Shortwave transmitter in Wertachtal

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Shortwave transmitter in Wertachtal
Image of the object
Basic data
Place: Amberg in Swabia
Country: Bavaria
Country: Germany
Altitude : 593  m above sea level NHN
Coordinates: 48 ° 5 ′ 12.9 ″  N , 10 ° 41 ′ 42.1 ″  E
Use: Broadcasting station
Accessibility: Transmission system not accessible to the public
Owner : Media broadcast
Demolition : November 2014
Data on the transmission system
Number of towers / masts: 29
Height of the towers / masts : up to 125  m
Construction time: 1969-1972
Operating time: 1972-2013
Last modification (transmitter) : 2008
Waveband : SW transmitter
Radio : KW broadcasting
Position map
Shortwave transmitter in Wertachtal (Bavaria)
Shortwave transmitter in Wertachtal
Shortwave transmitter in Wertachtal
Localization of Bavaria in Germany

The Wertachtal shortwave transmitter was a large shortwave transmission center from 1972 to 2013 operated by Media Broadcast (formerly the Deutsche Bundespost ).

location

The transmission systems and more than 85% of the antenna systems were located in the municipality of Amberg , the remainder in the municipality of Langerringen in the Wertach valley . The transmitter was also clearly visible from the neighboring communities of Ettringen and Lamerdingen .

Technical specifications

In 2008, 14 transmitters with 500 kW output and two transmitters with 100 kW output were installed. Accordingly, the antenna system had considerable dimensions. Rows of towers, the tallest with a height of up to 125 meters and a foundation up to twelve meters deep, held the rope nets for the antennas . Due to the nighttime lighting, the towers were still visible from a distance of more than 20 km. There were a total of 34 steel lattice towers, built from 4,200 tons of hot-dip galvanized profile steel. The three star-shaped antenna roads were one kilometer, 1.3 km and 1.9 km in length. A two-circuit 110 kV overhead line was built to supply the system with energy; the electrical connection value was around 20 megawatts.

history

When Deutsche Welle went into operation in 1953, a shortwave transmitter was built in Jülich in 1956 . Because of the Olympic Games in Munich in 1972, it was decided to put another shortwave transmitter system into operation in the Wertach Valley, as the nine 100 kW transmitters installed in Jülich at that time were not sufficient. Originally the transmitter was to be built in the upper Illertal , but there were complications with the land purchases in this area. Later they found a site with an area of ​​200 hectares further east in the Wertach Valley and bought a piece of land there. 1969 began with the construction of the transmitter in the Wertach valley. The transmitters were purchased from AEG-Telefunken and the antennas from Brown, Boveri & Cie. ordered.

On November 17, 1970, the topping-out ceremony of what was then the largest shortwave transmitter in Europe was celebrated. Around 600 workers were involved in the construction. In September 1971 6 of 25 transmission towers were completed, which reach a height of up to 125 meters. These should be equipped with curtain antennas for broadcasts to North America and the Middle East . In the same year, the first three shortwave transmitters from AEG-Telefunken were installed and it was planned to start broadcasting in December 1971. By the 1972 Olympic Games, four 500 kW shortwave transmitters were to be installed and one transmitter was to be available as a reserve transmitter.

The first test broadcasts from the shortwave station in the Wertach Valley began on April 10, 1972, for which the 500 kW transmitters were used. The test broadcasts ended with the beginning of the Olympic Games in the summer of 1972 . After that, one of the four stations broadcast the ARD Olympia wave on the frequency 5995 kHz, while the other three were used for the transmission of foreign programs.

After the Olympic Games, the transmitter was used by Deutsche Welle . This put ten more 500 kW shortwave transmitters into operation by 1982. At the end of the 1980s, six additional 500 kW shortwave transmitters followed, which were also manufactured by Telefunken .

