The Sender Langenberg (also translated "Transmission Facility Langenberg") is a broadcasting station that transmits MW, FM and TV signals. It is located in Langenberg, Velbert, and has had a very turbulent history since its inaugauration in 1927.
The transmitter first went into service in 1927 with 60 kilowatts of power and a T-aerial hanging on two freestanding steel-frame towers of 100 meters, which were insulated against ground. In the early '30s, some communist underground groups tried to manipulate the modulation line from the studio to the transmitter in order to send their own propaganda. Their attempts failed, but they did manage to put a red star on top of one of the towers, which was removed on the same day.
In 1934 the T-aerial was replaced by an aerial hanging from a 160 metre high woodframework tower and the transmission power was increased to 100 kilowatts. However, this tower did not stand for long, as it was destroyed on October 10th, 1935 by a tornado. After this a triangle area aerial hung on three 45 metre high freestanding towers was built, which went in service in December 1935.
In 1940/41 a second aerial was installed in form of a 240 metre high guyed steel tube mast, which was insulated against ground. On April 12th, 1945 the whole aerial system of the langenberg transmitter was destroyed by German troups.
After World War II were two triangle area aerials built by the British occupants, which were mounted on 6 masts, each 50 metre high. One of these aerials was demounted in 1948, because on its side a 160 metre high insulated radio mast was built. The other aerial was destroyed in a storm in 1949, which broke 2 of the three masts. The third mast was transformed in a radiator for AM and was until 1957 in service. In 1949 a second radio mast with a height of 120 metres was built, which followed in 1952 a third guyed mast with a height of 210 metres for FM and TV. The 120 metre mast was as radiator for medium wave insulated against ground, while the 210 metre mast was grounded.
In the middle of the '60s the transmission power of the AM transmitter was enormously increased and its frequency was changed to the almost clearly frequency 1586 kHz. This measure allowed during nighttime often a reception even in the USA. At this measures the height of the 120 metre high radio mast was reduced to 95 metres and it was equipped with two separation insulators.
In course of the workout of the waveplan of Geneva the exclusiv frequency 1586 kHz had to be given up and the transmitter had to be tuned to 1593 kHz. Because this frequency is used by other transmitters, interference problems occired at nighttime in spite of the high transmitting power of 800 kilowatts. As comparasion the WDR, the owner of the station got a second medium wave frequency, the frequency 720 kHz, which was only licensed for daytime transmission. Between 1988 and 1990 the 95 metre high radio mast for mediumwave and he 210 metre high TV- and FM-mast were replaced by a 301 metre high guyed steel-framework grounded radio mast with a cage aerial for mediumwave in its lower sections. In 1993 the mediumwave transmitter for 1593 kHz was shutdown, because it contained parts with polychlorinebiphenyls. The medium wave frequency 720 kHz stayed in service, but it was not allowed to use this frequency for night transmission until new regulations were made in 1995.
At these days there were two radio masts in Langenberg: the 160 metre high radio mast for medium wave and the 301 metre high radio mast for MW, FM and TV. The first mast had to be renovated in 1996. Unfortunately one auxiliary rope tore at this work and the mast collapsed on September 2nd, 1996.
In 1995 the transmission power had to be reduced because of ecological reasons. Until the beginning of the ninties the whole radiated power in the AM range was 1000 kilowatts (800 kilowatts on 1593 kHz and 200 kilowatts on 720 kHz), so were only 85 kilowatts after 1995 allowed. After the collapse of the 160 metre mast, radiation power of the AM transmitter had to be reduced to 20 kilowatts.
Soon after the collapse of the 160 metre mast, its reconstruction in form of a guyed grounded steelframework mast with a height of 170 metres and a cage aerial for mediumwave was planned. Because for night transmissions on 720 kHz (the other medium wave frequency 1593 kHz was given to Radio Free Europe) a directional minimum toward west was necessary, one of the cage had to be designed for an extra feeding with the HF power. Construction of the new mast started in the middle of 1999, but in consequence of a bad basement its inaugauration was in Juli 2000. After the inaugauration of the new 170 metre high radio mast the transmission power on mediumwave was pushed to 85 kilowatts again.
Weblinks
List of masts
