CFMI-FM (101.1 MHz) branded as Rock 101, is a commercial radio station in Vancouver, British Columbia. It is owned by Corus Entertainment with studios in Downtown Vancouver, in the TD Tower. The station has a radio format that combines classic hits and classic rock. Key artists include Van Halen, Tom Petty, Alanis Morissette, Fleetwood Mac and Bryan Adams, but not the pop or dance artists heard on many classic hits stations, such as Michael Jackson, Madonna or Whitney Houston.

CFMI-FM
Broadcast areaGreater Vancouver
Frequency101.1 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingRock 101
Programming
FormatClassic hits - classic rock
SubchannelsHD2: CKNW (News/talk)
HD3: Same as HD2
Ownership
Owner
CKNW, CKGO, CFOX-FM, CHAN-DT, Global News: BC 1
History
First air date
March 22, 1970; 54 years ago (March 22, 1970)
Call sign meaning
C FM I (Roman numeral, reference to former on-air branding FM One)
Technical information
ClassC
ERP53,000 watts average
100,000 watts peak
HAAT368.4 metres (1,209 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
49°20′42″N 122°58′23″W / 49.345°N 122.973°W / 49.345; -122.973 (CFMI-FM Tower)
Links
Websiterock101.com

CFMI-FM is a Class C station with an effective radiated power (ERP) of 53,000 watts (100,000 watts peak).[1] Its transmitter tower is atop Mount Seymour in the District of North Vancouver.

History

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CFMI signed on the air on March 22, 1970; 54 years ago (March 22, 1970).[2] It was owned by Radio NW, Ltd. and is the sister station to CKNW 980 AM. It originally was licensed to New Westminster, with studios on 8th and McBride. It began with a short-lived country music format. This was followed by easy listening music ("Pop for Adults").

In its early years, it was a technical innovator of broadcast automation systems. FM Stereo automation systems of the day relied heavily on reel-to-reel tape machines for music. CFMI's automation had no reel machines, but relied totally on cartridge carousels. This allowed greater programming flexibility ("random access"), but no broadcast cartridges of the day could reproduce quality stereo. The response of CFMI's engineers was to invent a new cartridge that could: The Aristocart. Parent company Western International Communications went on to develop a manufacturing division, exporting these improved cartridges to broadcasters around the world. Today's broadcasters use computer systems with large hard drives to reproduce music digitally, and have no need of tape systems. But in its heyday (circa 1975-1990), the Aristocart was an improvement to a technical problem shared by all commercial stereo broadcasters.

Among CFMI's programming innovations was Discumentary, a one-hour musical documentary of programming featuring a particular artist or a particular theme. This was developed in response to the CRTC's requirement for foreground programming. The Discumentary programs were written by Paul Wiggins and voiced by Dave McCormick, then Terry David Mulligan and syndicated throughout Canada, and broadcast internationally on the Anik D satellite. Later, CRTC regulations phased out the need for foreground programming, and CFMI phased out Discumentary.

Over the years, the station added booster transmitters in most of British Columbia. After experiencing technical difficulties related to the location of its main transmitter, CFMI received Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) approval on July 26, 2011, to relocate that transmitter. The antenna's height above average terrain (HAAT) was reduced from 686 to 386.4 metres in the process. At the same time, its average effective radiated power (ERP) was increased from 37,000 to 53,000 watts (maximum ERP changing from 75,000 to 100,000 watts).[3]

HD programming

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On October 13, 2015, CFMI-HD was launched as the first Canadian HD service west of Ontario:

  • HD2 carries sister station CKNW AM 980.
  • HD3 carries sister station CKGO AM 730. (This began on July 3, 2016, due to damage to AM730's transmitter from the 2016 Burns Bog fire.)[4]

Rebroadcasters

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CFMI also operates on a number of low-power FM transmitters.

Alberta

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Rebroadcasters of CFMI-FM
City of license Identifier Frequency Power Class RECNet CRTC Decision
Luscar VF2213 96.5 FM 20 watts LP Query CRTC 93-278
Rainbow Lake VF2293 92.3 FM 10 watts VLP Query CRTC 95-704

British Columbia

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Rebroadcasters of CFMI-FM
City of license Identifier Frequency Power Class RECNet CRTC Decision
Whistler CFMI-FM-1 90.7 FM 50 watts LP Query Decision CRTC 2000-207
Donald Station VF2000 94.5 FM 21 watts LP Query Decision CRTC 96-6
Granisle VF2004 101.5 FM 50 watts LP Query Decision CRTC 96-37
Boston Bar VF2006 92.9 FM 50 watts LP Query Decision CRTC 86-270
Tumbler Ridge VF2051 101.1 FM 8 watts LP Query Decision CRTC 92-736
Fort St. James VF2100 99.9 FM 10 watts VLP Query Decision CRTC 90-373
Chetwynd VF2104 100.5 FM 27 watts LP Query Decision CRTC 94-123
Valemount VF2122 91.1 FM 16 watts LP Query Decision CRTC 90-1042
McBride VF2151 101.1 FM 37 watts LP Query Decision CRTC 91-871
Riley Creek VF2194 104.5 FM 22 watts LP Query Décision CRTC 99-44
Kemano VF2209 103.5 FM 10 watts VLP Query Decision CRTC 93-66
Dease Lake VF2223 100.1 FM 1 watt LP Query Decision CRTC 93-708
Hagensborg VF2287 92.7 FM 23 watts LP Query Decision CRTC 95-55
Burton VF2296 90.5 FM 1 watt VLP Query Decision CRTC 95-792
Avola VF2316 93.5 FM 20 watts LP Query Decision CRTC 98-145
Blue River VF2318 93.9 FM 8 watts VLP Query Decision CRTC 98-144
Bralorne VF2327 101.1 FM 1 watt VLP Query Decision CRTC 96-640
Campbell River VF2378 102.3 FM 11 watts LP Query
Fraser Lake VF2473 92.1 FM 36 watts LP Query

Newfoundland and Labrador

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Rebroadcasters of CFMI-FM
City of license Identifier Frequency Power Class RECNet CRTC Decision
Burgeo VF2076 92.3 FM 50 watts LP Query CRTC 89-423

Saskatchewan

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Rebroadcasters of CFMI-FM
City of license Identifier Frequency Power Class RECNet CRTC Decision
Carrot River VF2212 101.1 FM 15 watts LP Query CRTC 2001-7
La Ronge VF2376 101.1 FM 12 watts LP Query

References

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  1. ^ FCCdata.org/CFMI
  2. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-243. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
  3. ^ "Broadcasting Decision CRTC 2011-440". CRTC. July 26, 2011. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
  4. ^ "Canada Stations - HD Radio". Xperi. Retrieved October 31, 2017.
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