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Beidweiler Longwave Transmitter: Difference between revisions

Coordinates: 49°43′49″N 6°19′14″E / 49.73033°N 6.32058°E / 49.73033; 6.32058
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[[File:Beidweiler RTL.jpg|thumb|Masts of Beidweiler longwave transmitter]]
[[File:Beidweiler RTL.jpg|thumb|Masts of Beidweiler longwave transmitter (2006)]]
The '''Beidweiler Longwave Transmitter''' is a high-power broadcasting [[transmitter]] for the [[French language|French-speaking]] programme of [[RTL (French radio)|RTL radio]] on the [[longwave]] frequency 234 kHz. The Beidweiler longwave transmitter, situated at 49°43'58" N and 6°19'08" E, at [[Beidweiler]] in [[Luxembourg]], went in service in 1972 as replacement of the old [[Junglinster Longwave Transmitter]].
The '''Beidweiler longwave transmitter''' is a high-power broadcasting [[transmitter|transmission]] site owned by [[RTL Group]] and operated by RTL company Broadcasting Center Europe. It was used to transmit the [[French language|French-speaking]] programme of [[RTL (French radio)|RTL]] on [[longwave]] frequency {{frequency|234|kHz}} until 1 January 2023. Based in [[Beidweiler]], [[Luxembourg]], the transmission site is situated at 49°43'58" N and 6°19'08" E and went into service in 1972 as replacement of the old [[Junglinster Longwave Transmitter]]. Junglinster remained in use as a backup site and for additional broadcast services.


==Construction==
The Beidweiler longwave transmitter uses a directional antenna consisting of three 290 metre tall guyed masts, each equipped with a cage antenna. The output of this antenna is mostly directed toward [[Paris]].
The facility uses a directional antenna consisting of three {{convert|290|meter|foot|adj=on}} tall guyed masts, each equipped with a cage antenna. The output of this array is mostly directed toward [[Paris]]. When the site was inaugurated in 1972 it operated with a transmission power of 1400&nbsp;kilowatts, which was pushed up to 2000&nbsp;kW in 1974, making it one of the most powerful broadcasting stations in the world at the time.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Engle |first=Steve |title=Competing in the Ether &mdash; Building transmission sites |url=http://h-europe.uni.lu/?page_id=3543 |website=H-Europe}}</ref>


==History==
The transmitter, which had at time of inauguration in 1972 a transmission power of 1400&nbsp;kW, which was pushed up to 2000 kilowatts in 1974 belongs to the most powerful broadcasting stations in the world.
In 1994, the facility's transmitters were replaced with Thomson-Csf TRE&nbsp;2175 units, which in turn were replaced by a new Transradio TRAM/P&nbsp;1500&nbsp;LS solid-state transmitter in 2011 that could support [[Digital Radio Mondiale|DRM digital radio]] broadcasting.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Zank |first=Harald |date=2011-07-27 |title=Transradio Delivers System to RTL |language=en-US |work=[[Radio World]] |url=https://www.radioworld.com/tech-and-gear/transradio-delivers-system-to-rtl |access-date=2022-10-25}}</ref> The maximum power of the site is 1500&nbsp;kW (reduced to 1000&nbsp;kW at night);<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://pa3fwm.nl/signals/rtl234kHz-power|title=RTL 234 kHz power, April 2018 / August 2020}}</ref> since 2020, the output power has been set to 750&nbsp;kW daytime or 375&nbsp;kW at night.<ref>{{Cite web|title=MWLIST quick and easy: Europe, Africa and Middle East - 234 kHz|url=http://www.mwlist.org/mwlist_quick_and_easy.php?area=1&kHz=234|access-date=October 9, 2020}}</ref>
In 1994 the transmitters of the facility were replaced by new devices of the type Thomson-Csf TRE 2175.

In 2019, RTL Group and Luxembourgish energy company {{ill|Enovos|lb}} began work on an extensive solar generation facility at Beidweiler.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2019-07-16 |title=Beidweiler et Junglinster: RTL Group et Enovos à l'initiative du plus grand parc photovoltaïque du pays |language=fr |trans-title=Beidweiler and Junglinster: RTL Group and Enovos at the initiative of the largest photovoltaic park in the country |work=RTL: 5 minutes |url=https://5minutes.rtl.lu/actu/luxembourg/a/1377238.html |access-date=2022-10-25}}</ref> The first phase of the project, consisting of 16,100 [[photovoltaic]] solar panels, was connected to the national energy grid in 2020. A second group of panels went online in 2021. Together with a similar solar generation facility at Junglinster, the transmission sites make up the largest solar facility in Luxembourg, generating almost 10.5 gigawatt-hours of energy per year.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Du Murr |first=Irene |date=2022-02-24 |title=Focus on the country's large-scale photovoltaic installations |url=https://www.spuerkeess.lu/en/blog/lets-talk-business/focus-on-the-countrys-large-scale-photovoltaic-installations/ |access-date=2022-10-25 |website=Spuerkeess |language=en}}</ref>

