesbitt Burns in Toronto. Rae was an Ancaster consultant.

CIWV began testing in August and signed on the air September 1 at noon, as “Wave 94.7” with a sample of its programming. Official, regular broadcasting began September 5 at 5:30 a.m.

Studios and offices were at 589 Upper Wellington Street, in the former Hume’s Family Sports store. Operating on 94.7 MHz with effective radiated power of 1,880 watts, the transmitter and antenna were located near the Devil’s Punchbowl on Ridge Road above Stoney Creek.

The contemporary/smooth jazz format targeted the 30 to 50 age group. The station’s first announcers included Bob Farrow in mornings, CHAM veteran Vickie Van Dyke (middays), well-known and lotime Toronto-Hamilton announcer Mike Marshall in afternoons, and Gary James (evenings).

On August 17, Burlingham Communications Inc. was granted a power increase for CIWV-FM, from 1,880 to 3,600 watts. The increase was sought in order to improve CIWV’s signal within commercial and high rise buildings. 

CIWV was given approval on October 20 to increase average effective radiated power from 3,600 to 11,390 watts (10,000 to 25,000 watts maximum) and to increase antenna height from 135 to 136 metres (EHAAT). These changes would improve the station’s signal, particularly in the western and northern parts of the amalgamated City of Hamilton.

On May 19, CIWV increased its average effective radiated power to 11,390 watts from 3,600 watts.

On December 5, CIWV was granted an increase in average effective radiated power, from 11,390 to 21,400 watts (maximum power from 25,000 to 45,000 watts). Antenna height would reamin unchanged.

Burlingham Communications Inc. attempted to extend CIWV-FM’s New Adult Contemporary/Smooth Jazz service via proposed transmitters at Meaford, Peterborough and Ottawa. The Meaford application (102.9 MHz with effective radiated power of 9,900 watts) was turned down by the CRTC on October 24. The Peterborough (100.7 MHz with ERP of 1,700 watts) and Ottawa (99.7 MHz with ERP of 4,800 watts) applications were denied on November 29.

On June 16 the CRTC approved the application by Durham Radio Inc. to increase average effective radiated power for CIWV-FM from 19,500 watts to 40,000 watts. The class of the station would change from B to C1. The changes would reduce the protected area that currently exists between Durham’s CIWV-FM and Blackburn’s CIBU-FM and CKNX-FM (Wingham). Both companies agreed to eliminate the protected area to allow for maximum use of their respective channels. 

The new Retail Sales Manager at CKPCAM/FM was Simon Constam, formerly of The Wave Hamilton. He began November 2. Peter Jackman remained Vice President and Sales/General Manager of the stations.

On August 1, CIWV (Wave 94.7) with a Smooth Jazz format became CHKX (KX 94.7) with a Country format. The change gave the Hamilton station the same imaging as sister station CJKX (KX96) in Ajax – also with a Country format. The former “Wave” format would continue as an online stream for now.

The premiere of the “Weekly Country Countdown with Cliff Dumas” was September 25 at 7:00 p.m. on the new KX-947. 

CHKX-FM was now operating in HD with two channels being offered. The station’s regular FM programming – Country KX94.7 was being offered on CHKX-HD1. On CHKX-HD2, the station offered smooth jazz – Wave-FM 94.7. This was the format originally offered by CHKX when it signed on the air as CIWV-FM in 2000. When the station went country, it continued to offer the smooth jazz format on the internet.

Pat Hurley (80) announced his retirement, leaving his sales rep position at KX94.7 at the end of August.

ISEDC approval was given for CHKX-HD to decrease power from 7,080 to 6,026 watts.

In May, CHKX received approval to decrease ERP for CHKX-FM-HD from 7,080 to 6,011 watts.