Since 1987, other broadcasters have broadcast from here, including Voice of America , Radio Canada International and Radio Nederland Wereldomroep . Since Voice of America agreed to transmit from this station for a longer period of time, more curtain antennas were installed and some logarithmic-periodic antennas were dismantled . On December 31, 1995, Voice of America gave up their broadcasts from Wertachtal again. Deutsche Welle therefore decided to reduce its broadcasts from the shortwave station in Jülich and to replace it with broadcasts via the shortwave transmission systems in Nauen and Wertachtal. For this purpose, a quadrant antenna was built in Wertachtal to supply Europe.

Regular customers of the station in Wertachtal have included Adventist World Radio since 1996 and Family Radio since 2001.

In 2003 a new shortwave transmitter was installed in Wertachtal, which was developed by a joint project between T-Systems , Telefunken Sendertechnik (today Transradio Sendersysteme Berlin ) and RIZ Zagreb, has an output of 500 kW in amplitude modulation and broadcasts in Digital Radio Mondiale with a Power of 200 kW made possible.

On December 31, 2006, Deutsche Welle ended its shortwave broadcasts from Wertachtal and relocated the European broadcasts to the Woofferton broadcasting station in Great Britain, among other places .

Since January 15, 2008, the transmitter has belonged to Media Broadcast .

In the course of April 2013, all but the last four programs, primarily programs from religious broadcasters, were relocated from the Wertachtal short-wave transmitter to the transmitter in Nauen , so that the latter was fully utilized with around 60 programs a day. On May 1, 2013, the remaining broadcasts were also moved to Nauen; however, the Wertachtal transmitter remained operational.

The antenna park

The antennas of the former Wertachtal shortwave transmitter before the shutdown
Great circle map Central Europe radius 15,000 km with distance rings 2500 km

The antennas were built in a star with three arms. Wall 1 to the north with a length of 1.3 km, wall 2 to the southeast with 1.9 km and wall 3 to the southwest with 1.0 km. The longest connection to an antenna was 1.9 km, the total length of the laid coaxial cable was 53 km. In the first expansion stage there were 52 antennas for long-distance broadcasts (of which 24 three-band and 28 two-band antennas) as well as eleven dipole lines, also designed as two-band antennas, for closer target areas. In the final state there were 67 antennas. All antennas were provided with squint circuits, with which an electrical swiveling of the main beam in steps of ± 5 °, 15 ° or 30 ° was possible. The supplier was the Mannheim branch of the Swiss company BBC (now Ampegon). The requirement to be able to connect each of the 16 transmitters to each of the 67 antennas was implemented by an eight meter high switch matrix extending over two floors, in the final stage with more than 1000 switching elements.
In addition to the curtain antennas, there were initially five logarithmic-periodic antennas, also with horizontal polarization, each consisting of two radiators, each with 26 dipoles, set up next to one another. These antennas supplied by Telefunken were also equipped with squint circuits, here at +/- 20 °, and were intended for broadcasts to target areas up to 2000 km away. Six quadrant antennas were set up as omnidirectional radiators for even closer target areas . They were designed for two adjacent frequency bands each. In the mid-1980s, the antenna system was rebuilt for the broadcasts of Voice of America, which focused on the target areas of Eastern Europe (in the political sense) and North Africa. The LP antennas were dismantled except for one (the 224). In their place, additional curtain antennas with a preferred direction of 60 ° and ranges of 1,000 to 2,000 km were installed.

