Danish public broadcaster Danmarks Radio (DR) is to close its 250 kW mediumwave transmitter on 1062 kHz in Kalundborg, and has resumed broadcasting on longwave 243 kHz, but with a power of just 50 kW. As has been the case on mediumwave, the programming on 243 kHz will be restricted to weather forecasts, communications for shipping and morning gymnastics. DR closed its 300 kW longwave transmitter on 243 kHz in February 2007. Since then, it has only been used sporadically for test broadcasts in DRM. But now 243 kHz has been put back into use again with AM broadcasts, using a newly purchased modern Nautel 50 kW transmitter. Until Monday 27 June both the mediumwave and longwave transmitters will be in use, and as of Monday 27 June there will be no more regular broadcasts on 1062 kHz from Kalundborg. However, the frequency will be retained as a reserve frequency. The target audience for the AM broadcasts are truck drivers, fishermen and recreational boaters - and to a lesser degree expatriates, who nowadays are increasingly listening to DR via the Web instead. DR operations manager Puk Astrud explained the reason for the change to longwave: "We are switching from mediumwave to longwave because DR is now the only transmitter on 243 kHz. Longwave has a more stable and better coverage than mediumwave channel, which is basically just goes as far Hamburg and Oslo. " When DR waspreviously using longwave, the frequency was also used in Turkey, and the 200 kW transmitter in Erzurum disrupted reception of DR in parts of southeastern Europe. As far as we know Turkish Radio stopped using 243 kHz in the autumn of 2008. DR Media Research has conducted a survey that showed less than 1.2 percent of the audience using the AM channel, and more than half of those listen on AM less than once a month. The installation of the new 50 kW transmitter means that there isn't room for both the old 250 kW mediumwave transmitter and 300 kW longwave transmitter in the building in Kalundborg. Only one of the transmitters will be preserved and will act as a reserve transmitter. (via Media Network)
