CHNC-AM

On December 23, CHNC 1210 signed on the air with 100 watts of power. The “NC” in the calls were for the city of licence.

CHNC moved to 1410 kHz and increased power to 1,000 watts.

The frequency changed to 960 kHz. 

CHNC became a United Press subscriber. 

The Association of Independent Stations of the Province of Quebec was formed at the end of January, with CKAC, CHLP and CFCF Montreal; CHRC and CKCV Quebec; CKCH Hull; CJBR Rimouski; CHNC New Carlisle; CHLT Sherbrooke; CHLN Trois-Rivieres; and CKRN Rouyn as members. Phil Lalonde of CKAC was elected president; Narcisse Thivierge, CHRC, vice-president; Alex Dupont, CKCH and Marcel Lefebvre, CHLP, directors.

CHNC’s owner, Dr. Charles Houde, received a licence for a radio station at Campbellton, NB. CKNB was expected to open in January of 1940.

CHNC installed a new 404 foot vertical radiator and built a new transmitter house at a total cost of about $20,000. Later in the year, the station moved to 610 on the dial.

Under the Havana Treaty, CHNC would be one of the few stations to hold on to its existing frequency. It would continue on 610 kHz (Class III-A) with 1,000 watts of power. Hundreds of other stations across the continent had to change frequency on March 29.

CHNC installed a new Caterpillar 15 kW diesel electric set to deal with voltage variations. The station was hoping to soon increase power from 1,000 watts to 5,000 watts.

CBC Quebec Regional Network Supplementary Stations: CKCH, CHGB, CHNC, CKRN, CHVD, CHAD. Dr. Chas. Houde was manager and V. Bernard was commercial manager. 

CHNC was listed as being owned by Gaspesia Radio Broadcasting Co. Ltd. Studios were on Main Street, and the transmitter was at Barachois-Pasbebiac.

CHNC 610 increased power from 1,000 watts to 5,000 watts. The station used a single directional pattern for day and night operation.

The CBC board approved a share transfer for CHNC.

Dr. Charles Houde was manager and Viateur Bernard was commercial manager.

The CBC approved the transfer of 22 common and 443 preferred shares in La Compagnie Gaspesienne de Radiodiffusion Ltee.

The transfer of 33 common and 480 preferred shares was approved. Later in the year, approval was given for the transfer of 100 preferred shares in La Compagnie Gaspesienne de Radiodiffusion Ltd.
 

CHNC was listed as a CBC French affiliate. It was owned by La Compagnie Gaspesienne de Radiodiffusion Ltee or The Gaspesia Radio Broadcasting Co. Ltd. (Dr. Charles Houde 71.1%, Dr. C. E. Dumont 1.2%, J. A. Dorias 0.4%, J. E. Levesque 1.2%, L. Arsenault 0.8%, J. A. Poirier 0.4%, J. L. Hashey 0.4%, 33 other shareholders 24.5%).

Dr. Chas. Dumont was president of the company and Dr. Chas. Houde was manager and commercial manager of CHNC. 
 

J. Peloquin was commercial manager. 
 

CHNC directed its signal into the northern Maritimes.
 

By this time, CHNC 610 had increased daytime power to 10,000 watts. Night power remained 5,000 watts. J. Alphonse Poirier was president of Gaspesia Radio Broadcasting Co. Ltd. and Dr. Charles Houde was manager of CHNC.
 

By this time, CHNC had increased daytime power to 10,000 watts.

CHNC applied in 1978 for a rebroadcast station at Gaspe, operating on a frequency of 1150 kHz with power of 5,000 watts. The application was withdrawn in 1979, before the November public hearing took place.

Approval was granted for the sale of CHNC by Radiodiffusion de l’Est Ltee by La Compagnie Gaspesienne de Radiodiffusion (on behalf of a company to be incorporated which would be known as Radio CHNC Ltee).

CHNC was authorized to add a rebroadcast transmitter at Gaspe, on 1150 kHz with power of 5,000 watts. . It would originate twelve and a half hours a week of programming originating from a local studio. The new station was not to sign on until December of 1981 as a concession to Gaspe’s community station, CJRG-FM, which had signed on in 1978. The CRTC noted that CHNC’s signal had deteriorated over the years due to increased interference.

An FM rebroadcaster was approved for Cap-aux-Meules, using a frequency of 105.5 MHz with effective radiated power of 4,300 watts. It would rebroadcast CHNC on a part-time basis.

