AM broadcasting of the Czech Republic has three months left to live
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Author: Igor Kolke, Moscow, Russia.
Czech Republic says goodbye to analogue broadcasting on medium and long waves. On December 31, 2021, the use of traditional bands is discontinued due to financial unprofitability, the management of Český rozhlas previously explained. Broadcasting on medium and long waves costs Czech Radio (Český rozhlas) tens of millions of crowns a year, which is very expensive. In addition, analog broadcasting is a technically outdated platform that is susceptible to various external influences and causes a lot of interference when listening. The money saved from the AM shutdown will be invested in DAB + technology. This market is growing and developing throughout Western Europe, according to the technical management of Český rozhlas. Since the beginning of September, on the air of the AM bands of Český rozhlas, where broadcasting continues, listeners have been warned about the disconnection of analogue broadcasts. And a special site has appeared on the Internet, which contains tips for connecting to DAB + radio, as well as a feedback form.
WHO ELSE REMAINED IN THE MIDDLE WAVES?
Of the Czech private stations that are still broadcasting on medium waves, there are: "Country Radio" (1062 kHz) with a transmitter in Zbraslav (Prague region) with a power of 20 kW, Český Impuls (981 kHz) with a 10 kW transmitter in Libeznice near Prague, Rádio Dechovka (792 and 1260 kHz) with transmitters in Hradec Králové (5 kW) and in Libeznice (10 kW). In the spring of 2021, a representative of the commercial station Country Radio, in an interview with the specialized portal Digitální rádio, said that the radio station did not plan to stop broadcasting on medium waves, despite the transition to digital format. “According to an internal study, tens of thousands of listeners tune in to Country Radio to receive a medium wave signal,” the source said at the time.
Czech Radio (Český rozhlas) currently has analogue broadcasts on long and medium waves on the following frequencies:
270 kHz - Radiožurnál with a transmitter power of 50 kW,
639 kHz - Český rozhlas 2 with a transmitter power of 750 kW,
954 kHz - Český rozhlas 2 with transmitter power 20 and 30 kW,
1071 kHz - Český rozhlas Plus with a transmitter power of 5 kW,
1332 kHz - Český rozhlas 2 with a transmitter power of 50 kW.
CZECHES DO NOT PARTIT WITH ANALOG RECEIVERS
Despite the active phase of the transition of Czech radio broadcasting to digital, Czechs still listen to radio stations using classic analogue receivers. A poll by Radioprojekt (the official Czech analytical project that counts radio data) showed that 91.5% of respondents listened to their favorite stations on ordinary receivers at home, in offices or in their cars. Data collection was carried out from January to July 2021. At the same time, as the study showed, compared to previous results, the proportion of Czechs who listen to radio on the Internet and using smartphones has increased. DAB + broadcast reception among Czech listeners also slightly increased (by 3.4 percentage points) compared to the previous poll. More than 10% of listeners use digital radios. The most popular radio station on the market remains the public Radiožurnál. About 1.7 million Czechs tune in at least once a week. In second place (1.6 million listeners per week) Rádio Impuls. The third most listened radio station for Czechs is Evropa 2 (1.4 million listeners per week).
HAPPEN TO CAPTURE THE WAVE!
Now, taking into account the good evening passage, in Moscow after sunset you can easily catch Český rozhlas Dvojka at frequencies of 639 and 954 kHz, and between 22.00 and 01.00 Moscow time a good signal breaks through from the DV 270 kHz frequency, where ČRo 1 - Radiožurnál is broadcast ... Here you can listen to the reception in Moscow Český rozhlas Dvojka (954 kHz). The Czech commercial radio station Český Impuls makes its way in the area before and after midnight in Moscow at a frequency of 981 kHz. The signal is not very good quality, floating and subject to strong interference. Here is a fragment of the reception in Moscow of the radio station Český Impuls (981 kHz). The station of folk and folk music from the Czech Republic "Dechovka" is available for reception in Moscow in the evenings, mainly at a frequency of 792 kHz. If you use an antenna, you can improve the reception quality. In general, the signal is of satisfactory quality. Here is a fragment of the reception in Moscow of the radio station "Dechovka" (792 kHz). (https://kolkeradio.blogspot.com/2021/10/am.html)
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There was a time when Radio Slovakia International broadcast its shortwave programs directly from Slovakia.
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For this, a MW / SW radio center was used near the town of Rimavska Sobota. The history of the center began in the 50s of the last century. For short waves, Soviet-made transmitters were used: PKV-250 (NPO named after Komintern, Leningrad). The antenna array is supported by masts 90-169 meters high. SW broadcasting of RSI from the radio center was discontinued in 2011. Medium wave transmitter with SRo 3 Rádio Devín program can be heard at night at 1521 kHz (10 kW)
P.S. With the termination of the broadcast of the World Radio Network at a frequency of 738 kHz in Moscow, the Russian service RSI disappeared from the air. Maybe this is a reason to remember about your radio center? Although ... the financial issue is cutting this possible undertaking in the bud. Detailed review: https://www.radiomuseum.org/forum/sendeanlagen_in_rim
..
https://towercom.sk/en/tower/rimavska-sobota/
(https://vk.com/public158109176)
