Stoopid Question, Maybe?

[thegoader]

Hello everyone. I've never posted anything on here, but every time I come on and browse I always do a search on CKGO or CHWK. My father, Jon Goad, was a DJ on both and music director for CKGO. (Probably, if memory serves, from 1978 to 1980)

Sadly, my Dad passed away in July of 2013. Recently, I found a bunch of his old jingles he wrote and produced during his time in Hope, Chiliwack and Abbotsford. As well as some air checks from his time in Seattle at KBIQ/KCMS. Always hoping someone by chance will post some of his air checks from his time at CKGO or CHWK.

He had always said he thought Hope would be a great place for an FM station and after reading some of the posts, I thought I'd chime in on his behalf.

[Mr.e.]

re the goader:
I was the morning host at CKGO for a short time and you were asking about air checks for Jon Goader I arrived shortly after he left, you might want to get in touch with Tom Descorsey whom I believe is now the fire chief in Hope. So if your ever driving through Hope, you might want to stop in, he may be able to help you.

[thegoader]

I'll do that. Thank you very much!

[Eldon-Mr.CFAY]

Greetings Everyone,
Yes interesting memories of CKGO 1240 Hope, BC... I remember visiting them several times and also wrote to them. The person that was manager there and I think on-air some of the time who I met was Peter Slack. They sent me some interesting radio promo. material in the mail to way back then. Peter Slack was a nice guy and really seemed to put a lot of enthusiasm into the operating of CKGO. I do remember hearing about Jon Goad but actually cannot remember listening to him. Sorry to hear he has passed away.

As far as Hope goes since Rogers bought Fraser Valley Broadcasters quite a few years ago now they put all the AMs in Abbotsford, Chilliwack and Hope to FM. As far as I know Hope has absolutely no local programming originating in Hope. Its basically a relay fm transmitter of Chilliwack. So all the local programming they had on AM 1240 is long gone! Its a shame too because people who worked at CKGO 1240 had put quite a bit of effort into building that station up over the years. Of course Rogers cares mainly about the bottom line and cost cutting every chance they get just like many of the other large corporate radio companies which I dislike a lot!!! There are a few exceptions but they are rare in big corporate radio these days. Rogers does a fairly good job in the large Canadian markets with the All News Stations, however like at WX 1130 Vancouver staff comes and goes as cost cutting affects staff there quite frequently too. I do listen to the Rogers stations for News because they are the only All News radio stations around so if you want to listen to Radio All News formats thats it!!! I used to like the CKO FM All News Network a lot way back in the 80s and early 90s and that was the first radio all news network in Canada. I liked it better than the Rogers stations too! However I do admire a few of the Rogers stations for jumping on certain events like the Calgary Flooding last spring, 660 CFFR did a very good job on that!

Anyway perhaps someone will apply for and put a good local community FM station with mainly programming directed to the Hope and Fraser Canyon on the air in the near future. They seem to be starting up in many smaller market areas throughout British Columbia in recent years!

Take care everyone, 73s

Eldon

[Eldon-Mr.CFAY]

Greetings,
Just thought I would mention that I heard CKGO 1240 while dxing back in the 70s and early 80s in the Surrey (North Surrey) area in both the daytime and once in awhile at night. With a loop antenna I was able to null out Port Alberni although they were also quite weak in signal strength. CKGO came in quite weak too but was listenable. I would give them a S 3 on a scale of 1 to 10 with Ten been the strongest signal strength. That would have been with a air-core loop antenna and a good portable AM radio like the Radio Shack TRF 655 long distance portable or the GE Superadio One. I also got them on my communications radio at the time which was a DX-160 with a loop antenna. Loop Antenna was a 3 foot square Air-core. Daytime reception was 12 Noon or 1 PM.... When driving up the valley you generally lost CKGO 1240 around Bridal Falls heading west. When they were on 1490 CKGO was only 250 watts , that was when they first signed on and the daytime coverage was considerably less. I do not think I ever heard them in North Surrey on 1490 at least not with a signal I could definitely identify as them. CFWB 1490 Campbell River used to be the regular on that frequency back in the early 1970s in the daytime hours. That is using a decent radio and loop antenna or longwire.

By the way I mentioned previously about Rogers been the only All News AM stations on-air in Canadian Markets, I was not including any USA stations or streaming audio from different all news stations from the net. Only over the air radio reception from local Canadian Markets...

Take care everyone, hope you are having a good February!

By the way have a Happy Valentines Day too!

Eldon