CJSR-FM

CJSR’s early history was really that of CKUA’s. See the history of CKUA.

This year saw the Province of Alberta take over CKUA from the University of Alberta.

CKUA moved from the University campus to the Provincial Building in downtown Edmonton.

The University of Alberta Student Radio Directorate was created to fill the void left by the departure of CKUA. CKUA however still continued to air some University programming. Using equipment donated by CKUA, the Directorate built a small studio in an army hut that had been built on the campus during the war. Programming from “Hut H” was relayed to CKUA’s downtown studios.

The Directorate became the Alberta Student Radio Society. By this time, the Society was producing three hours of programming every week for CKUA.

By this time CKUA had pretty much shed its ties with the University. The Society was now broadcasting to the University via a closed circuit PA system.

The Radio Society moved its studio from University Hall to the brand new Students’ Union building. Local commercial stations CFRN and CJCA donated second-hand equipment for the new studio.

A 100-watt carrier current AM transmitter was installed atop the Student Union building, broadcasting to the university residences at Lister Hall as well as the Education, Engineering, General Services, and Tory buildings. Up to this point, the signal was closed circuit.

The Radio Society adopted the CKSR call sign. The CK represented CKUA and the SR  stood for student radio.

Attempts were made to convert CKSR to an FM station. These attempts failed due to a lack of resources.

In February, CKSR again attempted to become an FM station. The application was rejected by the CRTC.

Due to a variety of reasons including a budget shortfall with the Student Union (which funded the station), CKSR was shut down in April.

In January, the Student’s Union approved money from a reserve fund to pay for a General Manager and Chief Programmer with any leftover going to operational expenses.

CKSR returned to the air in February.

In September, CKSR expanded its signal by broadcasting over FM cable.

CKSR became CJSR after receiving CRTC approval on July 6 to operate a carrier current station on 1580 kHz with power of 20 watts.

The Friends of CJSR was formed. It was a non-profit society that raised funds for CJSR.

In March, the University gave CJSR approval in principle to become an FM station.

On May 24, Steve Cumming on behalf of a company to be incorporated, was licenced to operate a new FM station at Edmonton. It would broadcast on a frequency of 88.5 MHz with effective radiated power of 44 watts. The Students’ Union would surrender the licence already held for carrier current station CJSR.

In December, equipment upgrades were completed, and a transmitter was mounted atop the Students’ Union Building.

CJSR’s first FM broadcast took place on January 7.

On April 10, The First Alberta Campus Radio Association was given approval to increase the effective radiated power of CJSR from 44 to 900 watts, and to relocate the transmitter to a site approximately 0.5 kilometres to the northeast of the existing site.

CJSR increased its broadcast day from 7 a.m. to 3 a.m. to 24 hours per day.

In the winter, CJSR moved from its longtime home on the second floor of the Students’ Union building to room 009 in the basement.

The CRTC renewed the licence for The First Alberta Campus Radio Association’s CJSR-FM on July 27.