Mühlacker Transmitter

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Radio towers of Transmitter Mühlacker in September 2004 (from left to the right): Steel framework tower for directional radio, height: 93 m, built in 2004; reflector mast for medium wave with antennas for mobile phone services, height: 80 m, year of construction 1977; Main transmission mast for medium wave and FM, height: 273 m, built in 1950; reflector mast for medium wave, height: 130 m, built in 1954. Between the main transmission mast and the reflector mast there are the two small grey masts, which can be hardly seen in the picture and which carry the shortwave antenna
Radio towers of Transmitter Mühlacker in September 2004 (from left to the right): Steel framework tower for directional radio, height: 93 m, built in 2004; reflector mast for medium wave with antennas for mobile phone services, height: 80 m, year of construction 1977; Main transmission mast for medium wave and FM, height: 273 m, built in 1950; reflector mast for medium wave, height: 130 m, built in 1954. Between the main transmission mast and the reflector mast there are the two small grey masts, which can be hardly seen in the picture and which carry the shortwave antenna

The Mühlacker Broadcasting Transmission Facility is a radio transmission facility near Mühlacker, Germany, first put into service in 1930. It uses two guyed steel tube masts as aerials and one guyed steel framework mast, which are insulated against ground. It has two transmission aerials for shortwave and one free standing steel framework tower for directional radio services. The shortwave transmitter was shut off on October 19, 2004.

[edit] Description

In 1930, the facility consisted of a T-type antenna hung between two 100 m high wooden towers placed 310 m apart. These towers were replaced in 1933-34 with a transmitting antenna consisting of a wire hung in a 190 m high wooden tower. This structure was the tallest wooden tower ever built. One of the two original wooden towers was dismantled and rebuilt at Koblenz. The new Mühlacker antenna had the advantage over its predecessor of producing less steep radiation, resulting in a greater range of fading-free reception in the evening hours. On April 6, 1945 the tower was blown up by the SS.

Today the most important aerial mast in Mühlacker is a 273 m high guyed steel tube mast with a diameter of 1.67 m, located at 48°56′31″N, 8°51′14″E. This mast, which was built in 1950, is used as a transmitter for the mediumwave frequency 576 kHz and is therefore insulated against ground. It is designed as an antifading aerial and is therefore double-feedable and insulated. The mast is topped with a butterfly aerial for FM-broadcasting transmitters.

It is also remarkable, that close to its anchor blocks farest away from the mast construction, there are flight safety lamps for a better marking of the spanfield of its anchor ropes.

Two other radio masts, with heights of 130 m and 80 m, are located at the Mühlacker site.

  • The 130 m high mast, situated at 48°56′36″N, 8°51′21″E, is a steel tube mast, insulated against ground. Before 1996, it was used as a director during nighttime and a spare during daytime. Transmission power was reduced to 100 kW in 1996 and the mast is now obsolete and used only as a spare aerial.
  • The 80 m high radio mast, located at 48°56′29″N, 8°51′10″E, is an insulated guyed steel framework mast with a triangular cross section. It was built in 1977 in order to improve transmission towards the south. It is now also used to carry aerials for mobile phone services.

The three masts are arranged in a nearly straight line on the site. A T-type aerial for shortwave transmission is fixed between two small guyed steel framework masts, but was shut down on October 19, 2004.

In 1948, a 110 m tall guyed steel framework mast was built on the site at 48°56′33″N, 8°51′2″E This served as a transmission aerial for the American Forces Network (AFN) until 1963. From 1963 until its demolition in November 1993, the mast was used as part of a directional aerial for a mediumwave transmitter. It also served as a spare FM transmitter with a butterfly aerial installed on top. The mast was demolished because it was in poor repair and was deemed no longer necessary. Plans for a new mast have not been realized.

Also located here at 48°56′30″N, 8°51′5″E was a 50 m steel framework mast insulated against ground. It was part of the directional aerial for the AFN transmitter described above. After 1963, it was only used as an aerial for the internal mobile radio service of the transmission facility. It was demolished in April, 2004 and replaced in the summer of 2004 with a 93 m high freestanding steel framework tower carrying aerials for directional services.

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