The antennas with frequencies and directions in the final state

Wall 1, north

space number Frequencies
(MHz)
Art Azimuth Target area Antenna type
A. 101 15/17/21 F. 270 ° North. South America, Caribbean HRS 4/4
A. 102 6/7 N 90 ° Caucasus region HRS 4/1
B. 103 6/7 F. 270 ° North. South America, Caribbean HRS 4/4
B. 104 7/9 F. 90 ° India, Southeast Asia, Australia HRS 4/5
B. 104 7/9 N 90 ° Caucasus region HRS 4/1
B. 105 15/17/21 F. 90 ° India, Southeast Asia, Australia HRS 4/4
B. 105 15/17 N 90 ° Caucasus region HRS 4/1
C. 106 9/11 F. 90 ° India, Southeast Asia, Australia HRS 4/4
C. 107 11/15/17 F. 270 ° North. South America, Caribbean HRS 4/4
C. 108 6/7 F. 90 ° India, Southeast Asia, Australia HRS 4/4
D. 109 9/11 F. 270 ° North. South America, Caribbean HRS 4/4
D. 110 9/11 F. 90 ° India, Southeast Asia, Australia HRS 4/4
D. 110 9/11 N 90 ° Caucasus region HRS 4/1
D. 111 11/15/17 F. 90 ° India, Southeast Asia, Australia HRS 4/4
D. 111 11/15 N 90 ° Caucasus region HRS 4/1
E. 112 9/11 F. 300 ° East North America, Mexico HRS 4/4
E. 113 17/21/26 F. 300 ° East North America, Mexico HRS 4/4
E. 114 6/7 F. 120 ° Balkans, Ostl. Mediterranean Sea HRS 4/4
F. 115 11/15/17 F. 300 ° East North America, Mexico HRS 4/4
F. 116 15/17/21 F. 300 ° East North America, Mexico HRS 4/4
F. 117 6/7 F. 120 ° Balkans, Ostl. Mediterranean Sea HRS 4/4
G 118 6/7 F. 300 ° East North America, Mexico HRS 4/4
G 119 7/9 F. 120 ° Balkans, Ostl. Mediterranean Sea HRS 4/4
G 119 7/9 N 120 ° Balkan region HRS 4/1
G 120 11/15/17 F. 120 ° Balkans, Ostl. Mediterranean Sea HRS 4/4
G 120 15/17 N 120 ° Balkan region HRS 4/1
H 121 9/11/15 F. 300 ° East North America, Mexico HRS 4/4
H 122 17/21/26 F. 120 ° Balkans, Ostl. Mediterranean Sea HRS 4/4
H 123 21/26 F. 120 ° Balkans, Ostl. Mediterranean Sea HRS 4/4
J 124 6/7 F. 120 ° Balkans, Ostl. Mediterranean Sea HRS 4/4

Wall 2, southeast

space number Frequencies
(MHz)
Art Azimuth Target area Antenna type
A. 201 6/7 F. 210 ° West Africa HRS 4/4
A. 202 7/9 F. 30 ° China, Pacific HRS 4/4
A. 202 9/11 N 30 ° Southern Russia, China HRS 4/1
A. 203 11/15/17 F. 30 ° China, Pacific HRS 4/4
B. 204 9/11 F. 210 ° West Africa HRS 4/4
B. 205 11/15/17 F. 210 ° West Africa HRS 4/4
B. 206 6/7 F. 30 ° China, Pacific HRS 4/4
C. 207 6/7 F. 240 ° South America HRS 4/4
C. 208 9/11 F. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia, China HRS 4/4
C. 209 21/26 F. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia, China HRS 4/4
D. 210 9/11 F. 240 ° South America HRS 4/4
D. 211 11/15/17 F. 240 ° South America HRS 4/4
D. 212 7/9 F. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia, China HRS 4/4
E. 213 9/11/15 F. 240 ° South America HRS 4/4
E. 214 15/17/21 F. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia, China HRS 4/4
E. 215 17/21/26 F. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia, China HRS 4/4
F. 216 21/26 F. 240 ° South America HRS 4/4
F. 217 17/21/26 F. 240 ° South America HRS 4/4
F. 218 11/15/17 F. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia, China HRS 4/4
G 219 6-11 N 45 ° Europ. Russia HRS 4/1
x 220 6-11 B. 75 ° Central Asia, Southern Russia HRS 2/2
x 220 6-11 S. 75 ° Central Asia, Southern Russia HRS 4/2
x 221 6-11 F. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia HRS 2/4
x 222 6-11 F. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia HRS 2/4
x 223 6-11 N 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia HRS 2/2
x 224 6-22 L. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia LogPer
x 225 6/7 B. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia HRS 2/2
x 225 6/7 S. 60 ° Eastern Europe, Russia HRS 4/2
x 226 6/7 Q ND Central Europe quadrant

