Dave Amstrong
David Montgomery Armstrong: CFCT
(Victoria); Prairie stations; early 40’s; CKNW 1944-1949; founded CKDA Victoria
in 1950; founded sister station CKDA-FM (CFMS) in 1954; co-founded CHEK TV in
1956. Died April 22, 1985 at the age of 65.
Playing Country and Western Music,
live and from record, CKNW began its long broadcasting history on
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1950
David M. Armstrong started CKDA on
January 18. CKDA operated on 1340 kHz
with a power of 250 watts
(full-time,
non-directional). Owner: Capital Broadcasting System Ltd.
1955
CKDA switched to 1280 kHz and
increased power to 5,000 watts.
1957
CKDA moved to 1220 from 1280 kHz
and increased power from 5,000 to 10,000 watts.
1966
In October, CKDA was given
approval to increase power to 25,000 watts (full-time, DA-1) from 10,000 watts
(full-time,
DA-1). The change took place in 1968.
1971
CKDA increased power to 50,000
watts (full-time, DA-1) using five 202 foot towers on
1985
CKDA/CFMS founder David M.
Armstrong died on April 22.
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CKDA, founded by David M.
Armstrong in 1949, has a rich and varied history. In the early years, the
format was 'Golden Sound Music' - featuring the great sounds of the likes of
Sinatra, Nat King Cole and Doris Day. CKDA switched to rock in the late '60s,
and was
With the increased popularity of
FM in the 1980s, CKDA's market share was strongly
challenged. By the latter half of the '90s, CKDA had become country-formatted
CKXM. It's now on the FM dial with a modern rock format as "the
Zone."
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Local broadcaster Dave Armstrong
started CKDA in 1950 and CFMS -
After the colorful businessman
died in 1986, his wife Sheridon Armstrong was in
charge.
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The launching of CHEK-TV in
December 1956, introduced by Dave Armstrong, owner of CKDA Radio
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Dave is a Victoria born and
educated man who left the Island in the early 1940's after getting his radio
start at the city's original station CFCT.
He subsequently held responsible positions in production and sales in
prominent prairie and B.C. stations. His
lifetime ambition was to have his own radio
station. "And it had to be in
Dave first applied for a radio
station license in 1947 but was turned down by the CBC board of governors. A subsequent application the next year was
refused also, but a third in the fall of 1949 brought success and it was the
initial step toward a second station in
Victoria MLA, Captain D. J. Proudfoot offered the opening remarks and was followed by
other officials as well as famous stage, radio and screen stars. After the initial flare of publicity and
excitement, the small CKDA staff settled into a routine necessary to merit the
confidence of
Having gained the top position locally
the next step was an expansion of power and facilities. Despite vigorous oppositiion,
Dave Armstrong was finally granted permission to boost the station's power to
5,000 watts. The expansion necessitated
a complete new lineup of transmission equipment and new transmitter site. Chatham Island, off suburban Oak Bay, was
chosen for its technical advantages to be the site of the new transmitter and
towers. Contractors and engineers went
to work and 2 months later all construction and wiring was completed and signal
readied to beam a powerful 5,000 voice from
The tremendous CKDA expansion has been a
tribute not only to the energy of Dave Armstrong and the staff, but to the
potential of B.C. and of