Wiederau transmitter

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Wiederau transmitter is the oldest broadcasting facility of Saxony. It is located near Wiederau a village, which belongs to the community of Pegau and is used for mediumwave, FM- and TV-broadcasting. Wiederau transmitter went in service on October 28th, 1932 as mediumwave transmitter for broadcasting supply of Saxony on 782 kHz. It had a transmission power of 120 kW and used as antenna a T-antenna, which was mounted on two 125 metre tall wooden lattice towers. In spite of its high transmission power, reception of Wiederau transmitter was not satifactorily at night times in areas more than 80 kilometres away from Wiederau, because the used antenna radiated much skywaves, resulting in fading. Therefore in 1935 the T-antenna was replaced in 1935 by a vertical wire antenna, which washang up in a 15 metre tall free-standing wooden lattice tower. In 1939 a second mediumwave transmitter was installed at Wiederau. This transmitter, which is still functionable, was designed for fast change of transmission frequency and used as antenna a triangular antenna, which could be used for every frequency in the MF-band. During air raids in World War II this transmitter formed with other radio stations in Germany a single frequency network in order to make it as difficult as possible to use it for radionavigation by the alliied planes. In 1943 construction work of a short wave transmitter started, but it could not be completed before the end of World War II. Instead some transmitters for jamming radio communication between the alliied aircraft were installed. Wiederau transmitter remained in service until April 12th, 1945. At this day the power supply failed. The transmitter remained silent until September 1945 as the Soviet Military administration allowed that it can get into the air again. In 1947 its transmssion frequency was changed to 722 kHz. Wiederau transmitter got in 1953 a new antenna tower in fom of a guyed steel tube mast radiator insulated against ground. The ne mast antenna went in service on September 19th, 1953. On October 27th, 1953 the old wooden tower, which was the tallest wooden structure of former Eastern Germany, was demolished by explosives. In December 1953 short wave transmisins started at Wiederau. In May 1954 a flooding of the transmitter site occurred. Although the area was partly up to 70 centmetres under water, it was possible to save all devices from the flooding run the transmitters without break. As consequence of this, in 1958 a dam around the site was built. In 1959 the 156 metre mast of the station got an antenna for TV and FM-transmission on its top. By this measure its height grew to 236 metres. During this work, the mediumwave program was radiated from a triangular antenna, which was installed at the site where the 150 metre tall wooden tower stood. After completion of the work, its transmission frequency was changed from 722 kHz to 575 kHz. This was not just done, because of the better groundwave propagation of this frequency, but also for making reception of Mühlacker transmitter working on the same frequency very difficult. In 1968/69 a second guyed mast with a height of 211 metres was built at Wiederau in direct proximity to the old 235 metre tall mast. This mast is in opposite to the old mast grounded and can therefore only used for FM and TV broadcasting. As result of the waveplan of Geneva, Wiederau transmitter had to change its frequency to 531 kHz. This frequency change terminated its interference to Mühlacker transmitter ( although it was still interfered considerably by Wöbbelin transmitter), but in interference with Beromünster transmitter in Switzerland working also on 531 kHz. Until the inaugauration of the new transmitter of Radio Moscow at Wachenbrunn in 1989, it served also for transmitting the program of Radio Moscow. After German Reunification, the number of FM transmitters at Wiederau increased, while the short wave transmitter was shut down in 1993 and all shortwave antennas were dismantled. In 1995 the mediumwave transmitter moved its frequency from 531 kHz to 783 kHz, which terminated its interference with German speaking mediumwave broadcasting stations. In 1998 a fully transistorized mediumwave transmitter was installed at Wiederau transmitter. At this work one of the triangular antennas was replaced, which is now in use for the mediumwave transmissions. The upper mentioned 236 metre tall mast is today only used for FM and TV-transmissions.