On May 13, Radio CHNC Ltee. was given approval for a new AM station at Murdochville to rebroadcast CHNC. It would operate on 1450 kHz with power of 50 watts. A competing application by Radio de Golfe Inc. for a new FM station at Murdochville was denied.

Radio CHNC Ltée purchased the station.

CHGM Gaspe was off the air after a fire destroyed its transmitter on the night of October 20.

The CRTC revoked the licnece for CHMV Murcochville. The licence was granted in 1982, but due to economic reasons, the station was never established.

CHGM Gaspé, owned by Radio L’Emérillon Ltée became a full-time rebroadcaster of CHNC in February.

A federal mediator was brought in to attempt to end the 32-month long strike at CHNC. The action was taken after some of the striking employees occupied the riding office of Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, in Baie Comeau.

On March 3, Radio CHNC ltée received approval to operate a French-language commercial FM station in New Carlisle with FM transmitters in Carleton, Chandler, Gaspé and Percé. The new FM station at New Carlisle and the FM transmitter in Gaspé are to replace the AM station CHNC New Carlisle and its AM transmitter CHGM Gaspé. Radio CHNC indicated that the conversion to the FM band would ensure the survival of CHNC, one of the oldest Francophone stations in North America. The applicant noted that CHNC is the only station still broadcasting on the AM band on the Gaspé Peninsula and that all local Gaspé stations currently competing with CHNC are FM stations, putting the station at a competitive disadvantage. The proposed FM station would continue to broadcast a classic rock and country music format. The station will operate at 107.1 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 3,800 watts. The transmitter in Carleton will operate at 99.1 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 480 watts. The transmitter in Chandler will operate at 98.3 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 870 watts. The transmitter in Gaspé will operate at 99.3 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 257 watts. The transmitter in Percé will operate at 107.3 MHz with an average effective radiated power of 426 watts.

On June 27, the CRTC approved the application by Coopérative des travailleurs CHNC to acquire from Radio CHNC ltée the assets of CHNC New Carlisle and its transmitter CHGM Gaspé. The transaction would be completed through the dissolution and the wind-up of the assets of Radio CHNC ltée into la Coopérative. The transaction would not affect the effective control of CHGM Gaspé, which would continue to be exercised by la Coopérative’s board of directors.  

CHNC-FM 107.1 New Carlisle and CHGM-FM Gaspe signed on the air in December. 

CHNC 610 (New Carlisle) and CHGM 1150 (Gaspé) left the air after receiving multiple extensions of time to simulcast their FM replacements. The FM signals signed on in 2008, but complaints about poor reception kept the AM outlets on the air far beyond the usual 90-day simulcast period. 

On October 21, the CRTC approved the applications by the Coopérative des travailleurs CHNC to change the technical parameters for CHNC-FM New Carlisle, as well as those of its transmitters CHNC-FM-1 Carleton and CHNC-FM-2 Chandler. The licensee proposed to change the technical parameters for CHNC-FM by increasing the average effective radiated power from 3,400 to 3,900 watts (maximum ERP from 5,350 to 6,200 watts and effective height of antenna above average terrain from 180 to 200 metres). All other technical parameters would remain unchanged. The licensee indicated that this technical change would help to solve certain technical problems due to the very irregular topography of the area, as well as to correct some technical reliability problems the service was experiencing. As to CHNC-FM-1, the licensee proposed to modify the EHAAT by increasing it from 395 to 418.5 metres. The licensee indicated that this change would help to solve some of the signal’s penetration problems, especially in the New Richmond area. Further, the licensee noted that the increase in EHAAT would help alleviate the signal weakening problem caused by high trees and would allow CHNC-FM-1 to recoup part of the service area that was lost when the AM transmitter ceased operation. Regarding CHNC-FM-2, the licensee proposed to change the frequency from 98.3 MHz (channel 252A) to 98.1 MHz (channel 251A) and increase the average ERP from 550 to 810 watts (maximum ERP from 870 to 1,280 watts). The licensee indicated that the retransmitter intermittently received a high level of interference from CBAL-FM Moncton. It also stated that it was seeking to offer a better service by increasing the signal’s penetration.

On June 9, the CRTC approved the applications by CHNC to increase the ERP of CHGM-FM Gaspé from 257 to 2,540 watts (max 468 to 2,540 watts).

On the same date, CHNC was authorized to add a transmitter at Rivière-au-Renard, operating on 106.7 MHz with an average ERP of 325 watts (maximum ERP of 520 watts).

In March, CHGM-FM-1 (106.7 MHz with ERP of 325 watts) launched in Riviere-au-Renard. It simulcast the programming of CHGM.