Happy 60th Birthday CHED

[radiofan]

Sixty years ago tonight, (March 3, 1954) Edmonton's CHED hit the airwaves ...

http://www.630ched.com/2014/03/03/the-n ... years-ago/

[jon]

Finally found what I was looking for all day, regarding that first transmitter location, at signon at 8pm this evening, 60 years ago today.

"A mile west and south of the southern end of 156 St. in West Edmonton are the two 315-foot aerial masts and transmitters,...the first remotely controlled [transmitter] to be operated in Edmonton...eliminates the necessity for an engineer to be on constant watch at the transmitter building."

I've mentioned it before, but the same newspaper coverage in 1954 confirms that CHED started out Day One in the custom-designed building that everyone remembers as the CHED Building in Downtown Edmonton on 107 Street and 100 Avenue. Although referred to as the corner of 107 St. and 100 Ave., a Nov. 1958 photo of the building taken by Bob Coe clearly indicates CHED was actually the second building on 107 Street, not the corner building. Until recently, the building was the home of Il Portico, a restaurant, but was relatively recently sold to Alberta Blue Cross for future expansion of their existing building across the alley.

As for the original transmitter location, that puts it just East of West Edmonton Mall.

[mike marshall]

>> CHED started out Day One in the custom-designed building that everyone remembers as the CHED Building in Downtown Edmonton on 107 Street and 100 Avenue. Although referred to as the corner of 107 St. and 100 Ave., a Nov. 1958 photo of the building taken by Bob Coe clearly indicates CHED was actually the second building on 107 Street, not the corner building. <<

Glad to see this, Jon. About a month ago, I read somewhere online that CHED was at the corner of 107 and 100, which wasn't the way I remembered it.
2nd building, it was, toward Jasper Avenue, across from the Coachman hotel. Nice to have confirmation.
When I originally read that it was on the corner, I used Google Street View to take a look. It looks like the building is still there but with quite a few changes. The old front doorway (indent still there) has been filled in. So have the first floor windows. The Coachman across the street has a different look, too. Much brighter.
While I was at it, I also looked at the Birks Building at 104th and Jasper (CJCA). Doesn't look much different.

[mike marshall]

Checked with KJ at soundspark. CHED was 2nd from the corner. There was an apartment building on the corner, gone now, as "they paved paradise and put up a parking lot."
CHED had the best announce-op studio I worked in. Everything was within reach, you never had to move your chair.
CJCA had the worst. We had to wear a lavalier (went around the neck and rested on one's chest) with a tiny mic attached. PITA.

[freqfreak2]

The Last Link has an extensive page covering CHED's sign on as well as some brief history afterwards. Some interesting pictures and clippings from the Edmonton Journal, too.

http://www.lastlinkontheleft.com/r004_1954_ched_sign_on.html