During the application process for the licence, the station's working title was Humber Bridge Radio; however on 17 April 1984, it was launched as Viking Radio and broadcast on 102.7 FM and 1161 kHz AM (258m Medium Wave).
Viking was the first commercial radio station in the UK to introduce split programming so that it could broadcast rugby league commentary on Sunday afternoons on its AM frequency, leaving FM to take The Network Chart Show.