After 10 years of streaming online, a Gulf Islands radio station is finding its spot on the FM dial.
CHIR, a volunteer, non-profit community radio station will begin broadcasting on 107.9 FM at 9 a.m. Sept. 18 with a morning show, co-hosted by Damian Inwood and David Crouch.
Inwood also serves as the president of the Gulf Island Community Radio Society, and told CHEK News after working at the station for a decade, he is very ready for the launch.
“I am pinching myself that this day has finally come. It’s very exciting and it’s a little bit hard to believe,” he said. “It’s very satisfying as it’s what I’ve worked towards for a very long time.”
The station will “soft launch’ with 10 or 11 locally-produced shows, some on multiple days, plus an additional 13 syndicated shows.
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When the station began in 2015, one of the goals was to raise funds for a detailed engineering study which lays out the parameters for a signal. In 2018, the station formally applied to the Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission, but due to delays during the pandemic, the licence approval was received by the station in 2022.
CHIR continues to fundraise for equipment costs, noted Inwood. Their studio and tower is located on Salt Spring Island but due to the topography, the FM station can’t reach the south end of the Island without a repeater on Mount Bruce.
The society has purchased most of the hardware and hopes to have it installed and tested by late fall, with the goal of broadcasting to the south end on 102.1 FM shortly afterwards. The signal should also reach Pender, Galiano, Mayne and Saturna islands as well, Inwood added.
He said once the station gets established on the FM dial, they will also provide local news coverage, political meetings and local music events.
Individuals interested in proposing a program can do so on the station’s website.