In October 2022, RTL parent company Groupe M6 announced plans to cease broadcasting from the site, citing the need to reduce electricity consumption.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ross |first=T Carter |date=2022-10-25 |title=RTL Plans 234 kHz Exit for Year-End |language=en-US |work=[[Radio World]] |url=https://www.radioworld.com/global/rtl-plans-234-khz-exit-for-year-end |access-date=2023-01-02}}</ref> Transmissions from Beidweiler stopped on 2 January 2023, with listeners advised to switch to FM, DAB+, or streams delivered via digital TV and mobile apps.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2023-01-02 |title=RTL France has stopped long wave broadcasting |language=en-US |url=https://today.rtl.lu/news/luxembourg/a/2011664.html |access-date=2023-01-02}}</ref>

==See also==
* [[List of tallest structures in Luxembourg]]
* [[List of famous transmission sites]]


==References==
==References==
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==External links==
==External links==
{{Commons category}}
* http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b7751
* http://www.skyscraperpage.com/diagrams/?b7751
* {{Structurae|id=s0010726|title=Langwellensender Beidweiler}}
* {{Structurae|id=20010726|title=Langwellensender Beidweiler}}
* https://theantennasite.com/countries/luxembourg/beidweiler-ruedelastation.html

{{Authority control}}


{{coord|49.73033|N|6.32058|E|source:placeopedia|display=title}}
{{coord|49.73033|N|6.32058|E|source:placeopedia|display=title}}
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[[Category:Junglinster]]
[[Category:Junglinster]]
[[Category:Transmitter sites in Luxembourg]]
[[Category:Transmitter sites in Luxembourg]]
[[Category:Towers completed in 1972]]
[[Category:1972 establishments in Luxembourg]]





Latest revision as of 16:30, 23 January 2024

Masts of Beidweiler longwave transmitter (2006)

The Beidweiler longwave transmitter is a high-power broadcasting transmission site owned by RTL Group and operated by RTL company Broadcasting Center Europe. It was used to transmit the French-speaking programme of RTL on longwave frequency 234 kHz until 1 January 2023. Based in Beidweiler, Luxembourg, the transmission site is situated at 49°43'58" N and 6°19'08" E and went into service in 1972 as replacement of the old Junglinster Longwave Transmitter. Junglinster remained in use as a backup site and for additional broadcast services.

Construction

[edit]

The facility uses a directional antenna consisting of three 290-meter (950 ft) tall guyed masts, each equipped with a cage antenna. The output of this array is mostly directed toward Paris. When the site was inaugurated in 1972 it operated with a transmission power of 1400 kilowatts, which was pushed up to 2000 kW in 1974, making it one of the most powerful broadcasting stations in the world at the time.[1]

History

[edit]

In 1994, the facility's transmitters were replaced with Thomson-Csf TRE 2175 units, which in turn were replaced by a new Transradio TRAM/P 1500 LS solid-state transmitter in 2011 that could support DRM digital radio broadcasting.[2] The maximum power of the site is 1500 kW (reduced to 1000 kW at night);[3] since 2020, the output power has been set to 750 kW daytime or 375 kW at night.[4]

In 2019, RTL Group and Luxembourgish energy company Enovos [lb] began work on an extensive solar generation facility at Beidweiler.[5] The first phase of the project, consisting of 16,100 photovoltaic solar panels, was connected to the national energy grid in 2020. A second group of panels went online in 2021. Together with a similar solar generation facility at Junglinster, the transmission sites make up the largest solar facility in Luxembourg, generating almost 10.5 gigawatt-hours of energy per year.[6]

In October 2022, RTL parent company Groupe M6 announced plans to cease broadcasting from the site, citing the need to reduce electricity consumption.[7] Transmissions from Beidweiler stopped on 2 January 2023, with listeners advised to switch to FM, DAB+, or streams delivered via digital TV and mobile apps.[8]

See also

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Engle, Steve. "Competing in the Ether — Building transmission sites". H-Europe.
  2. ^ Zank, Harald (2011-07-27). "Transradio Delivers System to RTL". Radio World. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  3. ^ "RTL 234 kHz power, April 2018 / August 2020".
  4. ^ "MWLIST quick and easy: Europe, Africa and Middle East - 234 kHz". Retrieved October 9, 2020.
  5. ^ "Beidweiler et Junglinster: RTL Group et Enovos à l'initiative du plus grand parc photovoltaïque du pays" [Beidweiler and Junglinster: RTL Group and Enovos at the initiative of the largest photovoltaic park in the country]. RTL: 5 minutes (in French). 2019-07-16. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  6. ^ Du Murr, Irene (2022-02-24). "Focus on the country's large-scale photovoltaic installations". Spuerkeess. Retrieved 2022-10-25.
  7. ^ Ross, T Carter (2022-10-25). "RTL Plans 234 kHz Exit for Year-End". Radio World. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
  8. ^ "RTL France has stopped long wave broadcasting". 2023-01-02. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
[edit]

49°43′49″N 6°19′14″E / 49.73033°N 6.32058°E / 49.73033; 6.32058