Canadian Forces Network

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Canadian Forces Network (Germany Southwest)
Brunssum
Brunssum
Ramstein
Ramstein
Heidelberg
Heidelberg
Söllingen
Söllingen
Lahr
Lahr
Metz
Metz
Werl
Werl
CFN locations in the 1980s (red) and earlier (gray)

Canadian Forces Network (CFN; French Reseau des Forces Canadiennes, RFC ) was a broadcast service for Canadian military personnel stationed in Europe . The headquarters of CFN Europe was in Brunssum , Netherlands . Most recently, CFN operated terrestrial transmission systems at the NATO sites in Brunssum (supplying the "Tri-Community" JFC Brunssum - NATO Air Base Geilenkirchen - CFSU (E) Niederheid ; approx. 700 Canadians), Ramstein and SHAPE . In the past, other transmitters were operated at Canadian military locations (see the history section ). It was broadcast mainly in English. Canadian and local news were broadcast alternately in English and French every hour. Musically, a mix of oldies and current songs was offered.

Due to financial cuts, CFN ended its broadcasting on September 30, 2014.

history

Canadian soldiers' stations already existed in Great Britain during the Second World War . The beginnings of the Canadian Forces Network (CFN) go back to 1951, when the Canadian Ministry of Defense commissioned the broadcasting company CBC (Northern and Armed Forces Service) to produce programs for the Canadian soldiers in Korea, England, France and West Germany. The European center for the air forces became Metz (Château de Mercy) with further locations in Marville (CFNY, 1 wing; previously 1951–55 CFNL in Luffenham ; from 1967 in Lahr ) and Grostenquin (CFGT or CFNG, 2 wing; from 1965 in Ramstein , 4ATAF ) in France and Zweibrücken (CFNZ, 3 wing; until July 1969) and Baden-Söllingen (CFNS, 4 wing) in West Germany; for the land forces there was Canadian Forces Radio CAE in Werl (Westphalia) from 1956 to 1970 .

The first transmitter on the Canadian airbase in Söllingen (1954) was called Canadian Radio Broadcasting Service (CRBS). It was run by volunteers. They reported on various activities in the area and knew how to motivate the audience, the Canadian soldiers. In 1956 the soldiers turned away from the monotonous station and so the audience was lost. Four years passed before the station was resurrected with a new program in 1960. The broadcasting program was limited in time and only broadcast two to three times a week, as the programs were transported from base to base. In 1961, the RCAF decided, in cooperation with the CBC, to call off nine employees in order to assign them to broadcasting operations. New broadcasting equipment was purchased and new listeners were won thanks to an increase in staff, new technology and a more varied broadcast format.

In connection with France's exit from NATO , the center was relocated to Lahr (Jammstrasse 9) under the name CFN / RFC , with additional locations in Baden-Söllingen (CFNS / RFCS, own studio) and Ramstein (CFNR), later also in Brunssum (CFNB, 1978/79) and Heidelberg (CFNH, approx. 1988). From 1979 there were also television programs, in Lahr from 1981 to 1993 (initially English and French on channel 60, from 1984 English on channel 60, French on channel 38), at times also in Baden-Söllingen; the newscast was called in English as in French Contact (1989–93). CFN / RFC directors 1967-93 were Hans Konow (of Radio CAE), Jean-Claude Marion, Pierre Larose, Keith Randall and Jean Choquette.

The three locations in Baden-Württemberg were given up in 1994, so that Brunssum was set as the headquarters and the French service RFC was discontinued. The station manager was Olaf M. Guillaume from 1995, and the station at NATO headquarters in Belgium was added. From 2002 to 2010 the program was also broadcast via the Astra satellite , and from 2013 via Eutelsat 9A .

Even Radio Canada International temporarily brought shipments for members of the Canadian Forces (such Report to Peacekeepers / Magazine of Casques Bleus , 1993/94). In addition, from 1999 to the end of March 2014, CFRT ( Canadian Forces Radio and Television ; French RTFC, Radiotélévision des Forces canadiennes ) broadcast a 24-hour program via Eutelsat for Canadian military and their families from Europe to Afghanistan.

On September 30, 2014, CFN was shut down.

Former frequencies

  • Germany
    • Ramstein Air Base: 101.2> 101.9 MHz
    • Heidelberg ( Königstuhl ): 103.9> 105.4 MHz
    • Baden-Söllingen: 101.125> 96.8 & 90.5 MHz; TV: 44 & 60
    • Lahr ( Schutterlindenberg ): 102.5 & 101.2> 90.5 & 94.0 MHz; TV: 60 & 38
    • Zweibrücken: 1620 kHz> 96.9> 98.5 MHz
    • Werl: 96.9> 87.8 MHz
  • Netherlands: JFC Brunssum 103.4> 91.5> 96.9 & 99.7 MHz
  • Belgium: SHAPE 100.5 MHz
  • France: Metz 93.3 MHz; Marville 1640 kHz> 95 MHz; Grostenquin 1620 kHz> 96 MHz
  • Eutelsat 9A: 11823 GHz H 27500-3 / 4

program

  • CFN Marville, March 1967

  • RFC Lahr, May 1980

  • CFN Europe, April 2010

present

Currently (2019) Canadian forces in Europe are involved in operations in Iceland, the Baltic States, Central and Eastern Europe, Ukraine, Kosovo and Cyprus. The programs of CBC / Radio-Canada are available on the Internet .

See also

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.cg.cfpsa.ca/cg-pc/europe/en/familyservices/militaryfamilyresourcecentre/Pages/default.aspx
  2. ↑ a b Canadian Forces Network Europe, final broadcast, final hour
  3. ^ Martinsen, Svenn: Armed Forces Radio Stations in the European Broadcasting Area
  4. ^ The Arrowhead Tribune ( ZDB -ID 2361595-3 ): Daily Program Schedule (March 1967)
  5. ↑ http://www.c-and-e-museum.org/marville/misc/mamisc-13a.html
  6. ↑ Recording: CFN Lahr News, June 2, 1983
  7. ↑ Bill Peterson, https://soundcloud.com/bill2p (1978/79)
  8. ↑ a b Sentinel ( ZDB -ID 439161-5 ): Keeping peacekeepers in touch (1993)
  9. ↑ CFN (Canadian Forces Network) soon no longer via satellite ; Recordings CFN 60 (1988)
  10. ↑ Sign Off Last of CFN 1993
  11. ↑ Recordings RFCS 60 / CFNS 44 (1991)
  12. ↑ Old Last CFN News Contact 1992, CFB Lahr Germany
  13. ^ Landesarchiv Baden-Württemberg: Last day of broadcast of CFN in Lahr (SDR 1, May 31, 1994)
  14. ↑ Archive link ( Memento from March 2, 2014 in the Internet Archive )
  15. ↑ http://www.rcinet.ca/english/about-us/historic/
  16. ↑ International Datacasting Announces Upcoming Termination of Canadian Forces Radio & Television Broadcast Services
  17. ↑ forces.gc.ca: Current military operations list