Wall 3, west

space number Frequencies
(MHz)
Art Azimuth Target area Antenna type
A. 301 15/17/21 F. 330 ° Western North America HRS 4/4
A. 302 21/26 F. 150 ° East Africa, South Africa HRS 4/4
B. 303 11/15/17 F. 330 ° Western North America HRS 4/4
B. 304 9/11 F. 330 ° Western North America HRS 4/4
B. 305 7/9 F. 150 ° East Africa, South Africa HRS 4/4
C. 306 6/7 F. 330 ° Western North America HRS 4/4
C. 307 17/21/26 F. 150 ° East Africa, South Africa HRS 4/4
C. 308 11/15/21 F. 150 ° East Africa, South Africa HRS 4/4
D. 309 6/7 F. 330 ° Western North America HRS 4/4
D. 310 15/17/21 F. 150 ° East Africa, South Africa HRS 4/4
D. 311 9/11 F. 150 ° East Africa, South Africa HRS 4/4
E. 312 9/11/15 F. 330 ° Western North America HRS 4/4
F. 313 9/11 N 120 ° Balkan region HRS 4/2
x 314 6th Q ND Central Europe quadrant
x 315 6/7 Q ND Central Europe quadrant
x 316 9/11 Q ND Central Europe quadrant
x 317 15/17 Q ND Central Europe quadrant

Explanation of type:
F = long-distance traffic
antenna , N = local traffic antenna , Q = quadrant antenna (omnidirectional antenna), L = log. by. Antenna,
B = wide radiation (approx. 45 ° hor. Opening), S = narrow radiation (approx. 30 ° hor. Opening)

Dismantling

At the beginning of 2014 it was announced that the Wertachtal transmitter would be completely demolished from May 2014. The newest transmitter from the Croatian company RIZ Zagreb, installed in 2003, was to be relocated to the Nauen transmitter and operated there on the turntable antenna installed in 1964. The Österreichische Rundfunksender GmbH took over some of the equipment for its transmitter in Moosbrunn . Buyers were sought for the rest of the equipment and otherwise scrapped. At the end of November 2014, the last transmission towers of the Wertachtal shortwave transmitter were blown up. The removal of machines, devices and metal scrap took place in 2015.

Contrary to the original plan, a large part of the original administrative and operational buildings will still be on the site in 2018.

On parts of the once closed area around the transmitter masts there is now a solar park with a current output of 35 MWp .

Panoramic view of the transmitter in 2008

Panoramic view of the transmitter from the neighboring community of Lamerdingen, January 2008

literature

  • Biener, Hansjörg: The large broadcast system from Wertachtal . Rundfunk und Museum (Friends of the Rundfunkmuseum der Stadt Fürth eV), Fürth March 2008, p. 38 - 41 .

Web links

Commons : Kurzwellensendeanlage Wertachtal  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Information from the Deutsche Bundespost Telekom, Fernmeldeamt Augsburg, January 1993
  2. ^ Kai Ludwig: Transmitter system Wertachtal completely switched off. June 5, 2013, archived from the original on July 1, 2013 ; Retrieved July 7, 2013 .
  3. Media Broadcast checks future use of the Wertachtal broadcasting station. June 8, 2013, archived from the original on March 6, 2014 ; accessed on August 7, 2019 .
  4. a b Kai Ludwig: The Wertachtal transmitter is being torn down. In: www.radioEins.de. July 16, 2014, accessed July 12, 2019 .
  5. ^ Allgäuer Zeitung: Wertachtalsender: memories. In: all-in.de. December 15, 2014, accessed April 30, 2019 .
  6. ^ Mindelheimer Zeitung: Ettringen interferes with the solar park. In: ettringen.info. January 12, 2017. Retrieved February 24, 2017 .