CHKS-FM


CHKS-FM is a Canadian radio station, which broadcasts at 106.3 FM in Sarnia, Ontario. The station broadcasts a mainstream rock format with the brand name Cool 106.3 and it also serves Port Huron, Michigan.
CHKS-FM broadcasts in HD.

Range

CHKS-FM can be heard in parts of Eastern Michigan, as far west as Flint, Michigan. The station conflicts with WGER of Saginaw, Michigan, in Genesee and Lapeer Counties, though those with directional antennas can tune either station in these areas. The 106.3 FM signal has been heard as far south as Monroe, Michigan. However, reception can be difficult due to FM translator W292DK in Oak Park, Michigan which is also on 106.3 FM. This tends to cause interference in southern St. Clair County, as well as in Macomb County. In Ontario, there does not seem to be as much interference.

History

The station was launched in 1968 by Dancy Broadcasting, as an AM station with the callsign CKJD and a contemporary MOR format. The station's original AM frequency was 1250 AM. It was acquired by Rogers Communications in 1972, and moved to 1110 AM in 1977. In 1981, Rogers also launched an FM sister station, CJFI.
CKJD and CJFI were sold to Maclean-Hunter subsidiary Blue Water Broadcasting in 1987. The following year, CKJD adopted a country music format with the new call sign CKTY.
When Rogers acquired Maclean-Hunter in 1994, the Blue Water stations were transferred to Blackburn Radio. Blackburn converted the station to FM in 1999, and gave the station its current call sign, CHKS-FM and changed the format to rock under the moniker K106.3 - Sarnia's Best Rock.
On July 1, 2020 at 1:06 pm, K 106.3 ended it's active rock format with playing "Firework" by The Tragically Hip repeatedly from 12:00 pm until 1:06pm. The first song played on the new mainstream rock based Cool 106.3 was "Electric Avenue" by Eddy Grant.