Sölvesborg medium wave transmitter
Sölvesborg mediumwave transmitter, a radiostation at Björkenabben on the peninisula Listerlandet, inaugurated 30 May 1985. 55°59′28″N 14°40′01″E / 55.99111°N 14.66694°E
The station transmits on mediumwave on the frequency 1179 kHz, and is used by Radio Sweden International, owned by Teracom.
Technical specifications
The station is situated outside Sölvesborg, far out on the peninsula Listerlandet, right on its outer point Björkenabben at the seabord of the Baltic Sea and gets then optimum earthing characteristics, which is a qualification for optimal coverage on these frequencies. The station takes advantage of a phenomenon called "sea gain", which means that the singnal is amplified by the surrounding sea. Two 135 m (443 ft) high steel lattice towers work as antennas and are fed half way up by eight feeders from a feeder house beneath each of the two antennas, where the feeders from the transmitter are connected.
The antenna currencies are phase offset to achieve the direction that has been decided in an international overcome. One of the antennas is fed with 450 kW and the other one only with 150 kW. The station achieves most of its aiming towards west and north. It must be lowered towards east and south to not interfere with other stations on the same frequency. The station shares the frequency with five other stations in Europe. Maximum aiming are in the directions 70 and 270 degrees.
The transmitter has a power of 600 kW (PEP) and together with the antenna gain the output power is 2000 kW (ERP).
The station replaced the more and well completely torn transmitter in Hörby on 100 kW which had been an object for artificial reproductive techniques for several years. The staff prayed every morning for the old station to start. The Hörby transmitter was scrapped directly after Sölvesborg went into service. The station in Hörby had been into service since 1947.
On 14 January 1985, the station was done and shortly after, the adjustment works began. On 30 May 1985, the station was inaugurated by Televerket Radio together with representatives from Sölvesborgs kommun and Sveriges Radio.
Construction works
The construction works began in 1982. The antenna towers took only three month to assemble. Smedjebacken-Boxholm has made the drawings and Wibe has assembled. They only weight 70 ton each. In the ground around the towers 8 km of copper wire has been digged down which ends up in large copper plates to get a good earthing characteristics as possible. Two 350m long feeder cables isolated by compressed air goes from the station buildning to each of the antennas. The transmitter is a Telefunken S4006. Major parts of the transmitter is cooled by water with forced ventilation on some exposed parts. The efficiency lays around 73% which is almost as possible it can be theortically. .
Totally the costs of the station ended up on 25 million Swedish Krona. For that:
- 1500ton concrete
- 140ton steel
- 100 km copper thread
- 20000 man working hours
were used.
The station building is prepared for one more transmitter.