From: Glenn Hauser [dxld] Kavala / Tbilisskaya / 3955 kHz vs. ETCS / Wertachtal etc. 03.19.14 04:01 AM The Kavala (actually located further east in Xánthi province) site suffered the same fate as the Athen/Mégara mediumwave facility: It was looted by copper thefts. This per the (authentic I think) comment here: https://facebook/photo.php?fbid=292188847597669&set=a.116275865188969.23465.115274508622438&type=1&comment_id=703013&offset=0&total_comments=3 Theres more interesting material in this Lampertheim-run Facebook profile (all visible also without a Facebook log-in, I dont have one either). And if not known yet: Here are photos of the facility while still on air. https://picasaweb.google/118053668880107446079/VoiceOfAmericaKavalaGreeceTransmittingStation?noredirect=1 Here are recent photos from the Tbilisskaya site (for Glenn: thats what known from HFCC data as ARM for Armavir and often also being refered to under Krasnodar which in fact is 120 km away): fotkidepo.ru/?id=album:52273 It starts with FM/TV gear. Then on the last row of page 2 what must be the console of the transmitter used by GTRK Tatarstan on 12095 kHz (I dont know anything else that would still have been on air there at the time the photo was taken). On page 3 the 171 / 1089 / 1170 kHz equipment or at least one of these transmitters, installed not before 1989, perhaps replacing what has just been removed on page 1? And then on the last row of page 3 and on page 4 more shortwave, also including the 1000 kW gear. One of these transmitters used to put a huge signal of Radio Moscow and later Voice of Russia in German into Germany. Sigh. Concerning the BBC radio transmitter disrupts trains between Leominster and Ludlow story: What gets disturbed there in particular are devices called Eurobalise that send data bursts into passing trains. They do so by way of frequency shift keying. For 1 the magnetic field is modulated with 4516 kHz and for 0 with --- 3951 kHz. Ooops. I would have shaken my head already when reading this specification without previous problems: Are those who designed this gear aware that they choose a broadcasting frequency where the presence of strong RF fields must be expected? Apparently not. Such train control systems are always designed fail-safe, thus the receipt of the incomplete data burst (lacking the 3951 kHz component) inavoidably stops the train. If its really ETCS that is affected here (there are also other applications that use the Eurobalise in addition to old train control systems, such as here in Germany the GNT system for speed control of tilting trains which is added to the traditional Indusi/PZB train control) I would be really eager to know what will be the interim measure that will be installed. And what will be the permanent solution they are exploring with the Department for Transport and the European Rail Agency? I suspect that these two bodies will try to persuade the Ofcom of revoking the 3955 kHz authorization, although it is pretty clear that it is a malfunction of their equipment, not anything in the responsibility of the transmitter operator that legitimately uses this frequency for broadcasting services. And since David asked (sorry, I just see that I apparently did not send you an answer so far): I have not heard any updates concerning the Wertachtal facility since it has been withdrawn from service a year ago. There were no reports about any removal of equipment so far, which does not exclude the possibility that a big scrapping already took place, however. The wording of the Wikipedia entry does not mean anything, it simply reflects the opinion that the closure was final (which of course is a good guess, I dont see a scenario under which the capacity would be needed again). For Glenn: Media Broadcast does not own the Issoudun facilities, they are the other way round owned by the company (TDF) that owns and operates these transmitters. The situation is such that thus they are no external customer for Issoudun services, and I understand that using the airtime there is cheaper than using the Wertachtal gear. RFI has, as well known, already considerably reduced its shortwave service, thus quite a lot of the Issoudun capacity can be used for other purposes now, and this essentially replaced Wertachtal (together with filling up the slots at Nauen and also book some slots at ORS Moosbrunn where they are certainly more than happy about the additional business). Concerning the Radio Öömrang broadcast in particular: These QSL cards are issued by the very people who dispatch the transmissions, so it is no doubt an authoritative information that this year Issoudun has been used. Previous mentions of Nauen were probably mere speculation. All the best, (Kai Ludwig, Germany, March 19, DX LISTENING DIGEST)
Posted on: Wed, 19 Mar 2014 03:18:27 +0000
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