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.
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 to prevent its capture by the Allies in World War II.
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 . 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 there are flight safety lamps near the ground end of the guy ropes, to make the span of the guy ropes more visible.
Two other radio masts, with heights of 130 m and 80 m, are located at the Mühlacker site.
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 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 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.